If you're in charge of planning Thanksgiving this year, consider it a sign that your family and friends have a lot of trust in you! As you plan for the holiday, you might be wondering what size turkey to get for your gathering. Luckily, we've got all the info you need on how much turkey breast per person is recommended for your Thanksgiving dinner. Of course, you can adjust these calculations if you have family members who are likely to come back for extra servings of turkey, as well as those who might skip the turkey altogether and load up on vegetable dishes. Because we're all about making sure your holidays run smoothly, we've also included estimates for side dishes and desserts, so you don't need to guess how many pies or pounds of potatoes you might need to grab during your pre-Thanksgiving shop.
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!
Check out these triple-tested recipes for Turkey Day inspiration
Susan (she/her) is the recipe editor at Good Housekeeping, where she pitches ideas, parses words, and produces food content. In the Test Kitchen, she cooks (and samples!) recipes, working with developers to deliver the best written versions possible. A graduate of Brown University and a collaborator on several cookbooks, her previous experience includes stints at Food & Wine, Food Network, three meal kit companies, a wine shop in Brooklyn and Chez Panisse, the pioneering restaurant in Berkeley, California. She enjoys playing tennis, natural wines and reality competition shows.
Samantha (she/her) is the Senior Editor at Delish, where she edits the most-talked-about food news and features on the internet. In her previous role as Assistant Editor in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen, she taste-tested hundreds of products and recipes (tough job!). A graduate of Fordham University, she considers the kitchen to be her happiest place.
