There you are – standing in your kitchen, wearing your most jolly bowtie – surrounded by culinary ingredients you never even knew existed. Why did you promise to cook the Christmas turkey again?
It is the most wonderful time of the year and as households around the globe are making their preparations and gathering ingredients for their Holiday feasts, CGE Risk wants to assure your safety in the kitchen. From fire hazards, to poultry bacteria such as Salmonella or E.Coli, to the gluttonous over stuffing of our own bodies, Christmas has its challenges. Which is why this December we have curated a special list of key ingredients for a safe and sound holiday period.
- Invest in multiple smoke detection barriers
We all enjoy a piece of smoked trout or salmon, however, smokey holiday decorations are less of a treat. Although it might be obvious to keep your decoration at least 3 feet away from any heat sources, fire accidents are not uncommon this time of year. Statistics by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) indicate that up to 30% of all home fires happen during the December month. Incidents of fires caused by cooking, heating, and open flames all increase during the winter holiday period. An ingredient as simple as a ‘smoke detector’ helps your home stay safe while you are experimenting in the kitchen. - The best decorations are safe decorations
Make sure not to overcook your rugs and furniture by running the electrical wires of your Christmas lights underneath them. Double check your old lighting for frayed wires and cracks, making sure to discard any damaged strands before inviting the family over. And, just like with any good cooking, use a timer. A timer switch can be fitted over your existing light switches and will turn off your festive luminescence before bedtime or when you are away from home. - Check that turkey
We might remember a certain set of Christmas turkey supermarket scandals no less than two years ago. Dinner shoppers found their dinners tasted a tad strange and their Christmas had turned grim as the purchased turkeys turned out to be green. Getting your poultry right can be a tricky business, but sourcing from local butchers, nearby farms or a direct selling family business prevents distasteful surprises. And above all else, this supports your community during the festive period. - A happy chef is a healthy chef
As the smell of baking floats through the air and you are creating your oven stuffing with an extra amount of ‘safe’ and merry flair. Remember that a 20-course meal does no ones health good. Make sure that in four weeks from now, you will still fit that fancy dress or suit. All jokes aside, of course, Christmas is a time of indulgence and get-togethers, and that is totally alright. Just make sure to mitigate some of that eating, take some active breaks, and create your bowtie for December so you can stuff your face safe(ly).
Have you stocked up on all the key ingredients for a safe and sound Christmas? Make the assessment yourself using the renowned Bowtie method and don’t hesitate to share the end results. Need more inspiration? Check out our ‘Christmas dinner’ Bowtie diagram on LinkedIn and feel free to add some barriers in the comments.
