# Planning a US Thanksgiving dinner for the first time - how much food? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 21, 2010, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433 "2010-11-21T14:52:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/81 "2010-11-23T22:08:30Z")
We’ve already invited everyone and it’s in less than a week. Does everyone who’s suggesting moving it to Saturday usually change big plans with such short notice? 😕 Nearly everyone who’s coming will already have plans for the weekend. “Hello, just kidding, we’ve decided to move it to Saturday” would mean nobody would turn up (and I would have even less time to prepare, being in shul all morning). ---
**Author:** ![Deadhead\_Dave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/838e76/32.png) [@Deadhead\_Dave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deadhead_Dave)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/82 "2010-11-24T20:21:50Z")
Don’t you pay any attention to the naysayers, Second Judith; they’ve been watching too many Hallmark TV Specials. I’m preparing a “Traditional American Thanksgiving feast”, but I’d love to sit down to the menu you’re planning. In my family, the critical elements of the T.A.T. meal are (1) good food lovingly prepared (2) eaten with family and friends (3) in a thankful spirit. Of course, these are followed by a nap after dinner and American football (nap and football optional overseas). It sounds like you’ve planned an outstanding Thanksgiving feast. My Best Wishes for a Happy Holiday to you and yours! ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2010, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/83 "2010-11-24T22:37:53Z")
> [@SecondJudith](#): > > Does everyone who’s suggesting moving it to Saturday usually change big plans with such short notice? 😕 probably more people do that than decide to host “big plans” on a weeknight to begin with. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/84 "2010-11-25T08:23:13Z")
> [@SecondJudith](#): > > We’ve already invited everyone and it’s in less than a week. Does everyone who’s suggesting moving it to Saturday usually change big plans with such short notice? 😕 Nearly everyone who’s coming will already have plans for the weekend. “Hello, just kidding, we’ve decided to move it to Saturday” would mean nobody would turn up (and I would have even less time to prepare, being in shul all morning). Eh, if you have already invited people, then I’d say no, don’t change the date now. Just keep it in mind if you decide to do it another year. ---
**Author:** ![Sparrow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Sparrow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sparrow)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/85 "2010-11-25T12:05:30Z")
> [@pancakes3](#): > > i’m genuinely shocked at the cognitive dissonance between the US and UK regarding thanksgiving. i guess we ugly americans really take this holiday for granted. > > Also, i agree with **Wendell Wagner** in that the thanksgiving menu doesn’t lend itself to be tossed together after work. i’m pretty sure i’d laugh right at my gf’s face if she told me that i had to make enough figgy pudding, kidney pie, and beef wellington for 12 people on a random thursday after work. > > why not try this on a saturday? it’ll be a more traditional, less hectic, and ultimately more enjoyable time to be had by all. > > my suggestion to you is… stick with the turkey breast, make mac/cheese, make the mashed potatoes rustic (skin still on), and make stuffing from the box. the problem with stuffing is the gluten… > > good luck. Cognitive dissonance the other way round too … there’s no such thing as kidney pie. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 12:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/86 "2010-11-25T12:23:02Z")
Don’t forget to let us know how the dinner was! ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/87 "2010-11-25T14:58:39Z")
As the person who started the “roasted potatoes? they’ve gotta be mashed!” pile-on, I’m popping in to report that I blew out the hand mixer making cheesecake this morning, so we’ll be having roasted potatoes. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/88 "2010-11-25T15:43:38Z")
Karma got you, ay? What, you don’t have a hand masher? A fork? C’mon, c’mon! (says the woman who isn’t cooking at all today…) ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/89 "2010-11-25T15:56:54Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > As the person who started the “roasted potatoes? they’ve gotta be mashed!” pile-on, I’m popping in to report that I blew out the hand mixer making cheesecake this morning, so we’ll be having roasted potatoes. 😃 The irony, it burns…oh, wait, that’s the turkey. Someone check the oven! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/90 "2010-11-25T16:37:32Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > As the person who started the “roasted potatoes? they’ve gotta be mashed!” pile-on, I’m popping in to report that I blew out the hand mixer making cheesecake this morning, so we’ll be having roasted potatoes. 😃 As **Broomstick** suggests, just make mashed potatoes instead of whipped potatoes. I made a mashed potato a couple of weeks ago. I didn’t feel like having to wash the beaters, and it was only one large potato anyway. A fork worked just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/91 "2010-11-25T16:50:00Z")
> [@SecondJudith](#): > > A 20lb (9+ kilo) turkey is £90-100, there is no way I’m paying that! I’m not going to enter the fray about what you should or should not cook this time around, but this sounded surprising to me; no, I’m not British nor have I ever lived in the UK, but I did cook an American Thanksgiving dinner there once. (My college roommate is a Salvadoran-American who married a Brit and now lives in Middle of Nowhere, Kent; a few years ago I visited her right after Thanksgiving, and we decided it would be fun to share the tradition with her husband, kids, and a couple of friends.) I didn’t remember the turkey being that hugely expensive, and it looks like [in many British supermarkets, it’s not.](http://www.tesco.com/whatsinstore/pricecheck/) (Not sure if the link will work, but the prices quoted for a 7.205KG - 9.2KG turkey range from £25 - 28.) Of course, what do I know? Maybe Waitrose is the analogue of Whole Foods, and my friend took me shopping at the equivalent of Aldi, but it didn’t feel that way to me. ---
