How much turkey per person? The short answer
Plan on 1 to 1.5 lb of whole turkey per adult. Light eaters need about 1 lb each, average appetites about 1.25 lb, and hearty eaters about 1.5 lb. Children count as half an adult portion each. If you want leftovers — and most families do — add another 0.5 lb per person. For breast only, the numbers are smaller: about 1 lb per person for bone-in breast and 0.75 lb for boneless, at average appetite. That is the whole rule, and if you want the exact number for your guest list, the Turkey Calculator does it in one click, including the thaw date and the oven timeline. The rest of this guide explains where the numbers come from, and the edge cases that trip people up.
Why the range is 1 to 1.5 lb, not one number
A turkey is not all meat. Bones, skin and cooking loss mean a whole bird yields roughly 50 to 60% of its weight as edible meat — a 15 lb turkey gives you about 8 to 9 lb of meat. That is why the per-person figure looks high: 1.25 lb of whole bird per person is only about 0.7 lb of actual meat on the plate, which is a normal holiday portion. The range exists because appetites genuinely differ. A table of light eaters who fill up on sides needs the low end; a table of hearty eaters who go back for seconds needs the high end. Picking honestly matters more than picking precisely: the difference between 1.25 and 1.5 lb per person across 12 guests is 3 lb of turkey, which is a whole size step at the shop.
The per-person table (whole turkey, breast, boneless)
| Turkey type | Light eaters | Average appetites | Hearty eaters | Add for leftovers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole turkey | 1.0 lb (0.45 kg) | 1.25 lb (0.57 kg) | 1.5 lb (0.68 kg) | +0.5 lb (0.23 kg) |
| Bone-in breast | 0.75 lb (0.34 kg) | 1.0 lb (0.45 kg) | 1.25 lb (0.57 kg) | +0.25 lb (0.11 kg) |
| Boneless breast | 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) | 0.75 lb (0.34 kg) | 1.0 lb (0.45 kg) | +0.25 lb (0.11 kg) |
Breast numbers are lower because breast meat has less bone and less waste than a whole bird. Boneless breast is lower still, because you are buying pure meat. The trade-off is flavour and cost: a whole bird is the cheapest per pound and the most traditional, a bone-in breast is the easiest middle ground for a small table, and a boneless breast is the simplest to carve but the dearest per pound and the easiest to dry out.
Size chart: how big a turkey for your guest list?
Using the average-appetite figure for a whole turkey (1.25 lb per adult, children at half), the buy sizes work out like this. Always round up to the next whole pound — you cannot buy part of a bird, and a little extra beats running short.
| Adults | No leftovers | With leftovers |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 5 lb | 7 lb |
| 6 | 8 lb | 11 lb |
| 8 | 10 lb | 14 lb |
| 10 | 13 lb | 18 lb |
| 12 | 15 lb | 21 lb |
| 15 | 19 lb | 27 lb |
| 20 | 25 lb | Two birds (35 lb is too big for one) |
For mixed tables, convert children to half-adults first: 8 adults and 2 children are 9 servings, so 9 × 1.25 = 11.25 lb without leftovers (buy 12 lb) and 9 × 1.75 = 15.75 lb with leftovers (buy 16 lb). The calculator handles the mixed maths for you, but the chart covers the common all-adult cases at a glance.
Children, leftovers and small birds: three rules people miss
Children count as half. A child under about 12 eats roughly half an adult portion of turkey, though teenagers often eat like adults — if your “children” are mostly teenagers, count them as adults and be safe. Leftovers are a separate decision, not a rounding error. Adding 0.5 lb per person for a whole bird is what turns a just-enough dinner into turkey sandwiches, soup and curry for days. If nobody in your house eats leftovers, skip it and save the money; if they do, do not try to get leftovers out of the base figure, because there will not be any. Small birds are bonier. Below about 12 lb, the bone-to-meat ratio rises, so the per-person rule gets tight — round up a size rather than trusting the exact figure. And at the other end, above about 24 lb, two smaller birds beat one giant one: they thaw faster, cook more evenly, fit in a normal oven, and give you four legs instead of two, which matters when everyone wants a drumstick.
