Calculator · Thanksgiving
Turkey Calculator: How Big a Turkey to Buy, When to Thaw It and When It Goes in the Oven
Tell it how many are eating and when: the turkey size, the thaw day and the oven time, from USDA’s tables.
CheckedNov. 62026
Calculator
Plan your turkey
Set how many people are eating and when. Every amount and time comes from USDA’s tables.
This calculator needs JavaScript. Everything it uses is also in the text below.
Runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is sent or saved.
The short answer
Buy 1 pound of turkey per person, USDA says, or 1¼ pounds for a frozen pre-stuffed bird. Ten people need about a 10-pound turkey; add a pound for every serving of leftovers you want.
A frozen turkey thaws in the fridge at about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. For Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday, Nov. 26, a 16-pound bird goes in the fridge by Sunday, Nov. 22, and a 20- to 24-pound bird by Friday, Nov. 20.
Roast it at 325°F until the thigh, wing and breast reach 165°F: about 3¾ to 4¼ hours for a 14- to 18-pound turkey, unstuffed.
At a glance
- How much
- 1 pound per person (whole turkey, fresh or frozen); 1¼ pounds for frozen pre-stuffed
- Thaw in the fridge
- About 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds: 1 to 6 days, by size
- Thaw in cold water
- About 30 minutes per pound; change the water every 30 minutes and cook right away
- Fresh turkey
- Buy it 1 to 2 days before you cook
- Oven
- 325°F or higher; times by weight in USDA’s table below
- Done
- 165°F in the thigh, wing and breast; rest 20 minutes before carving
- Leftovers
- In the fridge within 2 hours; eat within 3 to 4 days (by Monday, Nov. 30, after Thanksgiving)
- Questions
- USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-674-6854, open on Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
- Last checked
- Friday, Nov. 6, 2026, against the sources at the end of this page
How big a turkey to buy
USDA’s rule is 1 pound of turkey per person for a whole bird, fresh or frozen, and 1¼ pounds for a frozen pre-stuffed one.
Want leftovers? Count them as extra people. Ten at the table plus four servings of leftovers is a 14-pound turkey.
| People | Whole turkey (1 lb each) | Frozen pre-stuffed (1¼ lb each) |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 pounds | 5 pounds |
| 6 | 6 pounds | 8 pounds |
| 8 | 8 pounds | 10 pounds |
| 10 | 10 pounds | 13 pounds |
| 12 | 12 pounds | 15 pounds |
| 16 | 16 pounds | 20 pounds |
| 20 | 20 pounds | 25 pounds |
When to start thawing for Thanksgiving 2026
In the fridge, at 40°F or below, USDA allows about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 pounds. Here’s the latest day to start for dinner on Thursday, Nov. 26, using the longer end of each range.
| Turkey | In the fridge | Into the fridge by | In cold water |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 to 12 pounds | 1 to 3 days | Monday, Nov. 23 | 2 to 6 hours |
| 12 to 16 pounds | 3 to 4 days | Sunday, Nov. 22 | 6 to 8 hours |
| 16 to 20 pounds | 4 to 5 days | Saturday, Nov. 21 | 8 to 10 hours |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 5 to 6 days | Friday, Nov. 20 | 10 to 12 hours |
Keep it in its wrapper, on a tray to catch drips. A thawed turkey can wait in the fridge 1 to 2 more days, so starting early is fine.
3:23Short on time: cold water
Allow about 30 minutes per pound. Keep the turkey sealed in its wrap, submerge it in cold tap water, change the water every 30 minutes and cook it right after.
Microwave thawing works too if the bird fits; check your oven’s manual, and cook it immediately.
How long to roast it, and when it goes in
Set the oven to 325°F or higher. These are USDA’s times; the last column counts back from a 3 p.m. dinner, with the longest time plus 20 minutes of rest.
| Turkey | Unstuffed | Stuffed | In the oven by (unstuffed, 3 p.m. dinner) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 to 8 pounds (breast) | 1½ to 3¼ hours | 6 to 8 pounds (breast): 2½ to 3½ hours | 11:25 a.m. |
| 8 to 12 pounds | 2¾ to 3 hours | 3 to 3½ hours | 11:40 a.m. |
| 12 to 14 pounds | 3 to 3¾ hours | 3½ to 4 hours | 10:55 a.m. |
| 14 to 18 pounds | 3¾ to 4¼ hours | 4 to 4¼ hours | 10:25 a.m. |
| 18 to 20 pounds | 4¼ to 4½ hours | 4¼ to 4¾ hours | 10:10 a.m. |
| 20 to 24 pounds | 4½ to 5 hours | 4¾ to 5¼ hours | 9:40 a.m. |
The times are approximate. It’s done when a food thermometer reads 165°F in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast, even if a pop-up timer has popped.
USDA doesn’t recommend stuffing the bird; bake the stuffing in a dish to 165°F. If you do stuff it, fill it loosely just before it goes in the oven, and the center of the stuffing has to reach 165°F too.
Forgot to thaw?
You can roast a turkey straight from frozen, USDA says. Plan on at least 50% more time, and pull the giblet packet out with tongs once it loosens.
Leftovers
- Within 2 hours of serving (1 hour above 90°F), into the fridge in small, shallow containers.
- Eat them within 3 to 4 days. For a Thursday dinner, that’s by Monday, Nov. 30.
- Freeze them for best quality within 2 to 6 months, and reheat to 165°F.
Rather not cook the bird?
Our Thanksgiving dinner comparison lists ready-made and grocery-basket dinners from the big chains, with the price per person.
How we figured the dates
Every amount and time comes from USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service. Where its weight ranges meet (12, 16 or 20 pounds), we use the row that ends at that weight. The calculator plans a whole bird, so it skips the turkey-breast rows: USDA’s whole-turkey roasting times start at 8 pounds. The “into the fridge by” and “in the oven by” times count back from your dinner with the longest time in USDA’s range, so a turkey that thaws or cooks faster just waits a bit.
USDA’s tables stop at 24 pounds, so the calculator gives no times above that.
Questions people ask
How much turkey do I need per person?
USDA says 1 pound per person for a whole turkey, fresh or frozen, and 1¼ pounds for a frozen pre-stuffed turkey. For leftovers, count each extra serving as another person.
When should I take my turkey out of the freezer for Thanksgiving 2026?
For dinner on Thursday, Nov. 26, thawing in the fridge: a 4- to 12-pound turkey by Monday, Nov. 23; 12 to 16 pounds by Sunday, Nov. 22; 16 to 20 pounds by Saturday, Nov. 21; 20 to 24 pounds by Friday, Nov. 20.
How long does it take to thaw a 20-pound turkey?
4 to 5 days in the fridge, by USDA’s table, or 8 to 10 hours in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes.
How long do you cook a 16-pound turkey at 325°F?
About 3¾ to 4¼ hours unstuffed, or 4 to 4¼ hours stuffed, USDA says. It’s done at 165°F in the thigh, wing and breast.
Can you cook a frozen turkey?
Yes. USDA says it’s safe, but it takes at least 50% longer than a thawed turkey. Remove the giblet packet with tongs during cooking.
What temperature is a turkey done?
165°F, measured with a food thermometer in the innermost part of the thigh and wing and the thickest part of the breast. Let it rest 20 minutes before carving.
Is the USDA turkey hotline open on Thanksgiving?
Yes. The USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline, 1-888-674-6854, is open on Thanksgiving Day from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. On regular weekdays it’s open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern.
