How much turkey per person?
One pound each. That's USDA's official rule for a whole, bone-in bird, and it already includes leftovers-adjacent generosity. Want a serious leftover program? Extension services bless up to 1½ pounds per person. Buy the bird, then remember the part everyone forgets in the store: bigger birds need more days in the fridge — pounds are a thaw commitment, not just a grocery decision.
| Guests | Dinner-only | Leftover insurance | Fridge thaw needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 lb | 6 lb | 1 to 2 days |
| 6 | 6 lb | 9 lb | 2 to 3 days |
| 8 | 8 lb | 12 lb | 2 to 3 days |
| 10 | 10 lb | 15 lb | 3 to 4 days |
| 12 | 12 lb | 18 lb | 3 to 5 days |
| 14 | 14 lb | 21 lb | 4 to 6 days |
| 16 | 16 lb | 24 lb | 4 to 6 days |
| 20 | 20 lb | 24 lb | 5 to 6 days |
The thaw column uses USDA's refrigerator brackets — 4 to 12 lb: 1 to 3 days; 12 to 16 lb: 3 to 4 days; 16 to 20 lb: 4 to 5 days; 20 to 24 lb: 5 to 6 days. Once you've picked a size, the thaw calculator turns it into an exact freezer-to-fridge date for your dinner, and the roast chart tells you the oven bill.
Frequently asked questions
How much turkey do I need per person?
USDA's rule for whole, bone-in turkey is 1 pound per person — bones and all, that lands as a sane dinner portion. University extension guidance stretches it to 1½ pounds per person for hearty eaters or if the sandwich campaign matters to you. This site's calculator plans at 1¼ as the honest middle.
How big a turkey for 10 people?
About a 10 lb bird for dinner-only, up to 15 lb if leftovers are the point. Note the thaw consequence: a 15-pounder needs about 4 days in the refrigerator, so the freezer-to-fridge date moves earlier — the calculator on the homepage does both sums at once.
Is a bigger turkey better value than two small ones?
Past about 24 pounds, no. Giant birds are older, drier, outside USDA's roasting table, and they hog the fridge for nearly a week of thawing. Two 12-pounders thaw in half the days, roast faster, and give you four drumsticks — which is the real headline.
Frozen pre-stuffed turkey — how much per person?
USDA sizes those at 1¼ pounds per person, and they're the one exception to every thaw rule on this site: a frozen pre-stuffed turkey goes straight from freezer to oven, never thawed first, so the stuffing inside stays safe. Cook it from frozen per the package directions.
How much boneless turkey breast per person?
Figure about half a pound per person of boneless roast — there's no bone taking up the scale. Bone-in breast sits closer to three-quarters of a pound per person. Breasts also thaw faster than whole birds, which makes them the procrastinator's cut.
Sources: USDA FSIS, Let's Talk Turkey — A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey (1 lb/person; 1¼ for pre-stuffed) and Turkey Basics: Safe Thawing. The 1½ lb upper bound is university extension guidance, not USDA.