How much of each side for Thanksgiving?
Pounds of potatoes, cups of stuffing and gravy, cans of cranberry sauce and number of pies for your Thanksgiving guest count.
How the math works
Potatoes: ½ lb of raw potatoes per person for mashed, ¾ lb if you want leftovers (Oxo's ½–¾ lb guide). That is about one large Yukon Gold each.
Stuffing: ¾ cup per person (Food Network's portion planner), 1 cup with leftovers (Melissa Clark's NYT guide, via Today).
Gravy ½ cup per person (Clark). Cranberry sauce ⅓ cup per person, the low end of the ⅓–½ cup most guides use; a 14 oz can holds about 1½ cups.
Pie: one slice per person, and a 9-inch pie cuts into 8 (WebstaurantStore). Kids count as half for every side except pie.
Questions people ask
How many pounds of potatoes for 12 people?
9 lb if you want leftovers (¾ lb raw each), 6 lb if you don't (½ lb each).
How much stuffing for 20 people?
15 cups without leftovers (¾ cup each), 20 cups with leftovers (1 cup each).
How much gravy for 20 people?
10 cups, which is 2½ quarts (½ cup each). Make it the day before; it reheats well.
How many pies for 12 people?
2 pies. That gives 16 slices for 12 people, so a few guests can have seconds.
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