So you know that a typical roast chicken is the perfect size for your family of 4, but how many people does a 12-pound turkey feed? Thanksgiving dinner raises a lot of logistical questions, like how much turkey per person, how many servings in a can of cranberry sauce and how to brine turkey. Have no fear! We put together a Turkey Day cheat sheet that will help you determine how many pounds of turkey per person you can prep for your feast, plus our best estimates for Thanksgiving side dishes and desserts.
Quick rule of thumb to get you started: If you’re buying a whole turkey, plan on 1 pound (uncooked) per person. For a boneless turkey breast, get ½ pound per person. Feeding an army? Rather than buying the biggest bird you can find (which can be tricky to cook evenly while retaining moisture), get two smaller turkeys or one whole turkey and one breast. These generous estimates will likely leave you with delicious Thanksgiving leftovers to enjoy when all that hard work is over.
How much food do I need for Thanksgiving?
8 People
- Whole turkey (8 lbs.)
- Dry mix stuffing (8 oz.)
- Potatoes (3 lbs., or 6 large)
- Sweet potatoes (3 lbs., or 3 large)
- Canned cranberry sauce (2 16 oz. cans)
- Pie (1–2, 9″–9.5″)
- Butternut squash (3.5 lbs., or 2 small)
- Brussels sprouts (2 10 oz. containers)
- Green beans (2 lbs.)
- Frozen creamed spinach (3 10 oz. packages)
16 People
- Whole turkey (16 lbs.)
- Dry mix stuffing (16 lbs.)
- Potatoes (6 lbs., or 12 large)
- Sweet potatoes (6 lbs., or 6 large)
- Canned cranberry sauce (3 16 oz. cans)
- Pie (2–3, 9″–9.5″)
- Butternut squash (6.75 lbs., or 3 medium)
- Brussels sprouts (4 10 oz. containers)
- Green beans (4 lbs.)
- Frozen creamed spinach (6 10 oz. packages)
24 People
- 2 12-14 lb. whole turkeys or one whole turkey and one breast equal to about 24 lbs. total
- Dry mix stuffing (24 lbs.)
- Potatoes (9 lbs., or 18 large)
- Sweet potatoes (9 lbs., or 9 large)
- Canned cranberry sauce (4 16 oz. cans)
- Pie (3–4, 9″–9.5″)
- Butternut squash (10 lbs., or 4 large)
- Brussels sprouts (6 10 oz. containers)
- Green beans (6 lbs.)
- Frozen creamed spinach (8 10 oz. packages)
You’re halfway there. Now that you know how much you need to buy, browse through the galleries below to figure out what dishes you’ll wow your family with this year. Happy cooking!
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