Corey Frank with Marion County Public Health has some tips to follow for those preparing a turkey and managing leftovers today.

Frank says a turkey should never be washed. A properly cooked turkey will be hot enough to kill any bacteria and washing will simply spread those bacteria around. Frank has some specific instructions for determining whether or not your turkey is done. A real meat thermometer should be used to check at least four different parts of the bird for an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Frank says that the USDA has a lot of useful food safety information if amateur chefs are nervous about any foods they are preparing. Whenever the meal is all done, he says unfrozen leftovers should be safe to eat for about 4 days before they run the risk of being contaminated.