Tips for Preventing Holiday Cooking Fires -Bentonville, AR

The holidays have arrived, and with them, holiday cooking—a delightful perk of the season that millions around the world enjoy. Along with the delectable aromas, there is another aspect of holiday cooking to consider: safety. In the winter, holiday cooking is a leading cause of fires. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to mitigate that risk. Continue reading for a list of helpful holiday cooking safety tips to keep your family and home safe this holiday season!

Keep Chaos Out of the Kitchen

Make certain that all non-food-related activities take place outside of the kitchen. When there are fewer people in the kitchen, the chances of a kitchen fire during holiday cooking are reduced.

Make sure your kitchen has enough space for you to cook comfortably and safely. A certain amount of chaos is unavoidable during the holidays, but you can reduce the risks by insisting on certain things. For starters, keep everyone out of the kitchen unless they're actively working on something related to cooking (and then get them out when they're done). Instead, while everything is cooking, ask guests to entertain themselves outside of the kitchen. This will give you more space to move around and do your work without constantly bumping into people who just want to hang out and offer advice.

Never Leave the Stove Unattended

One of the most important things you can do to ensure the safety of your holiday cooking is to never leave a pot on the stove unattended. When you're cooking, it's easy to become distracted by the wonderful aromas emanating from your kitchen. However, it only takes a few seconds for something to spiral out of control—and if you're not present, you won't be able to see or stop it before disaster strikes. If you must leave, turn off the burner and make sure the handle is turned inward so it does not get bumped. Better yet, delegate the task of answering the door or walking the dog.

Follow the Recipe

It can be tempting to skip steps and improvise when attempting to prepare a delicious meal. However, when it comes to cooking safety, you must strictly adhere to the recipe, especially if it calls for a specific type of pan.

While using an undersized pan may appear to be a good idea, it may result in your dish boiling over, posing a fire hazard. If you use a pan that is too large for your ingredients, they may burn on the bottom of the pan or in the oven. So, when it comes to cooking safety this holiday season, avoid shortcuts!

Keep Children Away from Cooking Area

It's difficult not to be distracted when there's a turkey roasting in the oven. Small children, however, can get into trouble even if you turn your back for a moment. A child's curiosity knows no bounds, and it's just as easy for them to wander into the kitchen and begin playing with the turkey baster or zesting oranges for the stuffing as it is for them to grab a toy from another room and become engrossed in play before you know it. You must keep an eye on your children this holiday season and keep them safe at all times. Keep children nearby but out of the cooking area while you work in the kitchen. If you need to keep your child occupied while you prepare dinner, give them some arts and crafts projects or a new book—your local library will most likely have some holiday-themed selections geared toward young children. Assign specific tasks such as setting the table or wiping down spills if they are old enough to help in the kitchen.

You should avoid having children underfoot while cooking because, even if they never come into contact with the hot stove or any sharp implements, numerous other things can go wrong and result in injury.

Be Ready to Put Out a Cooking Fire

Smothering a cooking fire is the most effective way to put it out. Keep a tight-fitting lid and a potholder near the stove at all times to smother any flames that ignite inside a frying pan or saucepan. Keep a working fire extinguisher nearby in case of a fire that starts outside of a cooking vessel. Remember to aim the extinguisher at the flame's base rather than the flames themselves.

If you can't quickly put out a cooking fire, evacuate the house and call 911. After that, call a local fire damage restoration company to help with the cleanup. Keep these Christmas safety tips in mind while you're cooking for the holidays, and you'll be able to focus on spending time with friends and family rather than getting everyone safely out of the house in the event of a fire.

Contact Restoration 1 of Northwest Arkansas if your home has suffered fire damage.