Follow these six food safety tips to help you safely prepare your next holiday turkey meal. · allow 1 pound of turkey per person. When preparing a turkey , its important to know the main safety issues involved with thawing, preparing, stuffing, cooking , cooling and reheating. · raw turkey can contain foodborne germs like salmonella and clostridium perfringens. · even if you’ve made a few thanksgiving dinners before, cooking a turkey can be a bit stress-inducing. Do not buy fresh pre-stuffed turkeys. Keep it stored in the refrigerator until youre ready to cook it. Turkey and its juice can be contaminated with germs that can make you and your family sick. Safely thaw, prepare, stuff, cook , cool and reheat. Thoroughly cooking turkey kills harmful bacteria such as campylobacter jejuni, clostridium perfringens, and salmonella, which can cause foodborne illness when eaten. After all, the holiday is known as turkey day, and many of us roast only one big bird a. Place it on a tray or in a pan to catch any juices that may leak. Color alone is not a good indicator of doneness. Use a food thermometer to check the temperature. Store, thaw, handle and cook turkey , stuffing, and leftovers properly to prevent food poisoning. Buy your turkey only 1 to 2 days before you plan to cook it.