Thanksgiving Dinner for 12 guests
A sit-down Thanksgiving dinner for 12: 6 dishes, about 1071 g of food a guest (28.5 lb in all), 25 lines on the shopping list and around 63 drinks. 33% of the cooking can happen before the day.
- Dishes
- 6
- Food
- 28.5 lb
- Drinks
- 63
- Shopping lines
- 25
- Turkey
- 18 lb
Sized by the planning engine
The menu, amounts and kitchen check
- · We set food for 4 PM — change it if your timing is different.
Menu for 12
Starters
- Carrot & ginger soup2 batches · 16 servingsday before
Mains
- Stuffed squash, farro & sage2.5 batches · 15 servingson the day
Sides
- Braised red cabbage, apple & clove1.5 batches · 12 servingsday before
- Potato gratin1.5 batches · 12 servingson the day
Bread
- Warm brioche rolls1.5 batches · 15 servingson the day
Dessert
- Apple tarte tatin2 batches · 16 servingson the day
About 1071 g of food a guest. 33% of the cooking can be done before the day.
Shopping highlights
- Apple2 ea
- Apples4 ea
- Carrot9 lb
- Citrus for garnish2 ea
- Garlic6 clove
- Ginger5 oz
- Onion4 ea
- Potato6 lb
- Red cabbage4 lb
- Sage1 bunch
10 of 25 lines. The full list comes with the plan.
Kitchen check
RECOVERY WINDOW — Clear
Recovery window is the busiest part of this starting kitchen.
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
- 63
- Ice
- 56 lb
- Food, estimated
- $337
About $28 a guest — a planning estimate from typical supermarket costs, not a price.
The turkey
A 18 lb turkey for 12
USDA guidance of 1 lb a person, plus half again for leftovers: 18 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 Thanksgiving timeline, condensed
6 weeks before
- · Confirm who is coming and who is bringing what.
- · Order a fresh turkey or a heritage bird if you want one.
2 weeks before
- · Buy pantry staples, stock, wine and cider.
- · Make and freeze pie dough, stock and cranberry sauce.
1 week before
- · Confirm final numbers and dietary needs; assign potluck dishes.
- · Write an oven schedule working backwards from serving time.
2 days before
- · Do the fresh shop: vegetables, herbs, dairy, bread.
- · Bake pies and cornbread; make gravy base from roasted wings.
Day before
- · Assemble gratins and stuffing; chop every vegetable.
- · Set the table completely, including serving spoons for each dish.
Day of
- · Take the turkey out of the fridge an hour before roasting.
- · Roast, then rest the bird under foil while sides use the oven.
Day after
- · Refrigerate leftovers within two hours of serving and use within three to four days.
- · Make stock from the carcass and turkey sandwiches for lunch.
Other sizes
Thanksgiving for more or fewer
Questions hosts ask
How much food for a Thanksgiving dinner for 12?
About 28.5 lb of finished food, or 1071 g a guest across 6 dishes, with stuffed squash, farro & sage as the main. The amounts are sized by the planning engine and include a small margin.
How big a turkey for 12 people?
A 18 lb whole turkey, using the USDA's 1 lb a person plus half again for leftovers. 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 Thanksgiving dinner for 12 be a buffet or a sit-down meal?
A sit-down meal works for 12 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 Thanksgiving dinner for 12?
About 63 drinks across the party, including alcohol-free ones, and 56 lb of ice.
How far ahead should I start planning?
Start 6 weeks before: confirm who is coming and who is bringing what, and order a fresh turkey or a heritage bird if you want one.
What does a Thanksgiving dinner for 12 cost?
The food in this plan comes to roughly $337, about $28 a guest. That is a planning estimate from typical US supermarket costs, not a price for your shop.
The whole night
Plan my Thanksgiving for 12
Tell us about your kitchen, your seats and anyone's food needs, and the menu, shopping list and timeline redraw around them.