HowMuchIt / Turkey per person
How much turkey per person?
About one pound of whole turkey for each adult: the bones and parts nobody eats are in that weight. Count children as half, and add half again if you want leftovers. The calculator also gives the thawing days.
Work out your turkey
| Turkey | Days |
|---|---|
| 4 to 12 lb | 1 to 3 |
| 12 to 16 lb | 3 to 4 |
| 16 to 20 lb | 4 to 5 |
| 20 to 24 lb | 5 to 6 |
Cook to 165 deg F in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost thigh and wing.
Start thawing early
A frozen turkey thaws safely in the refrigerator, and slowly: about a day for every 4 to 5 pounds, so a 16 pound bird needs about 4 days. Count back from the day you cook and put it in the fridge in time; a day per 4 pounds is the safe count. Once thawed, it keeps 1 to 2 more days in the fridge before cooking.
Done at 165
A turkey is done when a food thermometer reads at least 165 degrees Fahrenheit in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh and wing. Let it rest about 20 minutes before carving. Put leftovers in the fridge within 2 hours, in shallow containers, and use them within 3 to 4 days or freeze them.
Questions people ask
What size turkey for 10 people?
About 10 pounds for 10 adults, 15 if you want leftovers.
What size turkey for 12?
About 12 pounds; 18 for generous leftovers.
How much boneless turkey breast per person?
About half a pound; 3/4 pound for bone-in breast.
Good to know
- Plan about 1 pound of whole (bone-in) turkey per adult; the weight includes bones and other parts you do not eat.1,2,3,4
- For leftovers or big eaters, plan about 1 1/2 pounds of whole turkey per person (1 pound x 1.5).3,4,5
- Boneless turkey breast: plan about 1/2 pound per person.2,6,7
- Bone-in turkey breast: plan about 3/4 pound per person.2,6
- Children eat about half an adult portion: count about 1/2 pound of whole turkey per child.4,8
- Thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator, allowing about 24 hours (1 day) for every 4 to 5 pounds; use 1 day per 4 pounds to be safe.1,3,6,9,10
- Refrigerator thawing times: 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.1,7,9
- Once thawed, a turkey can stay in the refrigerator 1 to 2 days before cooking.6,11
- Cook a whole turkey to a minimum internal temperature of 165 deg F, checked with a food thermometer.1,3,9
- Check the temperature in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and in the thickest part of the breast.1,6,9
- Let the cooked turkey rest about 20 minutes before carving.3,6,9
- Refrigerate leftover turkey within 2 hours of cooking, in shallow containers.6,11
- Use leftover turkey within 3 to 4 days, or freeze it.3,6
How we checked this page
Checked on October 27, 2026. We kept a fact only when two independent publishers agree, and each one is numbered to its sources below. Where sources give different numbers, we keep only what they share. We never write a price. This page was written with an AI assistant and checked against the sources below.
Sources
- Let's Talk Turkey - A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey, USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service
- Turkey tips: Buying and thawing, University of Missouri Extension
- Let's talk TURKEY (MP-135), University of Wyoming Extension
- Turkey Size Calculator, Omni Calculator
- How Much Turkey Do You Need To Buy Per Person?, The Daily Meal
- Thanksgiving Dinner Cooking Tips, University of Wisconsin-Madison Extension (La Crosse County)
- 'How many pounds per person?' and other last-minute turkey questions, answered, FOX 7 Austin (Fox Television Stations)
- Party Planner Serving-Size Calculator; Quantity & Portion Chart of Estimates, The Old Farmer's Almanac
- Turkey basics, Oregon State University Extension Service
- How to Thaw a Frozen Turkey, Butterball
- Countdown to the Thanksgiving Holiday (USDA FSIS handout, UC ANR copy), USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service