The day of Thanksgiving may be getting more stressful, and a lot of it may be because of the turkey. One of the most important things to think about when planning a Thanksgiving meal for your family is how much turkey to make for each person. Get the right-sized turkey for your group before you decide whether to use a wet or dry brine and whether to stuff the bird or serve the dressing on the side.
It can be hard to keep up with cooking a turkey, but that doesn’t mean your holiday feast has to be less fun.
If the turkey is making you crazy, don’t worry! Here’s what you need to know about the big bird this year when cooking Thanksgiving dinner.
With the holidays approaching it’s time to start thinking about that centerpiece of any holiday meal – the turkey! For many families Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner just isn’t complete without a perfectly roasted turkey on the table. But if you’re hosting, how do you know what size turkey to get for your group? Specifically, how many people can an 18 lb turkey feed?
This is an excellent question that planners of holiday meals often struggle with. Buying a turkey that is too small can leave guests still feeling hungry, while getting one that is too big leads to loads of wasted leftovers. To help you estimate just right, here is a complete guide to figuring out how many a 18 lb turkey will feed.
Factors That Determine Turkey Servings
There are a few key factors that will determine how far an 18 lb turkey can go in terms of servings
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Number of guests – The number of people you need to feed is the biggest determinant. More guests = more turkey needed.
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Ages of guests – You generally need to allocate more turkey for adult guests than children.
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Appetites – Some guests may tend to eat lighter or have bigger appetites that require larger portions.
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Side dishes – Sides like mashed potatoes, stuffing, rolls, and veggies also help fill up guests. More plentiful sides = less turkey needed per person.
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Leftovers – Do you want leftovers? Plan for extra turkey if sandwiches and soups with leftovers are important.
Taking these factors into account will help you plan the right turkey size. Next, we’ll get into more specifics.
Recommended Amount of Turkey Per Person
Most experts recommend planning for 1-1.5 lbs of turkey per person when buying a turkey. Here are general guidelines:
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Adults – 1-1.5 lbs per person
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Kids – 0.5 lbs per child
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With Leftovers – Plan for 2-3 lbs per person
For an 18 lb turkey, here is how many people it would serve based on these portions:
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With no leftovers:
- 18 adults or 36 kids or a mix totaling 18 lbs
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With leftovers:
- 6-9 adults or 12-18 kids or a mix
As you can see, the number of people an 18 lb turkey will feed can vary significantly based on portion sizes and whether leftovers are desired. Next we’ll look at how sides factor in.
Accounting for Sides
Since Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners typically include side dishes and appetizers beyond just turkey, you may be able to stretch an 18 lb turkey even further.
Sides like mashed potatoes, bread, vegetables, soups, appetizers, and desserts can all help fill up your guests and reduce the turkey portion size needed.
Experts recommend planning for a total of 1 lb of food per person when taking sides into account.
So if you plan to have generous portions of 4-5 side dishes per person in addition to turkey, you could potentially feed 18-20 people with an 18 lb turkey.
Having lots of great side dishes on your table will ensure guests leave full and happy without overbuying on turkey.
Buying Your 18 lb Turkey
Once you’ve estimated how many people an 18 lb turkey will feed for your meal, it’s time to buy! Here are some tips:
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Check appliance capacity – Make sure your oven and refrigerator can fit a 18+ lb bird.
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Allow thawing time – You’ll need several days to thaw a large frozen turkey in the fridge.
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Buy early – Shop for your turkey 1-2 weeks in advance to allow thawing.
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Get extras – Pick up extra turkey parts like breasts and legs in case more is needed.
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Review guidelines – Refer to this article for portion estimates if unsure while shopping.
And with that, you now have a complete guide to figuring out the number of people a 18 lb turkey can serve! Just follow the tips above, and your holiday meal is sure to be a huge success with minimal leftovers. Here’s to a wonderful holiday feast!
How much turkey per person for leftovers?
It makes us just as happy to eat Thanksgiving leftovers over the weekend as it does to eat the big meal on Thanksgiving Day. “Noguchi says, ‘I love leftovers.’ To get the most leftovers, raise the raw poundage per person to 1½ to two pounds.
How many people will a 12-lb. turkey feed?
One person can eat about 1½ pounds of turkey meat, so a 12-pound turkey will feed eight people.
How many people will a 15 pound turkey feed?
FAQ
How many people will a 20 lb turkey feed?
How many people does an 18lb turkey serve?
How long does it take to cook an 18 pound turkey?
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Turkey Weight
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Servings
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Cooking Time
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15 to 18 lb
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10 to 12
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3 1/4 to 4 hours
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18 to 20 lb
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12 to 14
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4 to 4 1/4 hours
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20 to 22 lb
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14 to 16
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4 1/4 to 4 3/4 hours
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23 to 24 lb
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16 to 20
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5 to 5 1/4 hours
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How big of a turkey do I need for 7 adults?
How many people can a 8 pound turkey serve?
Most turkey portion serving sizing charts are based using a bone-in turkey. A chart might say 1 to 1.5 pounds of purchased turkey per person, so an 8-pound turkey is allegedly perfect for 6-8 people. I say NO! Initially, the bone removes some of that weight. Secondly, the weight becomes further reduced during cooking.
How much Turkey do you need for a Thanksgiving party?
To keep you from crunching the numbers, here’s a general guideline of how much turkey to make, depending on your party size (assuming 1½ pounds per person). For six guests, a nine-pound turkey will suffice. For eight guests, buy a turkey that weighs about 12 pounds. For 10 guests, you want a bird that is at least 15 pounds.
How much Turkey Tetrazzini should a family eat?
But if leftovers like late-night turkey sandwiches and turkey tetrazzini are as traditional as the feast itself, plan for two to three pounds per person total. Smaller gatherings don’t necessarily mean smaller turkeys because the meat-to-bone ratio is typically less for birds under 12 pounds. If in doubt, always go bigger at two pounds per person.
What size Turkey should I buy?
The happiest holiday memories are often made around the Thanksgiving table, with the turkey being the ultimate centerpiece! Thankfully (pun intended!), this chart will help you decide what size turkey to buy based on guest count. The general rule of thumb is one pound of turkey per adult and a half pound per child.
How many lb Perdue turkeys do I Need?
All the little things we do to raise happy and healthy turkeys adds up to a superior product, the smartest choice for those who care about the food they feed their families. Perdue’s PREMIUM whole turkeys are: Delivered to your door! 10-16 LBS. — ADD TO CART 16-20 LBS. — ADD TO CART TURKEY DO I NEED?
Should I get more than one Turkey for a Thanksgiving meal?
If the result is larger than 15 or 20 pounds, then consider getting more than one turkey for the meal. For example, let’s calculate the right amount of turkey for 10 adults and 8 children. Don’t forget to allow time for safe thawing and proper cooking time to ensure a holiday bird that’s tender, juicy, and delicious year after year.