**Author:** ![Norse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a9adbd/32.png) [@Norse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Norse)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 9:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/92 "2010-11-25T21:20:12Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > 1/2 pound of turkey per person – what would that be, about 0.5 kilos? Not quite. One pound (the mass unit, not the currency) equals (approximately) 0.453 kg. ---
**Author:** ![WarmNPrickly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d78d45/32.png) [@WarmNPrickly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WarmNPrickly)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/93 "2010-11-25T22:39:12Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > As the person who started the “roasted potatoes? they’ve gotta be mashed!” pile-on, I’m popping in to report that I blew out the hand mixer making cheesecake this morning, so we’ll be having roasted potatoes. 😃 I have never in my life used a hand mixer for mashed potatoes. A fork works fine, but obviously a masher is better. It’s an easy job that could easily be handed off to a child or willing adult. It does not take long. ---
**Author:** ![Pai325](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c68b51/32.png) [@Pai325](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pai325)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/94 "2010-11-25T23:50:32Z")
> [@WarmNPrickly](#): > > I have never in my life used a hand mixer for mashed potatoes. A fork works fine, but obviously a masher is better. It’s an easy job that could easily be handed off to a child or willing adult. It does not take long. When I was dating my husband and would ask his mother if I could help her with anything, it was the only job she would let me do. And she would check on it, too, to see if I had the right amount of milk and butter. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/95 "2010-11-26T01:31:18Z")
So, how did it go? ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/96 "2010-11-26T15:48:42Z")
> [@Eva\_Luna](#): > > I’m not going to enter the fray about what you should or should not cook this time around, but this sounded surprising to me; no, I’m not British nor have I ever lived in the UK, but I did cook an American Thanksgiving dinner there once. (My college roommate is a Salvadoran-American who married a Brit and now lives in Middle of Nowhere, Kent; a few years ago I visited her right after Thanksgiving, and we decided it would be fun to share the tradition with her husband, kids, and a couple of friends.) I didn’t remember the turkey being that hugely expensive, and it looks like [in many British supermarkets, it’s not.](http://www.tesco.com/whatsinstore/pricecheck/) (Not sure if the link will work, but the prices quoted for a 7.205KG - 9.2KG turkey range from £25 - 28.) > > Of course, what do I know? Maybe Waitrose is the analogue of Whole Foods, and my friend took me shopping at the equivalent of Aldi, but it didn’t feel that way to me. To be fair, £100 gets you an organic, free range, lovingly hand reared bird from a rosy faced 3rd generation butcher. You can get plenty cheap frozen birds in the supermarkets - we all eat Turkey here at Christmas after all! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/97 "2010-11-26T21:53:46Z")
The other thing is that comments from \*\*SecondJudith \*\*make me wonder if she’s Jewish - buying any form of kosher meat is more expensive here, I assume that is also the case in the UK. On the other hand, maybe she doesn’t keep kosher. Until she comes back, we don’t know, do we? ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/98 "2010-11-26T22:01:38Z")
Of course she’s not back. She had a dinner party to cook for and host and now she’s at work. I hope everyone enjoyed the turkey and roasted potatoes. ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/99 "2010-11-29T12:04:30Z")
All the food was extremely successful, and it would have been lovely except for how I came down with a death cold on Thursday morning and spent the whole day in an exhausted haze. ☹ I’m sure being ill during a big holiday is traditional, though. I had ordered gluten-free bread squares to make stuffing with since I wanted to cut down on prep time as much as possible, but when they arrived, they were bread _crumbs_ (ie very tiny) so no stuffing for us. I did used them to go on top of the pasta bake, which was the surprise hit of the evening. The turkey was massive, we still have leftovers despite our best efforts on the day. I have no idea how you guys manage to put down that much food. Everyone was making happy noises about being full when there was still an enormous plate full of turkey left. The sweet potato “casserole” was fine, although I would definitely think of it as a pudding instead of a main course. There weren’t enough rolls (I thought a big loaf of ciabatta could make up for that, but there was about 3/4 of that left while people were making sad eyes at me for more white rolls), and there was loads of the black-eyed bean salad left over, which I was surprised by since it was the only other protein the vegetarians could eat. The roasted potatoes went like lightning and were the first food to run out. I was so knocked out at the end that I can’t remember the pudding very well, but people liked the pumpkin pie. I was so tired/ill that I forgot to bring out the pumpkin sorbet, which was disappointing, since I was pretty proud of it. Oh well, more for us! ---
**Author:** ![Tristan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tristan/32/18058_2.png) [@Tristan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tristan)\ **Post date:** [November 29, 2010, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433/100 "2010-11-29T14:10:33Z")
Left over turkey, you ran out of rolls, some things didn’t get touched, and you forgot about other dishes that were ready to go. Madame, you’re Traditional Thanksgiving Dinner hit just about every mark of tradition and success. Congratulations, and I hope you feel better soon! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/planning-a-us-thanksgiving-dinner-for-the-first-time-how-much-food/561433.md?page=6)