This is the question I get more than any other in November, and it’s usually asked with a little panic in it. Somebody’s hosting 18 people for the first time and has no idea whether to buy a 14-pound turkey or a 22-pound one.
After 20 years of cooking for crowds, here’s the math I actually use.
The per-person numbers
Turkey: 1 to 1.5 pounds per person, raw weight. That sounds like a lot, and it is, because a third of that weight is bone. Go with 1.5 pounds if you want leftovers, and most people do. For 18 people, that’s a 20 to 25 pound bird, or two smaller ones, which cook more evenly anyway.
Stuffing: about 3/4 cup per person.
Mashed potatoes: about 1 cup per person. This is the one people always run short on. Nobody has ever complained about too many mashed potatoes.
Each other side: about 1/2 cup per person. Green beans, corn, sweet potatoes, whatever you’re doing.
Gravy: about 1/3 cup per person. Make more than you think. Always.
Rolls: 1.5 to 2 per person.
Pie: one 9-inch pie for every 6 to 8 people. Two different pies beats one big one, because people take a slice of each.
Appetizers: if dinner’s at 4 and people arrive at 1, you need something to hold them, or they’ll eat half the sides standing up.
The rules behind the numbers
Count teenagers as adults. Count kids under 8 as half.
Add 10% if it’s a late dinner. People who’ve been waiting eat more.
Don’t scale appetizers up with headcount. Big crowds graze less per person, not more.
The leftover question is the real question. If everybody’s taking a plate home, plan for 1.5 times your headcount. That’s not waste, that’s the whole point of Thanksgiving.
How many does a half pan feed?
If you’re looking at catering, this is the number that actually matters, and it’s the one nobody explains.
A half pan is the standard catering pan, roughly 10 by 12 inches and a few inches deep. For a side dish, figure it comfortably serves 10 to 15 people as part of a full meal. For a main, fewer.
That’s why our packages are built in half pans. It’s a real unit that maps to a real table, instead of a vague “feeds a family” claim.
Our Thanksgiving packages
Everything comes ready to heat and serve, picked up in McAdoo.
Family Bundle — Pick 4. Choose four items, each a half pan. Good for a smaller gathering or for filling in around a turkey you’re cooking yourself.
Thanksgiving Bundle — Pick 4, 6 or 10. Same half-pan structure, scaled to your crowd. The Pick 6 and Pick 10 are where most people land for a full holiday table.
Supersize Dinner — serves 15 to 20. The whole thing, done, for a big family.
Most people who order from us still cook a dish or two of their own. You’re not outsourcing Thanksgiving. You’re just not doing all of it standing up for two days.
Still not sure what to order?
Call and tell me your headcount. I’ll tell you what to get. That’s a two-minute phone call and it’s the part I’m actually good at.
