Thanksgiving Calculator
Estimate turkey, sides, wine, and pie amounts for adults and children with optional leftover turkey.
Thanksgiving Dinner Shopping Guide
Hosting Thanksgiving means balancing turkey, sides, drinks, and dessert for a mixed crowd. This calculator converts adults and children into a full shopping list, with an optional leftover-turkey buffer. After you know your turkey weight, use companion tools for Turkey Size, Turkey Cooking Time, Turkey Defrost, and Turkey Thawing. For sides, see the Mashed Potatoes Per Person Calculator and Party Drink Calculator.
Guest and Turkey Formulas
$$\text{effective guests} = \text{adults} + 0.5 \times \text{children}$$
$$\text{turkey lb} = \text{effective guests} \times 1.0\ \text{or}\ 1.3\ \text{with leftovers}$$
Children count as half an adult serving for most dishes. Wine is based on adults only at about half a bottle per adult.
Side Dish Estimates
Stuffing: 0.25 lb per effective guest. Appetizers: 0.2 lb. Cheese and cranberry sauce: 2 oz each. Vegetable sides: 4 oz. Potatoes: 6 oz. Dinner rolls: 2 per effective guest. Pies: one pie for every 6 effective guests, rounded up.
Example for 8 Adults and 4 Children
Effective guests = $8 + 0.5 \times 4 = 10$. Without leftovers, buy 10 lb of turkey, 2.5 lb stuffing, 2 lb appetizers, 4 wine bottles, and 2 pies.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do children count as half a guest?
Younger eaters usually take smaller portions of turkey and sides, so planners often budget about half an adult serving.
What changes when I enable leftover turkey?
Turkey weight increases by 30% so you have extra meat for sandwiches and soups after the meal.
Why is wine based on adults only?
The wine estimate assumes half a bottle per adult. Children are excluded from the drink count.
How many pies should I buy?
Plan one pie for every six effective guests, rounded up. A party of ten effective guests needs two pies.
Does this include gravy or dessert toppings?
No. It covers core proteins, starch sides, vegetables, rolls, wine, and pie count. Add gravy ingredients separately.
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