How much turkey for 12 people?
For 12 people, buy 18 lb of turkey if you want leftovers (one 18 lb turkey), or 12 lb for just the meal. For Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, move a frozen bird from the freezer to the fridge by Saturday, November 21, then roast it 3¾–4¼ hours at 325°F, unstuffed.
| Plan | Total | Buy | Thaw | Roast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| With leftovers (1.5 lb each) | 18 lb | one 18 lb turkey | 5 days | 3¾–4¼ hours |
| Just the meal (1 lb each) | 12 lb | one 12 lb turkey | 3 days | 2¾–3 hours |
Kids at the table, a different headcount or a bird you already bought? Run your own numbers in the turkey calculator; it counts kids under 12 as half and gives your thaw date.
The rest of the table
| Side | Amount |
|---|---|
| Potatoes for mash (raw) | 9 lb |
| Stuffing | 12 cups |
| Gravy | 6 cups |
| Cranberry sauce | 4 cups (3 cans of 14 oz) |
| Pie (9-inch, 8 slices) | 2 pies |
Potatoes are ¾ lb raw per person, stuffing 1 cup, gravy ½ cup and cranberry sauce ⅓ cup, with one slice of pie each. Sources and the no-leftovers amounts are in the Thanksgiving sides calculator.
How the math works
The USDA allows 1 lb of whole turkey per person, because a whole bird is mostly bone; 1.5 lb leaves leftovers. Above 24 lb we split the order into two birds, because the USDA roasting timetable stops at 24 lb and a giant bird dries out before the middle is done. Thawing in the fridge takes about a day per 4–5 lb (USDA); we use 4 lb so the bird isn't still icy on Thursday morning. Cook to 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.
Questions people ask
How much turkey for 12 people?
18 lb with leftovers, 12 lb without. The USDA allows 1 lb of whole turkey per person; 1.5 lb leaves enough for sandwiches the next day.
When do I thaw a turkey for 12 people?
One 18 lb turkey needs 5 days in the fridge at 4 lb a day, so move it from the freezer by Saturday, November 21 for Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26.
How long to cook a turkey for 12 people?
3¾–4¼ hours at 325°F unstuffed for one 18 lb turkey, per the USDA timetable. It is done at 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.