Thanksgiving is about being thankful for one’s blessings and recognizing the love and companionship associated with family unification. All families have their own traditions that often create anticipation for the coming of the holiday. What excites people about Thanksgiving is the opportunity to reunite with their loved ones, and of course, the delicious (and homemade) food. For these reasons, Thanksgiving creates a special type of euphoria. This is especially true for college students who are away from home for long periods of time.

“I would probably have to say my Thanksgiving tends to be a bit untraditional, if you will, because of my Mexican background,” freshman Mariela Barajas said about her family’s Thanksgiving traditions. “In the spirit of Thanksgiving my mom always cooks a whole turkey, but even serves it with pico de gallo sauce and tortillas. It’s a fun twist on traditional flavors.”

What makes traditions so special is that they are founded on different cultures and customs. This makes them unique and that much more remarkable.

“My favorite holiday tradition is everyone in my family coming together cooking in the morning in our pajamas,” sophomore Alyssa Garcia said. “[We do this] while watching the [Macy’s] Thanksgiving Day Parade on TV.”

More than anyone else, college students understand the significance of spending time with family and appreciating the benefits of being home. College students that leave campus during Thanksgiving break want to absorb every last feeling of delight that comes with being back in their hometowns, such as something as simple as enjoying the pleasures of a home cooked meal, which is rare and often missed while away at college.

The satisfaction that comes with eating all of the tasty food put on your Thanksgiving plate can be relished even after the festivities have ended. This can be accomplished with a few easy to follow storing and packaging methods.

When it comes to storing leftovers, you want to ensure that you follow all of the safety rules. Leftovers should be covered and tightly sealed or packaged to avoid letting moisture in, which can lead to the growth of bacteria and create odd odors. Keeping your food compact and tightly secured will also preserve the food’s moisture and flavor.

The type of container you use is crucial. Avoid using the plastic containers you get when you order takeout. We’re all guilty of keeping them and using them to store our food, but to maintain the freshness and flavor of our food, these containers are not ideal because they aren’t as durable or compact as necessary. Also steer away from glass containers because they are easily breakable.

Nowadays, containers are more advanced. They are made with special plastic and have rubber lids that guarantee the preservation of your food. For example, Rubbermaid produces a number of dependable containers. It’s “Producer Saver” container keeps produce fresh up to 80 percent longer than a regular plastic container would.

When it comes to freezing and refrigerating your food, leftovers placed in the refrigerator can only be eaten three to four days after they are stored, according to a myrecipies.com article. In order to preserve your food for longer periods of time, freeze them. While bacteria can’t build while frozen, for the best flavor you should eat your food sooner rather than later. When storing your leftovers, make sure you refrigerate or freeze them as quickly as possible to avoid the growth of harmful bacteria. When packaging your food, divide large amounts of leftovers into small containers. Don’t pile large amounts of food into one container.

Remember that there are a ton different meals you can make out of your leftovers. With the leftover turkey, for example, you can make just about anything. Turkey is easy to use to make a sandwich or a salad, and can even be put in some pasta, soup, or a casserole.

Sweet potatoes can also be used to make a savory sweet potato pie, or even a hummus, which is on the more healthy side. The key with this process is to get creative!

Though we get excited to eat a wonderful meal every Thanksgiving and go as far as planning what to do with all of the leftover food, it is important to keep in mind that not everyone is grateful enough to have a warm meal on Thanksgiving day. This is why it is important to give during the holiday.

There are many ways to do so, but the Iona College faculty has created a great way for busy college students to contribute. Different departments and clubs are creating baskets of food that will be donated to families in need. Items such as canned fruits and vegetables, napkins and sugar are being collected to give needy families in the New Rochelle community a lovely meal on Thanksgiving. Visit different school departments or clubs and they would be happy to collect any items you can donate.

Thanksgiving is an all-time favorite holiday for many people. Enjoying the traditions and being able to spend time with friends and family while eating some of your favorite foods is what makes the holiday so memorable. Remember to give back this holiday season and share some love and merriness with those who are not fortunate enough to have it. Don’t forget to bring some food back with you, as it’ll probably help take the pressures off from finals week!