How Big of a Turkey Do You Need for Your Thanksgiving Guests?

Thanksgiving dinner in Canada usually comes with plenty of food, but getting the turkey right still takes a little planning. Buy too small and there may not be enough to go around. Buy too large and you could be eating leftovers well into the week.

A good starting point is 1 to 1.5 pounds of whole turkey per guest, depending on how much you want left over after dinner.

How Much Turkey Should You Buy?

If you're planning Thanksgiving dinner for four people, look for a turkey around 5 to 6 pounds. For six guests, 7 to 9 pounds should be enough.

Once the guest list gets a little bigger, plan for approximately 10 to 12 pounds for eight people, 12 to 15 pounds for 10 people, and 15 to 18 pounds for 12 people.

Hosting a crowd? Around 18 to 22 pounds should cover 15 guests, while a gathering of 20 people may require roughly 24 to 30 pounds of turkey.

These aren't exact rules. How much you need depends on your guests, the rest of the Thanksgiving menu and, importantly, how serious your family is about leftovers.

Why 1 to 1.5 Pounds Per Person?

A 12-pound whole turkey doesn't give you 12 pounds of meat.

The weight on the package includes the bones and other parts of the bird, so the amount of cooked meat available to serve will be considerably lower than its starting weight.

That's why the standard recommendation is higher than the portion of turkey someone will actually eat at dinner.

If your Thanksgiving spread includes plenty of appetizers, potatoes, stuffing, vegetables and other sides, planning closer to one pound per person may be enough.

If you have big eaters or want turkey sandwiches the next day, aim closer to 1.5 pounds per person.

What About Turkey Breast?

If most of your guests prefer white meat, or you're hosting a smaller Thanksgiving dinner, you don't necessarily need a whole bird.

Boneless turkey breast requires much less weight per person because you're not paying for the weight of the entire bird. A good starting point is approximately half a pound of boneless turkey breast per guest.

For bone-in turkey breast, plan for closer to three-quarters of a pound per person.

Planning for Thanksgiving Leftovers

For many Canadian households, having turkey left over is part of Thanksgiving.

If you want enough for sandwiches, another dinner or turkey soup, use the higher end of the guideline and plan for approximately 1.5 pounds of whole turkey per guest.

For eight people, for example, you could look for a turkey around 10 pounds if you mainly want enough for dinner. Moving closer to 12 pounds gives you more room for leftovers.

When Should You Buy Your Thanksgiving Turkey?

Canadian Thanksgiving falls on the second Monday in October, and popular turkey sizes can become harder to find as the weekend approaches.

Knowing your guest count ahead of time makes it easier to choose the right bird, but it also gives you time to plan for thawing. The larger the turkey, the longer it will take to thaw safely in the refrigerator before Thanksgiving dinner.

The Easy Rule to Remember

When you're choosing your Thanksgiving turkey, start with 1 to 1.5 pounds per guest.

Go closer to one pound if you have a smaller appetite crowd, plenty of sides and don't need many leftovers. Go closer to 1.5 pounds if you're feeding bigger appetites or want enough turkey to enjoy again after Thanksgiving.

Ottawa Valley Meats offers Canadian turkey for Thanksgiving, giving Ontario families an easy way to plan ahead for their holiday dinner.

Shop our Ontario-raised heritage turkey that's free-range, pasture-raised, air-chilled and raised right here in Eastern Ontario.