COLUMBIA (WACH) -- In just seven days plenty of dinner tables will transform into a food line with a turkey being the star entree. Stores across the Midlands like Rosewood Market have seen hundreds of people coming in to buy items for turkey day but before you cook that bird remember a few things.

“You do not want to thaw out your turkey on the counter. A lot of people make this mistake. You want to thaw out in the refrigerator," Dietician Lisa Akly says.

“A sixteen pound turkey, which is pretty average, would take about three days to thaw out," Chef Benoit St. Jacques adds.

And Columbia Richland Fire Chief Aubrey Jenkins says if you're not careful he could be paying your house a visit.

“We advise people not to cook turkey on wooden patios because obliviously you put it on the patio, and that splat on the wood deck can cause a fire," Jenkins explains.

And chefs warn don't leave leftovers out for to long.

“We have to treat certain starchy items just like a meat, like rice and diary products," St. Jacques says.

“The danger zone is between 40 degrees and 140 degrees.  Never leave food out in that temperature for more than two hours," Akly warns.

Chief Jenkins says his crew is prepared for the worst.

“We don't really heighten up we make sure we have personnel and have a full staff to respond to any call.”

We want to know how you cook your turkey.  Vote in our poll below and leave a comment with your tips and recipes.