Holiday planner
Thanksgiving 2026 planner
Thanksgiving falls on Thursday, November 26, 2026. For 12 guests with leftovers, buy an 18 lb turkey, move it from the freezer to the fridge by Friday, November 20, 2026, and plan on 3 h 45 min to 4 h 15 min in a 325 °F oven. Every step below has its own calculator.
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Turkey plan by number of guests
Sizes allow 1.5 lb of whole turkey per person so there are leftovers (USDA's minimum is 1 lb). The fridge date leaves the slow end of USDA's thawing range plus one spare day. Roasting times are USDA's for an unstuffed bird at 325 °F.
| Guests | Turkey | Fridge thaw | Move to fridge by | Dry brine salt | Roast at 325 °F |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 6 lb | 1.2 to 1.5 days | Monday, November 23, 2026 | 22 g | 1 h 30 min to 3 h 15 min |
| 6 | 9 lb | 1.8 to 2.3 days | Sunday, November 22, 2026 | 33 g | 2 h 45 min to 3 h |
| 8 | 12 lb | 2.4 to 3 days | Sunday, November 22, 2026 | 44 g | 2 h 45 min to 3 h |
| 10 | 15 lb | 3 to 3.8 days | Saturday, November 21, 2026 | 54 g | 3 h 45 min to 4 h 15 min |
| 12 | 18 lb | 3.6 to 4.5 days | Friday, November 20, 2026 | 65 g | 3 h 45 min to 4 h 15 min |
| 14 | 21 lb | 4.2 to 5.3 days | Thursday, November 19, 2026 | 76 g | 4 h 30 min to 5 h |
| 16 | 24 lb | 4.8 to 6 days | Thursday, November 19, 2026 | 87 g | 4 h 30 min to 5 h |
| 20 | 30 lb | 6 to 7.5 days | Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | 109 g | 4 h 30 min to 5 h* |
* Above 24 lb USDA gives no time; we extend its last band. Use a thermometer, and consider two smaller birds.
1. How big a turkey?
USDA suggests 1 lb of turkey per person; 1.5 lb leaves enough for sandwiches. A 12 lb bird feeds 8 with leftovers or 12 without. For a different count or appetite, see how much turkey per person.
2. When to start thawing
In the refrigerator a frozen turkey needs about a day for every 4 to 5 lb, so an 18 lb bird takes 3.6 to 4.5 days. Forgot? Cold water thaws it in about 30 minutes per pound (9 h for 18 lb), changing the water every 30 minutes. Full schedule: how long to thaw a turkey.
3. Brine for a juicier bird
A dry brine is the easy option: salt at about 0.8% of the turkey's weight (65 g for 18 lb), rubbed on and left uncovered in the fridge for 24 to 72 hours. Weigh kosher salt, because brands differ by volume. The turkey brine calculator does wet and dry brines and gives the start date.
4. How long to cook it
Roast at 325 °F until a food thermometer reads 165 °F in the innermost thigh, the wing and the thickest part of the breast. Times depend on weight and on whether it is stuffed: use the turkey cooking time calculator to work back from the time you want to eat.
More for the holidays
- Days until Thanksgiving and days until Christmas
- Tablespoons to cups and ml to cups for scaling recipes
- Fahrenheit to Celsius for oven temperatures
Sources: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, “Let's Talk Turkey Roasting” (sizes, thawing, roasting times and the 165 °F safe temperature); Thanksgiving date: 5 U.S.C. § 6103 (fourth Thursday in November).