Hotlines of the Season

Need some last-minute help in the kitchen? Here are some toll-free phone lines and Web sites.

* Agriculture Department’s Meat and Poultry Hotline: (800) 535-4555. Personal assistance with all meat and poultry preparation and cooking questions, year-round Mondays through Fridays, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.; automated service available 24 hours a day.

* Butterball Turkey Talk-Line: (800) 323-4848. Help in English and Spanish from home economists and nutritionists for all turkey questions, 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Thursday. Automated after hours. (800) TDD-3848, hearing- and speech-impaired assistance. Web site at https://www.butterball.com.

* Foster Farms Turkey Help-line: (800) 255-7227. 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. All other times, recorded consumer tips on turkey cooking, carving, food safety, recipes and free brochures. Web site is https://www.fosterfarms.com.

* Empire Kosher poultry customer hotline: (800) 367-4734. Representatives available Mondays through Thursdays, 5 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Fridays, 5 a.m. to noon. Program offers recipes, newsletter, video, tips on defrosting and cooking poultry. Closed Jewish and secular holidays. Web site is https://www.empirekosher.com.

* Land O’Lakes Holiday Bakeline: (800) 782-9606. 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Friday. Consumers may speak with a trained home economist and baking expert to ask questions, request free brochures or order cookbooks. Web site is https://www.landolakes.com.

* Ocean Spray consumer help line: (800) 662-3263. Year-round, weekdays (except major holidays) 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. Consumer department staff fields questions on cranberries, offers recipes, cooking tips, nutritional information, menu-planning work sheets and product information. Web site is https://www.oceanspray.com.

* Reynolds Turkey Tips Line, (800) 745-4000. A year-round 24-hour automated hotline; through Dec. 31 offers advice on turkey defrosting, preparation and cooking options, free brochure and recipes. Web site is https://www.reynoldskitchens.com.