Thanksgiving Dinner for 20 guests
A buffet-style Thanksgiving dinner for 20: 7 dishes, about 1129 g of food a guest (50 lb in all), 31 lines on the shopping list and around 120 drinks. 27% of the cooking can happen before the day.
- Dishes
- 7
- Food
- 50 lb
- Drinks
- 120
- Shopping lines
- 31
- Turkey
- 2 × 15 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.
- · With more than sixteen guests we suggested a buffet — switch back if you have the table.
Menu for 20
To start
- Cheese board with quince & walnut3.5 batches · 28 servingson the day
Mains
- Tray-roast chicken & lemon4 batches · 20 servingson the day
- Stuffed squash, farro & sage3 batches · 18 servingson the day
Sides
- Potato gratin2 batches · 16 servingson the day
- Roast roots, honey & thyme2 batches · 16 servingson the day
Bread
- Warm brioche rolls3 batches · 30 servingson the day
Dessert
- Poached fruit in spiced syrup3.5 batches · 28 servingsday before
About 1129 g of food a guest. 27% of the cooking can be done before the day.
Shopping highlights
- Chicken thighs14 lb
- Carrot15 ea
- Citrus for garnish6 ea
- Garlic28 clove
- Herb for garnish — mint or rosemary2 bunch
- Lemon8 ea
- Parsnip10 ea
- Pears23 ea
- Potato8 lb
- Sage1 bunch
10 of 31 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
- 120
- Ice
- 50 lb
- Food, estimated
- $724
About $36 a guest — a planning estimate from typical supermarket costs, not a price.
The turkey
2 turkeys of about 15 lb for 20
USDA guidance of 1 lb a person, plus half again for leftovers: 30 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 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 20?
About 50 lb of finished food, or 1129 g a guest across 7 dishes, with tray-roast chicken & lemon and stuffed squash, farro & sage as the mains. The amounts are sized by the planning engine and include a small margin.
How big a turkey for 20 people?
2 birds of about 15 lb each, 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 each one unstuffed at 325°F.
Should a Thanksgiving dinner for 20 be a buffet or a sit-down meal?
This plan serves it as a buffet, because past sixteen guests most homes run out of table. If you do have a seat for everyone, a sit-down meal is possible — tell the planner your real seat count.
How many drinks for a Thanksgiving dinner for 20?
About 120 drinks across the party, including alcohol-free ones, and 50 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 20 cost?
The food in this plan comes to roughly $724, about $36 a guest. That is a planning estimate from typical US supermarket costs, not a price for your shop.
Plan my Thanksgiving for 20
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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