A state nutrition specialist says preparation is the key to avoid giving your Thanksgiving Day guests a bad case of food poisoning. Candance Gabel with the University of Missouri says most food poisoning occurs in getting the bird ready for roasting as well as preparing the rest of the feast. She says make sure cutting boards, knives, and other utensils used on the turkey are properly cleaned before using them on other parts of the meal. Gabel says make sure the bird is thawed in the refrigerator or in a cold water bath, not on the counter overnight. She says cook the turkey to 180 to 185 degrees at the thigh. Gabel suggests cooking the stuffing separately from the turkey, but she knows a lot of people want to cook it in the bird. She says if you do that, stuff the turkey loosely and heat the stuffing to 165 degrees. Gabel says don’t leave leftovers un-refrigerated for more than a couple of hours.