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), 30 lines on the shopping list and around 63 drinks. 40% of the cooking can happen before the day.
- Dishes
- 6
- Food
- 28.5 lb
- Drinks
- 63
- Shopping lines
- 30
- 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. 40% of the cooking can be done before the day.
Shopping highlights
- Apple2 ea
- Apples4 ea
- Carrot9 lb
- Citrus for garnish3 ea
- Garlic6 clove
- Ginger5 oz
- Herb for garnish — mint or rosemary1 bunch
- Onion4 ea
- Potato6 lb
- Red cabbage4 lb
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
- 63
- Ice
- 25 lb
- Food, estimated
- $302
About $25 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 3.75–4.25 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 3.75–4.25 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 25 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 $302, about $25 a guest. That is a planning estimate from typical US supermarket costs, not a price for your shop.
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.
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