India, Nov. 21 -- Thanksgiving dinner is incomplete without a turkey. With just a few days left until the holiday, millions are rushing to check off things from their grocery list. While the focus remains on the recipe, it is equally important to prep your meals cautiously. Whether you decide to stick to tradition or unleash your creative side with new recipes, food safety measures are a must when it comes to cooking meat. From properly thawing out turkey to what to do with leftovers, Penn State Food Safety Expert Mary Alice Gettings recently shared these tips with CBS:

According to Gettings, you should begin thawing out your turkey if it is still frozen. However, it depends on the size of the bird. "For every five pounds, one day," she ...