Here's Exactly How Much Turkey You'll Need for Thanksgiving (2024)

FAQs

Here's Exactly How Much Turkey You'll Need for Thanksgiving? ›

The general rule is to plan for 1 1/2 pounds of turkey per guest. If you're buying boneless meat, assume about 8 ounces per guest. To buy the right size turkey for your party, simply tally up the turkey-eating guests. Add a few pounds on for bones and you've got your turkey weight.

The general rule of thumb is 1–1½ pounds turkey per person. If that seems like a lot, remember that a whole turkey comes with a lot of parts that don't end up getting eaten.

A 20-pound turkey will feed between 12 and 14 people.

You'll want to plan on about 1.25 pounds of turkey per person. That means if you're expecting 12 guests, plan for a 15-pound bird. To make things simple, we've created a guide to help you pick the perfect-sized turkey for your Thanksgiving dinner menu.

Americans gobble up 46 million turkeys at Thanksgiving. That works out to almost 3 pounds of poultry per person who partakes in the feast, according to statistics from the National Turkey Federation.

For turkeys smaller than 16 pounds, estimate 1 pound per serving (this accounts for bone weight). For larger birds, a bit less is fine; they have a higher meat-to-bone ratio. But if your goal is to have ample leftovers, aim for 1½ pounds per person whatever the turkey's size. For 8 people, buy a 12-pound turkey.

Q: What size turkey should I buy? Plan on about one pound of turkey per person, which translates to around half a pound of edible meat. Over 15 pounds or so, turkeys become more difficult to cook, take much longer, and are more prone to drying out. I find the best birds are around 10 to 12 pounds.

You'll find that most "small turkeys" range in size from 10 to 14 pounds, although you may be able to find them as small as 6 pounds.

FinanceBuzz, a finance informational website, estimated people can expect to pay $35.40 for a 15-pound turkey, or $2.36 per pound. Californians would pay an average of $41.85 for turkey. WalletHub estimated Americans spend $949 million on Thanksgiving turkeys each year.

How long does a fresh turkey last in the fridge? ›

Buy a fresh turkey one to two days before the day you plan to cook. If there is a 'best-by' or 'use by' date on the manufacturer's label, then you can keep fresh poultry, unopened, in the refrigerator until that date. Do not follow the 'sell by' date on the label.

While the weight of Cook from Frozen turkeys will vary slightly, Butterball recommends planning for 1.5 – 2 pounds of turkey meat per guest, which will allow for leftovers.

It takes 24 hours for every four to five pounds of weight for a turkey to thaw in the refrigerator (a 15-pound turkey will take three days to thaw in your refrigerator). A completely thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for one or two days before cooking.

A small turkey (3-4.5kg) will feed 6-8 people. A medium turkey (4-5kg) will feed 8-10 people. A large turkey (6-6.5kg) will feed 12-15 people.

Our recommendation is to plan for one pound of turkey per person, or ½ pound per person for a boneless turkey breast. If you're buying a bone-in turkey breast, figure on 3/4 pound per person.

The rule of thumb is a half pound of turkey, or actually any meat, per person. Okay if you want leftovers (and who wouldn't, I mean turkey sandwiches alone), shoot for 1 1/2 pounds per person. So for your guests, that would roughly be around 14 pounds.

It takes 24 hours for every four to five pounds of weight for a turkey to thaw in the refrigerator (a 15-pound turkey will take three days to thaw in your refrigerator). A completely thawed turkey can remain in the refrigerator for one or two days before cooking.