How Much Turkey Per Person? (USDA Rule and Calculator)
The USDA's rule is simple: allow 1 pound of turkey per person. For a frozen pre-stuffed turkey, allow 1¼ pounds per person. These are weights of the whole bird as you buy it.
Quick table
| Guests | Regular turkey (1 lb each) | Frozen pre-stuffed (1¼ lb each) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 lb | 5 lb |
| 8 | 8 lb | 10 lb |
| 12 | 12 lb | 15 lb |
| 16 | 16 lb | 20 lb |
| 20 | 20 lb | 25 lb |
Whole turkeys in the USDA roasting table run from 8 to 24 lb. For a small group, 8 lb is the smallest whole bird the table covers.
What the size means for your schedule
A bigger bird takes longer at every step. From the USDA tables:
| Turkey | Refrigerator thaw | Cold-water thaw | Roast, unstuffed, 325 °F |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 lb | 1 to 3 days (4–12 lb row) | 2 to 6 hours | 2¾ to 3 hours (8–12 lb row) |
| 15 lb | 3 to 4 days (12–16 lb row) | 6 to 8 hours | 3¾ to 4¼ hours (14–18 lb row) |
| 19 lb | 4 to 5 days (16–20 lb row) | 8 to 10 hours | 4¼ to 4½ hours (18–20 lb row) |
For a weight that sits exactly on the line between two rows, such as 12 or 20 lb, the turkey planner plans with the longer row and gives you dated steps.
Buying fresh or frozen
- Fresh turkey: the USDA says buy it only 1 to 2 days before cooking, keep it refrigerated on a tray, and don't buy a fresh pre-stuffed turkey.
- Frozen turkey: keep it frozen until it's time to thaw. Frozen turkeys stay safe indefinitely, but the USDA suggests cooking within a year for best quality.
- Frozen pre-stuffed turkey: buy only one with the USDA or state mark of inspection, and don't thaw it: cook it from frozen following the package directions.
Sources
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food Safety and Inspection Service, Let's Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey.