Friendsgiving for 9 guests
A buffet-style Friendsgiving for 9: 5 dishes, about 689 g of food a guest (13.75 lb in all), 25 lines on the shopping list and around 45 drinks. 44% of the cooking can happen before the day.
- Dishes
- 5
- Food
- 13.75 lb
- Drinks
- 45
- Shopping lines
- 25
- Turkey
- 9 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 9
Mains
- Baked mac and cheese, catering tray1 batch · 16 servingson the day
Sides
- Bitter greens with a sharp vinaigrette1 batch · 8 servingson the day
- Hard-charred Brussels sprouts1 batch · 6 servingson the day
Bread
- Cornbread, catering tray, sliced1 batch · 20 servingsday before
Dessert
- Poached fruit in spiced syrup1.5 batches · 12 servingsday before
About 689 g of food a guest. 44% of the cooking can be done before the day.
Shopping highlights
- Bitter greens10 oz
- Brussels sprouts1.8 lb
- Citrus for garnish3 ea
- Lemon1 ea
- Pears10 ea
- Butter11 oz
- Cheddar2.5 lb
- Egg3 ea
- Milk7 cup
- Breadcrumbs6 oz
10 of 25 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
- 45
- Ice
- 20 lb
- Food, estimated
- $213
About $24 a guest — a planning estimate from typical supermarket costs, not a price.
The turkey
A 9 lb turkey for 9
USDA guidance of 1 lb a person: 9 lb in all. Thaw in the fridge for 2–3 days, roast unstuffed at 325°F for 2.75–3 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 9?
About 13.75 lb of finished food, or 689 g a guest across 5 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 9 people?
A 9 lb whole turkey, using the USDA's 1 lb a person. Allow 2–3 days to thaw it in the fridge and 2.75–3 hours to roast it unstuffed at 325°F.
Should a Friendsgiving for 9 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 9?
About 45 drinks across the party, including alcohol-free ones, and 20 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 9 cost?
The food in this plan comes to roughly $213, about $24 a guest. That is a planning estimate from typical US supermarket costs, not a price for your shop.
Plan my Friendsgiving for 9
Tell us about your kitchen, your seats and anyone's food needs, and the menu, shopping list and timeline redraw around them.
Start planning