About this turkey calculator
The Turkey Calculator answers the three questions every holiday cook asks: how big a turkey do I buy, when do I start thawing it, and what time does it go in the oven? Enter your guests, their appetites and your dinner time, and it gives you the size to buy, the fridge-thaw start date, the cold-water thaw time, the cooking range at 325°F, and a full oven timeline — oven-in, check-from, out-by, rest, serve. It works for Thanksgiving (Thursday, November 26, 2026), for Christmas turkey in the UK, Canada and Australia, and for any big dinner in between. Switch the units to kilograms and °C and every number converts. Everything runs in your browser — nothing is uploaded or stored.
How much turkey per person?
The classic rule, and the one the calculator uses, is 1 to 1.5 lb of whole turkey per adult. The exact figure depends on appetite and on whether you want leftovers:
| Turkey type | Light eaters | Average appetites | Hearty eaters | Add for leftovers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole turkey | 1.0 lb / person | 1.25 lb / person | 1.5 lb / person | +0.5 lb / person |
| Bone-in breast | 0.75 lb / person | 1.0 lb / person | 1.25 lb / person | +0.25 lb / person |
| Boneless breast | 0.5 lb / person | 0.75 lb / person | 1.0 lb / person | +0.25 lb / person |
Children count as half an adult portion each. So 8 adults and 2 children are 9 servings; at average appetite with leftovers that is 9 × 1.75 = 15.75 lb, so you buy a 16 lb bird. The calculator always rounds up to the next whole pound — you cannot buy part of a turkey, and a little extra is far better than running short. Two extra rules: small birds have more bone than meat, so below 12 lb the per-person rule gets tight and rounding up matters more; and above about 24 lb, two smaller birds (or a whole bird plus a breast) usually beat one giant one, because they thaw faster, cook more evenly, and are easier to handle.
Thawing times: fridge vs cold water
There are two safe ways to thaw a turkey. The fridge method needs 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb — the calculator plans on the midpoint, 4.5 lb per day, so a 16 lb bird needs 4 days. The cold-water method needs 30 minutes per lb, with the water changed every 30 minutes, so the same bird needs 8 hours. The third way people try — the kitchen counter — is the one to avoid: the outside reaches the danger zone while the inside is still frozen. For a Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, November 26, 2026, the fridge-thaw start dates work out like this (count back from your own dinner date if yours is different):
| Turkey size | Fridge days | Move to the fridge by |
|---|---|---|
| 4–8 lb | 1–2 days | Tuesday–Wednesday, November 24–25 |
| 8–12 lb | 2–3 days | Monday–Tuesday, November 23–24 |
| 12–16 lb | 3–4 days | Sunday–Monday, November 22–23 |
| 16–20 lb | 4–5 days | Saturday–Sunday, November 21–22 |
| 20–24 lb | 5–6 days | Friday–Saturday, November 20–21 |
A thawed turkey keeps 1 to 2 days in the fridge before cooking, so starting a day early is safe and starting a day late is not. If you are short on time, the cold-water method on the day itself is the rescue plan — just keep the water cold and keep changing it.
Cooking times at 325°F
The calculator's times are for a 325°F (163°C) oven, the standard US roasting temperature. Unstuffed whole turkeys:
| Weight | Unstuffed | Stuffed |
|---|---|---|
| 8–12 lb | 2¾–3 hours | 3–3½ hours |
| 12–14 lb | 3–3¾ hours | 3½–4 hours |
| 14–18 lb | 3¾–4¼ hours | 4–4¼ hours |
| 18–20 lb | 4¼–4½ hours | 4¼–4¾ hours |
| 20–24 lb | 4½–5 hours | 4¾–5¼ hours |
| 24–30 lb | 5–5½ hours | 5¼–6¼ hours |
For a bone-in breast: 4–6 lb takes 1½–2¼ hours unstuffed, 6–8 lb takes 2¼–3¼ hours unstuffed (3–3½ hours stuffed). A boneless breast runs about 17–20 minutes per lb. Outside the table, the calculator falls back to per-pound rates (13–15 minutes per lb for whole unstuffed, 15–17 stuffed, 20–25 for bone-in breast). A convection or fan oven cooks about 20% faster, and the calculator applies that when you select it. Two things matter more than the clock: 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), and it needs 20 to 30 minutes of rest before carving, which the timeline already includes. If the skin browns too fast, tent it loosely with foil and keep going.
A worked timeline: the 16 lb Thanksgiving bird
Take the default example: 8 adults and 2 children, average appetites, leftovers wanted, whole turkey, unstuffed, conventional oven, dinner at 3:00 PM on Thursday, November 26, 2026. The calculator buys a 16 lb bird, starts the fridge thaw on Sunday, November 22, and gives a cooking range of 3 hours 45 minutes to 4 hours 15 minutes. The timeline: oven in by 10:15 AM (planned from the long end, so you are never late), start checking at 1:15 PM, take it out by 2:30 PM, rest 30 minutes, serve at 3:00 PM. Planning from the long end is deliberate: a turkey that finishes early just rests longer and stays juicy, while a turkey that finishes late holds up the whole dinner.
For the UK, Canada and Australia
Switch the units to kilograms and °C and the whole plan converts: 16 lb becomes 7.3 kg, 325°F becomes 163°C, 165°F becomes 74°C. The same maths covers a Christmas turkey just as well as a Thanksgiving one — the bird does not care which holiday it is. One difference to know: 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 here, and check early. If your oven is a fan oven, use the convection setting in the calculator rather than guessing the conversion yourself.
Frequently asked questions
How much turkey do I need per person?
1 to 1.5 lb of whole turkey per adult (light 1.0, average 1.25, hearty 1.5), children count as half an adult portion, and add 0.5 lb per person if you want leftovers. For breast only: about 1 lb per person bone-in, 0.75 lb boneless, at average appetite.
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. In cold water, 30 minutes per lb with the water changed every 30 minutes — the same bird needs 8 hours. Never thaw on the counter.
How long do I cook a turkey at 325°F?
Unstuffed: 8–12 lb 2¾–3 hours, 12–14 lb 3–3¾, 14–18 lb 3¾–4¼, 18–20 lb 4¼–4½, 20–24 lb 4½–5, 24–30 lb 5–5½. Stuffed takes longer, and convection takes about 20% less time.
What temperature should turkey reach?
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 20 to 30 minutes before carving.
Can I cook a turkey from frozen?
Yes, but it takes about 50% longer than a thawed bird, and it must not be stuffed. Thawing first is easier and more predictable — use the cold-water method if you are short on time.
How big a turkey do I need for 10 people?
10 adults at average appetite: 12.5 lb, so buy a 13 lb bird. With leftovers: 17.5 lb, so buy an 18 lb bird. Above about 24 lb, two smaller birds usually work better than one giant one.
Read next: How Much Turkey Per Person? (With Thaw & Cook Times)
Related tools
Thanksgiving Countdown — days until Thanksgiving 2026. Christmas Countdown — days until Christmas Day. Unit Converter — pounds to kilograms and °F to °C. How Much Turkey Per Person? — the full guide behind this calculator.