How long to thaw a turkey
Size decides the thaw, and the thaw decides the schedule, so this is the part to get right first. In the fridge, allow 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb — a 16 lb bird needs 4 days. In cold water, allow 30 minutes per lb and change the water every 30 minutes — the same bird needs 8 hours. Never thaw on the counter: the outside spends hours in the danger zone while the inside is still frozen. For Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, November 26, 2026, the fridge start dates are: 4–8 lb from Tuesday–Wednesday, November 24–25; 8–12 lb from Monday–Tuesday, November 23–24; 12–16 lb from Sunday–Monday, November 22–23; 16–20 lb from Saturday–Sunday, November 21–22; and 20–24 lb from Friday–Saturday, November 20–21. A thawed turkey keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge, so a day early is safe and a day late is not. If you are out of time, the cold-water method on the day itself is the rescue plan.
How long to cook a turkey
At 325°F (163°C), the standard US roasting temperature, an unstuffed whole turkey takes: 8–12 lb 2¾–3 hours, 12–14 lb 3–3¾ hours, 14–18 lb 3¾–4¼ hours, 18–20 lb 4¼–4½ hours, 20–24 lb 4½–5 hours, 24–30 lb 5–5½ hours. Stuffed birds take roughly half an hour longer at most sizes. A bone-in breast takes 1½–2¼ hours at 4–6 lb and 2¼–3¼ hours at 6–8 lb (3–3½ hours stuffed). A boneless breast runs about 17–20 minutes per lb. A convection or fan oven cuts about 20% off these times. But the clock is only a guide: the turkey is done at 165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh and the breast, and in the centre of the stuffing for stuffed birds. Then rest it 20 to 30 minutes before carving — the juices redistribute, and the temperature evens out. A turkey that finishes early is a gift, not a problem: it just rests longer. A turkey that finishes late holds up the whole dinner, which is why the calculator plans the oven-in time from the long end of the range.
Buying tips: fresh vs frozen, and what to check
A frozen turkey is the safer buy for planning: it keeps for months, it is usually cheaper, and the thaw schedule above makes it predictable. A fresh turkey skips the thaw but must be bought 1 to 2 days before cooking and kept refrigerated — buy it too early and it spoils, too late and the shop is sold out of your size. Either way, check the weight on the label, not the size claim: “serves 8 to 10” on packaging is marketing, and different brands mean different things by it. If your bird is a pound or two off the calculated size, do not panic — one pound either way changes the thaw by a few hours and the cook by about 15 minutes, and the thermometer covers the difference. Brining is optional, not required: it adds flavour and a safety margin against drying out, but it also adds a day of fridge time (the bird must be thawed before it goes in the brine), so plan for it if you brine.
For the UK, Canada and Australia
The same numbers work in kilograms: 1 lb is 0.45 kg, so the whole-turkey rule is 0.45 to 0.68 kg per adult, and the Turkey Calculator converts everything when you switch units. The main difference is the holiday: in the UK, Canada and Australia this is usually a Christmas bird, not a Thanksgiving one, and many UK recipes roast hotter, at 180°C (350°F) conventional or 160°C fan. At that temperature expect roughly 10–15% less time than the 325°F figures above, and check early. The 74°C internal temperature is the same everywhere — food safety does not change with the postcode.
Frequently asked questions
How much turkey per person for Thanksgiving?
1 to 1.5 lb of whole turkey per adult (light 1.0, average 1.25, hearty 1.5), children at half an adult portion, plus 0.5 lb per person if you want leftovers. For 10 adults at average appetite, buy a 13 lb bird without leftovers or an 18 lb bird with leftovers.
How much turkey breast per person?
About 1 lb per person for bone-in breast and 0.75 lb for boneless breast, at average appetite. Breast has less waste than a whole bird, so the figures are lower.
How long does it take to thaw a turkey in the fridge?
24 hours per 4 to 5 lb. A 16 lb turkey needs 4 days, a 20 lb turkey needs 5 days. Count back from your dinner date, and remember a thawed turkey keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge.
What temperature should turkey be cooked to?
165°F (74°C) in the thickest part of the thigh and breast, and in the centre of the stuffing for stuffed birds. Rest 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
Can you cook a turkey from frozen?
Yes, but it takes about 50% longer than a thawed bird and must not be stuffed. Thawing first is easier and more predictable.
The bottom line
1 to 1.5 lb of whole turkey per adult, children at half, plus 0.5 lb per person for leftovers. Round up to the next whole pound, start the fridge thaw 24 hours per 4 to 5 lb ahead, roast at 325°F until 165°F, and rest 30 minutes. For your exact numbers — size, thaw date and oven timeline in one place — open the Turkey Calculator. And if Thanksgiving itself is what you are counting down to, the Thanksgiving Countdown ticks down to Thursday, November 26, 2026, while the Christmas Countdown covers December 25 for the Christmas table.
