How much turkey do you need to feed family and friends? Plan on about half a pound of cooked turkey per guest (Thanksgiving dinner servings only) or 1 pound per guest (Thanksgiving dinner servings plus leftovers). Cooking a whole bird reduces the amount of edible meat by 25%, so check out this chart for the size of turkey you need.
| No. of people | No leftovers | Includes leftovers |
| 2 | 3 lb. turkey breast | 6-7 lb. turkey breast |
| 3 | 5 lb. turkey breast | 10 lb. whole turkey |
| 4 | 6-7 lb. turkey breast | 13 lb. whole turkey |
| 5 | 8 lb. turkey breast | 16-17 lb. whole turkey |
| 6 | 10 lb. whole turkey | 20 lb. whole turkey |
| 7 | 11-12 lb. whole turkey | Two 12 lb. whole turkeys |
| 8 | 13 lb. whole turkey | Two 14 lb. whole turkeys |
| 9 | 15 lb. whole turkey | Two 15 lb. whole turkeys |
| 10 | 16-17 lb. whole turkey | Two 17 lb. whole turkeys |
