How much turkey for 8 people?
For 8 people, buy 12 lb of turkey if you want leftovers (one 12 lb turkey), or 8 lb for just the meal. For Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26, move a frozen bird from the freezer to the fridge by Monday, November 23, then roast it 2¾–3 hours at 325°F, unstuffed.
| Plan | Total | Buy | Thaw | Roast |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| With leftovers (1.5 lb each) | 12 lb | one 12 lb turkey | 3 days | 2¾–3 hours |
| Just the meal (1 lb each) | 8 lb | one 8 lb turkey | 2 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) | 6 lb |
| Stuffing | 8 cups |
| Gravy | 4 cups |
| Cranberry sauce | 3 cups (2 cans of 14 oz) |
| Pie (9-inch, 8 slices) | 1 pie |
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 8 people?
12 lb with leftovers, 8 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 8 people?
One 12 lb turkey needs 3 days in the fridge at 4 lb a day, so move it from the freezer by Monday, November 23 for Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 26.
How long to cook a turkey for 8 people?
2¾–3 hours at 325°F unstuffed for one 12 lb turkey, per the USDA timetable. It is done at 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh.