# Thanksgiving: How many pounds of turkey per person do you have? (I have lots.) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 24, 2010, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-how-many-pounds-of-turkey-per-person-do-you-have-i-have-lots/561802 "2010-11-24T17:54:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-how-many-pounds-of-turkey-per-person-do-you-have-i-have-lots/561802/21 "2010-11-25T04:54:07Z")
> [@Shodan](#): > > Six people, twenty one pounds. The only thing better than turkey is left over turkey. > > bwahahahaha… > > Regards, > Shodan I’m not feeling as concerned now…I have a 22 pounder for 8 people. Last year we had a 17 lb bird for 4. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-how-many-pounds-of-turkey-per-person-do-you-have-i-have-lots/561802/22 "2010-11-25T05:25:55Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > I always make a gumbo with the turkey carcass too. They’re great for that. We couldn’t get the size turkey we normally get: 24-26 lbs for 4 people. So this year, we are paying tribute to the gumbo ghods. We got a 20 pound and a 12 pound turkey and the little one is going straight into the pot along with the remains of the big one. Gonna be gumbo all the way to Christmas and we do it all over again!! ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-how-many-pounds-of-turkey-per-person-do-you-have-i-have-lots/561802/23 "2010-11-25T05:38:37Z")
Man, I’m slacking. I’m hosting about 16, with at least 2 vegetarians in the group so really it’s more like 14, and I only have a 22 lb turkey and a 7 lb turkey breast. ---
**Author:** ![loshan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce73a5/32.png) [@loshan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/loshan)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 6:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-how-many-pounds-of-turkey-per-person-do-you-have-i-have-lots/561802/24 "2010-11-25T06:15:54Z")
10 people. 23 lb turkey, 7 lb ham. ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-how-many-pounds-of-turkey-per-person-do-you-have-i-have-lots/561802/25 "2010-11-25T18:19:29Z")
So glad there are plenty of other people out there with huge amounts of turkey (and other meats). Cookin’ away. Soon to be cleaning away. ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-how-many-pounds-of-turkey-per-person-do-you-have-i-have-lots/561802/26 "2010-11-25T18:43:29Z")
Last I heard, we are going to have 1 medium sized bird plus a few extra legs and thighs purchased on the cheap. Ham also of course. We have upwards of 20 people or more with a massive pot-luck feed. More protein will undoubtedly show up. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-how-many-pounds-of-turkey-per-person-do-you-have-i-have-lots/561802/27 "2010-11-25T19:02:23Z")
19 lbs, all for me this year. I was enticed by a 39 cents per pound deal. Thankfully, I like turkey and I’m on a muscle building program. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-how-many-pounds-of-turkey-per-person-do-you-have-i-have-lots/561802/28 "2010-11-25T19:22:25Z")
20 lb bird, 6 people - 3 of which are humongous 20-somethings! Plus I’ll send leftovers home with my son and his roomie. I plan to make turkey taquitos from some of the leftovers. I saw it on Food Network. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-how-many-pounds-of-turkey-per-person-do-you-have-i-have-lots/561802/29 "2010-11-25T19:27:07Z")
I thought the whole point was to make sure there were plenty of left overs. Some for the guests to take with them, so for the cook’s fridge, and a nice carcass for soup. If I’m cooking, as I am this year, I get the biggest the store has regardless of how many people are coming over. I got a 24 pounder for me and my 3 dinner guests. ---
**Author:** ![BlueKangaroo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3d9bf3/32.png) [@BlueKangaroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueKangaroo)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2010, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-how-many-pounds-of-turkey-per-person-do-you-have-i-have-lots/561802/30 "2010-11-25T20:23:07Z")
I certainly wanted some leftovers, but this will be a mountain of them! Especially if, as I expect, my guests will take a very minimal amount home with them. This is their first “American Thanksgiving”, and they (she at least) tend to refuse to take as much as expected when we bake together. Oh well. I shan’t have to cook for a couple days. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thanksgiving-how-many-pounds-of-turkey-per-person-do-you-have-i-have-lots/561802.md?page=1)