Friendsgiving for 20 guests
A buffet-style Friendsgiving for 20: 6 dishes, about 798 g of food a guest (35.25 lb in all), 29 lines on the shopping list and around 100 drinks. 30% of the cooking can happen before the day.
- Dishes
- 6
- Food
- 35.25 lb
- Drinks
- 100
- Shopping lines
- 29
- Turkey
- 20 lb
Sized by the planning engine
The menu, amounts and kitchen check
- · We set food for 5 PM — change it if your timing is different.
Menu for 20
To start
- Cheese board with quince & walnut3 batches · 24 servingson the day
Mains
- Baked mac and cheese, catering tray1.5 batches · 24 servingson the day
Sides
- Hard-charred Brussels sprouts2.5 batches · 15 servingson the day
- Bitter greens with a sharp vinaigrette2 batches · 16 servingson the day
Bread
- Cornbread, catering tray, sliced1.5 batches · 30 servingsday before
Dessert
- Poached fruit in spiced syrup3 batches · 24 servingson the day
About 798 g of food a guest. 30% of the cooking can be done before the day.
Shopping highlights
- Bitter greens1.3 lb
- Brussels sprouts4 lb
- Citrus for garnish5 ea
- Herb for garnish — mint or rosemary2 bunch
- Lemon3 ea
- Pears20 ea
- Assorted cheese3.8 lb
- Butter1 lb
- Cheddar3.8 lb
- Egg5 ea
10 of 29 lines. The full list comes with the plan.
Kitchen check
Over capacity
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
- 100
- Ice
- 40 lb
- Food, estimated
- $535
About $27 a guest — a planning estimate from typical supermarket costs, not a price.
The turkey
A 20 lb turkey for 20
USDA guidance of 1 lb a person: 20 lb in all. Thaw in the fridge for 4–5 days, roast unstuffed at 325°F for 4.25–4.5 hours, and check 165°F with a thermometer.
Countdown
The Friendsgiving timeline, condensed
4 weeks before
- · Pick a date that does not clash with family Thanksgiving plans.
- · Send the invite with a shared potluck sign-up list.
2 weeks before
- · Check the sign-up covers mains, sides, salad, bread and dessert.
- · Nudge people toward dishes that travel and reheat well.
1 week before
- · Confirm numbers and dietary needs; share them with the cooks.
- · Ask each cook to label their dish with its main ingredients.
Day before
- · Do the host food shop.
- · Prep the centrepiece and make gravy base and dessert.
Day of
- · Roast the centrepiece to finish an hour after guests arrive.
- · Clear counter and oven space for arriving dishes to reheat.
Day after
- · Return dishes to their owners; wash borrowed containers.
- · Share photos and a thank-you in the group chat.
Other sizes
Friendsgiving for more or fewer
Questions hosts ask
How much food for a Friendsgiving for 20?
About 35.25 lb of finished food, or 798 g a guest across 6 dishes, with baked mac and cheese, catering tray as the main. The amounts are sized by the planning engine and include a small margin.
How big a turkey for 20 people?
A 20 lb whole turkey, using the USDA's 1 lb a person. Allow 4–5 days to thaw it in the fridge and 4.25–4.5 hours to roast it unstuffed at 325°F.
Should a Friendsgiving for 20 be a buffet or a sit-down meal?
It usually runs buffet-style: guests help themselves, so not everyone needs a chair at once. Still count the seats you have; the planner never assumes them.
How many drinks for a Friendsgiving for 20?
About 100 drinks across the party, including alcohol-free ones, and 40 lb of ice.
How far ahead should I start planning?
Start 4 weeks before: pick a date that does not clash with family Thanksgiving plans, and send the invite with a shared potluck sign-up list.
What does a Friendsgiving for 20 cost?
The food in this plan comes to roughly $535, about $27 a guest. That is a planning estimate from typical US supermarket costs, not a price for your shop.
Plan my Friendsgiving for 20
Tell us about your kitchen, your seats and anyone's food needs, and the menu, shopping list and timeline redraw around them.
Start planning