How much turkey per person?
Plan on 1½ pounds of whole turkey per person, or 2 pounds if you want leftovers. Tell us who’s coming and we’ll size the bird.
Buy a whole turkey of about
13.5 lb
6.1 kg · 10 servings at 1.5 lb each
- Roast time (325°F)
- 3 hr 35 min
- Fridge thaw
- 3 days
| Guests | Whole turkey | With leftovers | Boneless breast |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 8 lb | 8 lb | 2 lb |
| 6 | 9 lb | 12 lb | 3 lb |
| 8 | 12 lb | 16 lb | 4 lb |
| 10 | 15 lb | 20 lb | 5 lb |
| 12 | 18 lb | 24 lb | 6 lb |
| 16 | 24 lb | 32 lb | 8 lb |
| 20 | 30 lb | 40 lb | 10 lb |
Why 1½ pounds a head?
A whole turkey is roughly half bone, skin and trimmings by weight, so 1½ lb raw gives each guest about ¾ lb of cooked meat once the bird is carved. That covers a generous plate with seconds. Boneless breast has almost no waste, so ½ lb per person is enough.
Children usually eat about half an adult portion. If the table is loaded with sides, or the turkey is one of two mains, you can drop to 1¼ lb per person; for a crowd that loves sandwiches the next day, go up to 2 lb.
Small gatherings are the exception: whole turkeys rarely come under 10 lb, so for four people consider a turkey breast or a bone-in breast (about 1 lb per person).
Questions cooks ask
What size turkey do I need for 10 people?
About 15 lb, or 20 lb if you want plenty of leftovers.
What size turkey for 20 people?
Around 30 lb in total. Two 14–16 lb turkeys are easier to fit in the oven and cook more evenly than one very large bird.
How much turkey breast per person?
About ½ lb of boneless breast or 1 lb of bone-in breast per person.