I think that the biggest issue is the risk that people run in food that's not prepared correctly for foodborne illness, also known as food poisoning,” says Dr. José A. Acosta, the director of New Mexico public health.

Make sure to refrigerate dense foods like sliced turkey, cooked sweet potatoes or gravy in shallow containers to help them cool down fast. Schaffner’s recent research showed that foods cooled in containers at a depth of no more than 2 inches posed little risk of growing dangerous germs.