Problem

The oven starts to smoke, you drop the turkey, or some other disasterstrikes, and you feel yourself starting to lose it.

Solution

Pick up the phone and call your best friend if you just want to vent, but for advice from someone trained in talking you down from turkey-related fiascoes, dial one of these two hotlines (the hours listed are for Thanksgiving Day). They can tell you if it’s unsafe to stuff a turkey the night before, how to deal with the leftovers, and whether you really should roast the frozen turkey you bought on sale last November.

Butterball Turkey Talk-Line
800-288-8372
www.butterball.com
7 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST

USDA Meat & Poultry Hotline
888-674-6854
www.fsis.usda.gov
8 a.m. to 2 p.m. EST