Dimensions Guide

Thanksgiving turkeys are usually the main cuisine in when families and loved ones gather on the fourth Thursday of November. Though butterball turkeys were definitely not the centerpieces of the Plymouth colonist’s tables in 1621, we’re still grateful for the huge bird we’re chowing down at the table and enjoy good company. However, there are those who also tend to ask what are the ideal turkey sizes that one should serve during Thanksgiving.

Ideal Thanksgiving Turkey Sizes

Those who are given the arduous task of preparing the thanksgiving turkey have often wondered just what are the ideal bird sizes they should prepare. Well, the answer to this is that it all depends on how many guests you have to feed. On top of that, you should also ask yourself how much leftovers you want to get. That is in case you want to prepare some buttys the following day.

Figuring Out the Ideal Turkey Size

Since the ideal Thanksgiving turkey size will depend on the two aforementioned factors you will need to do a little math before buying your succulent bird. Obviously, you should check how many people will be joining you for the occasion.

A bit of a warning, however, is that the number of guests you have in mind may be different than how many people will actually be at the table come Thanksgiving day. You should also consider if there you have any vegetarian guests coming over. A good idea is to prepare just a little bit more food than the number of people you expect to come at the table.

Matching Pounds per Person

The tricky part is matching how many pounds you should allocate for each person in attendance. This is also considering the fact that you want to have leftovers as well. So, as a rule of thumb, you should match a pound of turkey for each guest you have coming. Take note that you should use the weight of the unstuffed turkey when figuring out the pounds per guest ratio.

One pound will be great if all you want to get are small or average leftovers. However, if you want more leftovers out of the Thanksgiving turkey you’re preparing then you should rather allocate 1.3 pounds of meat for every guest you intend to have at the table.

All these estimates will change in case you’re just buying turkey breast. Remember that as the size of the turkey increases the greater is the proportion of turkey meat to the bones. Thanksgiving turkey sizes range from 10 pounds to as much as 30 pounds.