Thanksgiving Calculator

The general rule is 1 to 1.5 lbs of whole turkey per adult guest. This accounts for the bone weight in a whole bird. If you want plenty of leftovers, go with 1.5 lbs per person. For a boneless turkey breast, plan on about 0.5 to 0.75 lbs per person.

Plan for about 0.75 lbs (roughly 12 oz or 3/4 of a standard box) of stuffing per adult. Kids typically eat about half that. If stuffing is a crowd favorite at your table, bump it up to 1 lb per adult to be safe.

Count on one slice of pie per guest, with an 8-slice standard pie. So for 10 guests you'd want at least 1.25 pies — round up to 2 for variety or generous portions. Offering two flavors (e.g., pumpkin and pecan) is traditional and popular.

Children typically eat about half of what an adult eats at a big holiday meal. This calculator counts each kid as 0.5 adult portions when estimating food quantities, which tends to reflect real-world consumption accurately.

A standard 750ml bottle of wine contains about 5 glasses. Budget roughly 2 glasses per adult guest over the course of the meal. This calculator uses that guideline — remember to adjust if your crowd are particularly enthusiastic wine drinkers or if many guests don't drink.

About 1/3 cup of gravy per person is a solid estimate for Thanksgiving. Gravy goes on turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, so a generous amount is appreciated. This tool rounds up slightly to ensure nobody's plate runs dry.

Absolutely. The portion estimates here are based on a traditional American Thanksgiving spread, but the quantities translate well to any large holiday dinner with similar dishes — Christmas, Easter, or a big family gathering all follow the same general rules.

The classic Thanksgiving spread includes mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, cranberry sauce, dinner rolls, and vegetable sides (like green bean casserole or roasted Brussels sprouts). Appetizers and soup are common starters, and pie rounds out dessert. This calculator covers all these categories.