How Many Pounds of Turkey Per Person? Your Thanksgiving Guide
Introduction
Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and the most important part of this festive holiday is undoubtedly the turkey. However, deciding on how much turkey to buy can be a challenge. You don’t want to under-order and leave your guests hungry, but you also don’t want to over-order and have leftovers for weeks. In this blog post, we’ll guide you through the process of calculating how many pounds of turkey you need per person.
Factors to Consider
When deciding how many pounds of turkey per person are needed, there are several factors to consider. Firstly, you need to take into account the number of guests you’ll be serving. Secondly, consider the appetites of your guests – will they be mostly adults or children? Lastly, think about whether you want to have leftovers or not.
The General Rule
A good rule of thumb for how many pounds of turkey per person is to plan for about one pound of uncooked turkey per adult. For a group with more children than adults, you can estimate closer to 0.5 pounds per child. This calculation should take into account whether you’re looking to have leftovers or not.
Calculating the Amount of Turkey Needed
Let’s say you’re hosting 8 adults and 4 children on Thanksgiving, and you’re looking to have some leftovers. You can use the following formula to calculate how much turkey you need:
(8 adults * 1 pound per adult) + (4 children * 0.5 pounds per child) = 9 pounds of turkey
Buying a Whole Turkey vs. Turkey Breasts
If you’re cooking for a smaller group of people, you may want to consider purchasing only turkey breasts instead of a whole turkey. Turkey breasts are perfect for smaller groups, and they’re also easier to handle and cook. Generally, you’ll need about 0.75 pounds of bone-in turkey breast per person.
Conclusion
When planning your Thanksgiving feast, it’s important to consider the number of guests, their appetites, and whether you want leftovers. With the aforementioned factors in mind, you can easily calculate how many pounds of turkey per person you’ll need. Remember to buy a little more than necessary to allow for any unexpected guests or last-minute appetites. Happy Thanksgiving!
