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

Perhaps the most important decision any Thanksgiving host has to make is what size bird to get. That answer relies on how much turkey per person you need. Sure, there’s that one uncle who bogarts more than his fair share of turkey or the vegetarian who’ll only feast on veggie side dishes but it's important to have a generous estimate that will feed your guests and leave enough turkey leftovers to enjoy later. When you’re ready for round two the next day, check out our guide on how to reheat turkey and our best turkey sandwich recipes.

And what’s Thanksgiving without all the classic sides? We also let you know the amount of side dishes you should plan on:

How much turkey per person do I need?

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.

8 People

• Whole turkey (8 lbs)
• Dry mix stuffing (12 oz)
• Potatoes (4 lbs)
• Sweet potatoes (4 lbs)
• Canned cranberry sauce (two 14-oz cans)
• Pie (1–2)
• Brussels sprouts (1.5 lbs)
• Green beans (2 lbs)

16 People

• Whole turkey (16 lbs)
• Dry mix stuffing (24 oz)
• Potatoes (8 lbs)
• Sweet potatoes (8 lbs)
• Canned cranberry sauce (three 14-oz cans)
• Pie (2–3)
• Brussels sprouts (3 lbs)
• Green beans (4 lbs)

What if I’m serving a large crowd?

Of course, every rule has an exception. If you’re cooking for more than 16 people, buy one 12- to 14-pound bird and a breast instead of roasting a mammoth turkey (anything over 15 pounds will likely dry out by the time it’s cooked through). Prepare and roast the whole turkey on the upper rack of your oven and the breast on the lower rack.

24 People

• One 12- to 14-lb whole turkey and one 6- to 10-lb bone-in breast
• Dry mix stuffing (36 oz)
• Potatoes (10 lbs)
• Sweet potatoes (10 lbs)
• Canned cranberry sauce (four 14-oz cans)
• Pie (3–4)
• Brussels sprouts (4.5 lbs)
• Green beans (6 lbs)

What about dark meat vs. white meat eaters?

If you know that most of your guests prefer white meat over dark meat, skip the whole bird and buy the breast and legs separately. You can even roast two breasts if you think that’s the more popular choice. How much turkey breast per person do you need? For a bone-in turkey breast, plan on 3/4 pound per person.

How much boneless turkey per person do I need?

Once you remove the weight of the bones from your turkey estimate, you can buy a smaller amount. For boneless turkey breast, count on ½ pound per person.

Now that you know how much you need to buy, see our top turkey cooking tips for the best Thanksgiving bird and browse through the galleries below to plan the rest of your menu. After all, if you mix up a mountain of stuffing and plenty of glazed green beans, you won't have to worry about running out of the bird. Remember, this is a holiday about abundance so feel free to go all out and put together the spread of your dreams!