It took you hours to prepare the perfect turkey, but your timing is even more critical once your Thanksgiving meal is over.

Registered dietitian Laurie Meyer says there are some important rules to follow so you don't give yourself or your family food poisoning.

"Once you finish eating, you want to try and get into the kitchen and get those leftovers in the fridge within two hours," Meyer said.

Click on the link under related content to see an interview with Laurie Meyer.

Bacteria will grow and multiply on food that isn't stored away quickly.

When you are packing up your turkey, do not put the whole bird in the fridge. Cut the meat off the bone, and put it in shallow containers. That will allow it to cool and chill quicker.

Make sure there is a container especially for the stuffing. It should never be left in the bird. Stuffing usually contains eggs, milk or butter, which makes it a highly perishable food. Stuffing and gravy should be used within one or two days. They should both be reheated to at least 165 degrees before serving.

If you plan on freezing some turkey, you should wrap it up in freezer paper or heavy-duty aluminum foil. Proper wrapping will prevent freezer burn. Frozen turkey should not remain in the freezer for longer than one month.

As a general rule, turkey should not remain in the fridge for longer than four days. So by Tuesday, it should be thrown away.

All rules to follow, Meyer says, because food poisoning is more common than you may think.

"We may wonder why we're not feeling good and we think, 'Oh maybe I just overate.' Nine times out of 10 you probably have a little food poisoning," Meyer said.