Don’t Fumble! Follow These Cooking Safety Tips!

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Super Bowl Sunday is one of the busiest days of the year for food consumption, and with that comes an increased risk of fire or injuries related to cooking at home

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Super Bowl Sunday is one of the busiest days of the year for food consumption, and with that comes an increased risk of fire or injuries related to cooking at home.

Before throwing those chicken wings in a fryer, make sure you know about home cooking safety. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) reports nearly 48% of home fires are caused by cooking at home. While Thanksgiving Day tends to see the most home cooking fires, Super Bowl Sunday is not far behind.

Stay Alert!

• Stay in the kitchen while you are frying, broiling, grilling, or boiling food. The leading cause of fires in the kitchen is leaving food unattended while cooking. 
• Set a timer for anything being baked or simmered. It’s easy to get wrapped up in the play-by-play, and setting a timer will remind you to come back to check on your game-day delights.
• If you plan on consuming alcohol on Sunday, cook ahead as much as you can. Cooking prior to drinking is a safe bet, plus you can watch the game instead of the highlight reel!
• Clear anything that can easily catch fire away from your stovetop, like oven mitts, food packaging, paperwork, and kitchen towels. 
• Keep your lucky jersey and any articles of clothing close to your body at all times. Loose sleeves can catch fire quickly, which is not exactly the type of catch your guests were hoping to see. 

If You Have a Cooking Fire

• Keeping a lid nearby while you’re cooking can help to smother small grease fires. Slide the lid over the pan and turn the burner off. Leave the pan covered until it is completely cooled.
• If the stovetop fire is larger than a pan, evacuate! Call 9-1-1 immediately.
• For an oven fire, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. Call 9-1-1 if the fire cannot be contained by the oven door.

For more cooking safety tips for the big day and every day, visit: https://www.nfpa.org/.