TIPS FOR COPING WITH THANKSGIVING IF THE POWER GOES OUT

Printer-friendly versionPrinter-friendly version Share this

By Miriam Raftery

November 22, 2021 (San Diego) – With SDG&E warning over 28,000 customers in 38 communities of possible power outages Thursday through Saturday due to high fire danger, how can you salvage Thanksgiving dinner plans with your family?  Here are a few ideas:

1. Cook your turkey and side dishes on Wednesday. You can serve sliced turkey and sides cold, or cook or reheat on a covered  camp stove on your patio outdoors, but keep a water bucket handy if you cook on any open flame.

2. Barbecue the bird!  If you have a rotisserie or smoker, you can cook the whole turkey outdoors. Or carve it into slices and cook the [pieces on your gas-powered or charcoal-fired barbecue.

3.. Plan a picnic outside with side dishes that can be served cold. How about a yam potato salad instead of baked yams?  Or a balsamic green bean salad instead of green bean casserole?  Opt for smoked turkey slices with pre-chilled cranberry-orange sauce or other embellishments.

4. Consider ditching traditional turkey for smoked salmon or a gourmet charcuterie board instead.

5. No yard space? Take your picnic to a local park or lake, instead of sitting home in the dark.

6. Get a large cooler and plenty of ice or ice packs to keep leftovers safely chilled.

7. Have alternative lights, such as battery-powered lanterns or solar lighting outdoors or candles indoors.

8. Get paper plates, disposable cutlery and cups, since your dishwasher won’t work if the power goes out.

9. Return  unopened items you can’t safely store to the retailer, or find a friend with a fridge or freezer to keep them for later use.

10. Get a generator to keep power on, if you can find one on short notice.

11. Find a neighbor with a generator, or a friend or family member who lives outside the outage area,  and team up for a gathering – but if COVID is a concern, make sure everyone is vaccinated.

12. Dine at a restaurant outside the outage area, or order your Thanksgiving meal delivered to your home.  Find a list of East County restaurants here, including many offering takeout or delivery options:  https://www.eastcountymagazine.org/these-restaurants-east-county-are-offering-take-out-andor-delivery

13.  Consider what you have to be thankful for and remember, the first Thanksgiving dinner was served up before electricity was invented. Consider this an adventurous culinary challenge.

Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving!

 

 


Error message

Support community news in the public interest! As nonprofit news, we rely on donations from the public to fund our reporting -- not special interests. Please donate to sustain East County Magazine's local reporting and/or wildfire alerts at https://www.eastcountymedia.org/donate to help us keep people safe and informed across our region.