Pounds of turkey per guest with leftovers — plus thaw time and fresh-vs-frozen decision guide.
Count as 0.5 adult.
Turkey size
9.5 adult-equivalent guests
11.9 lb
Fridge thaw
≈ 3.0 days
71 hours
Cold-water thaw
Change water every 30 min.
5.9 hours
Fresh vs frozen
Fresh works if hosting within 5 days of pickup; otherwise frozen + plan thaw.
Plan 1 lb per adult for the main meal; kids eat roughly half. Add a leftovers buffer if you want sandwiches and turkey soup.
Frozen turkey must thaw fully before roasting. Fridge-thaw is the safest path but slow (24 hrs per 4 lb). Cold water cuts it to 30 min per lb but the water must be changed every 30 minutes to stay below 40°F.
guests_eq = adults + kids × 0.5
turkey_lb = guests_eq × 1 × (1 + leftover_buffer)
fridge_thaw_hr = lb ÷ 4 × 24
cold_water_thaw_hr = lb × 0.5
Ham Size per Guest
Spiral, boneless, and fresh ham sizing with cooking time and carving yield.
Roast Time by Weight
Oven roast times by cut, weight, and doneness — with USDA safe internal temps and rest times.
Safe Meat Thawing
Thaw time by method (fridge, cold water, microwave) with USDA food-safety windows.