Christmas Dinner for 10 guests
A sit-down Christmas dinner for 10: 6 dishes, about 919 g of food a guest (20.5 lb in all), 30 lines on the shopping list and around 53 drinks. 40% of the cooking can happen before the day.
- Dishes
- 6
- Food
- 20.5 lb
- Drinks
- 53
- Shopping lines
- 30
- Turkey
- 15 lb
Sized by the planning engine
The menu, amounts and kitchen check
- · We set food for 2 PM — change it if your timing is different.
Menu for 10
Starters
- Roast beetroot, whipped goat's cheese1.5 batches · 12 servingson the day
Mains
- Mushroom & chestnut wellington1.5 batches · 12 servingson the day
Sides
- Braised red cabbage, apple & clove1 batch · 8 servingsday before
- Hard-charred Brussels sprouts1.5 batches · 9 servingson the day
Bread
- Warm brioche rolls1.5 batches · 15 servingson the day
Dessert
- Black cake1 batch · 14 servingsday before
About 919 g of food a guest. 40% of the cooking can be done before the day.
Shopping highlights
- Apple2 ea
- Beetroot4 lb
- Brussels sprouts2.5 lb
- Citrus for garnish3 ea
- Herb for garnish — mint or rosemary1 bunch
- Lemon2 ea
- Mixed mushrooms5 lb
- Red cabbage2.8 lb
- Butter1 lb
- Egg5 ea
10 of 30 lines. The full list comes with the plan.
Kitchen check
Comfortable
Checked against a starting kitchen of 1 oven and 4 burners — not yours yet. Seats are not counted here: the planner asks for your real number rather than guessing it.
Drinks and cost
- Drinks, all kinds
- 53
- Ice
- 25 lb
- Food, estimated
- $313
About $31 a guest — a planning estimate from typical supermarket costs, not a price.
The turkey
A 15 lb turkey for 10
USDA guidance of 1 lb a person, plus half again for leftovers: 15 lb in all. Thaw in the fridge for 3–4 days, roast unstuffed at 325°F for 3.75–4.25 hours, and check 165°F with a thermometer.
Countdown
The Christmas dinner timeline, condensed
5 weeks before
- · Confirm who is hosting where and who is coming.
- · Order the meat from a butcher; December slots fill up.
2 weeks before
- · Buy wine, spirits, crackers and non-perishables.
- · Make and freeze pastry, stuffing and gravy base.
1 week before
- · Check dietary needs and share arrival and eating times.
- · Write the Christmas Day cooking schedule, counting back from the meal.
2 days before
- · Collect the meat and do the fresh shop.
- · Make braised red cabbage and cranberry sauce; both improve overnight.
Christmas Eve
- · Assemble the wellingtons and chill them; peel and slice potatoes into water.
- · Lay the table fully, crackers and all.
Christmas Day
- · Bake the dauphinoise first; it holds happily while the mains cook.
- · Bake the wellingtons to finish 15 minutes before serving so they can rest.
Boxing Day
- · Turn leftovers into a bubble and squeak or a pie.
- · Refrigerate leftovers promptly and use them within three to four days.
Other sizes
Christmas dinner for more or fewer
Questions hosts ask
How much food for a Christmas dinner for 10?
About 20.5 lb of finished food, or 919 g a guest across 6 dishes, with mushroom & chestnut wellington as the main. The amounts are sized by the planning engine and include a small margin.
How big a turkey for 10 people?
A 15 lb whole turkey, using the USDA's 1 lb a person plus half again for leftovers. Allow 3–4 days to thaw it in the fridge and 3.75–4.25 hours to roast it unstuffed at 325°F.
Should a Christmas dinner for 10 be a buffet or a sit-down meal?
A sit-down meal works for 10 if you have a chair for everyone. Count your seats first — the planner never assumes them — and switch to a buffet if you are short.
How many drinks for a Christmas dinner for 10?
About 53 drinks across the party, including alcohol-free ones, and 25 lb of ice.
How far ahead should I start planning?
Start 5 weeks before: confirm who is hosting where and who is coming, and order the meat from a butcher; December slots fill up.
What does a Christmas dinner for 10 cost?
The food in this plan comes to roughly $313, about $31 a guest. That is a planning estimate from typical US supermarket costs, not a price for your shop.
Plan my Christmas dinner for 10
Tell us about your kitchen, your seats and anyone's food needs, and the menu, shopping list and timeline redraw around them.
Start planning