How Much Thanksgiving Turkey Should I Buy Per Person?

Have enough — but not too much — for a feast.

An overhead image of a turkey on a platter surrounded by herbs, apples and oranges.

Leftovers are always welcome, but you probably don’t want to be eating turkey for weeks on end.Christopher Testani for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne. Prop Stylist: Christina Lane.

On Thanksgiving, leftovers are natural and expected — even hotly anticipated. But striking that balance between extra and way too much can be difficult.

When it comes to buying turkey, the general rule of thumb is this: You’ll want 1 pound per person. So, if there are 12 planning to eat turkey at your table, buy a 12-pound turkey. (Hosting more than 12? Kenji López-Alt suggests buying two smaller birds, as they’ll cook more evenly than a large bird.)

A pound per person may seem like a lot, but bear in mind that the turkey’s advertised weight factors in the bones and giblets. After all is said and done, you’ll end up with leftovers — but not too much. (And if you’re at a loss for what to do with what’s left after the feast, we have some ideas.)

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