Thanksgiving is the biggest culinary day of the year in the US. On one kitchen counter, you'll find turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, cranberry sauce, and the obligatory pumpkin pie. But the holiday dinner can easily turn into stress if you buy everything at the last minute.
This plan is designed for 8 guests and includes a traditional menu, ingredient quantities, an approximate budget in dollars, and a convenient shopping schedule. Save the list in a shared Pickt list: the family can mark purchased items in Telegram, assign tasks, and avoid worrying that someone might accidentally buy a second turkey.
Turkey: Size for the Group, Fresh or Frozen, When to Buy
For the holiday turkey, a simple rule applies: plan for 1 to 1.25 pounds of raw bird per person. For 8 guests, a 10–12 pound turkey works well. If you want plenty of leftovers for sandwiches the next day, go for 13–14 pounds.
Frozen turkey is usually cheaper: during the season, you can find one for about $0.99–$1.49 per pound. Fresh turkey often costs $2.49–$4.99 per pound, but you don't need to thaw it for days. For an 8-person dinner, the budget for the bird typically ranges from $15–$45 depending on the brand and farming method.
It's best to buy the frozen turkey 2–3 weeks before the holiday. Thawing in the refrigerator takes about 24 hours for every 4–5 pounds of weight. A 12-pound turkey needs about three days, so move it from the freezer to the fridge no later than Monday of Thanksgiving week.
Order fresh poultry in advance, especially if you're choosing an organic, heritage, or kosher turkey. Pick it up 1–2 days before cooking. Before roasting, check the packaging: many turkeys already contain a saline solution, so brining or adding extra salt isn't necessary.
Classic Sides: What to Prepare with the Turkey
Sides make the Thanksgiving dinner truly generous. For 8 guests, five classic dishes are enough: stuffing, mashed potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, green beans, and cranberry sauce. If there are vegetarians in the group, prepare the stuffing separately from the turkey using vegetable broth.
Stuffing
For a large pan of stuffing, you'll need about 1.5 pounds of dry bread or 2 packages of bread cubes for stuffing. Add onion, celery, butter, broth, sage, and parsley. Sausage, apples, dried cranberries, or walnuts are optional but popular additions.
Mashed Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
Buy 5 pounds of Yukon Gold or Russet potatoes for fluffy mashed potatoes. You'll also need milk or half-and-half, butter, salt, and pepper. For sweet potatoes, get 4 pounds. You can roast them with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and pecans, or make a lighter version with olive oil and thyme.
Green Beans and Cranberry Sauce
Plan for 2.5–3 pounds of fresh green beans. A quick option is to sauté them with garlic and almonds. For green bean casserole, you'll also need cream of mushroom soup, milk, and fried onions.
Cranberry sauce comes together in 15 minutes: buy 12 ounces of fresh cranberries, sugar, an orange, and a little water. You can make the homemade sauce a few days ahead—the flavor will only deepen.
Pies and Desserts
For 8 guests, plan for two desserts. The most reliable pair is pumpkin pie and apple or pecan pie. Even after a heavy dinner, guests usually want a small slice of each, and leftovers pair perfectly with coffee the next day.
For homemade pumpkin pie, you'll need a 15-ounce can of pumpkin puree, condensed milk or evaporated milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a ready-made crust. Apple pie will require about 3 pounds of Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, or a mix of apple varieties.
To lighten the load, buy one pie from a good local bakery or supermarket. The average price for a ready-made pie is $8–$20. Don't forget whipped cream or vanilla ice cream: it's a small purchase that completes the presentation.
Drinks and Table Setting
For a group of 8, prepare water, a non-alcoholic drink, wine, and coffee or tea. If there will be children or guests who don't drink alcohol, apple cider and sparkling water are universal choices.
Buy 3 bottles of wine: one white, like Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc, and two reds—Pinot Noir, Zinfandel, or Cabernet Sauvignon. That's enough for moderate consumption. Add 2 packs of sparkling water, 1 gallon of apple cider, coffee, and ice.
Check your tableware in advance: plates, utensils, napkins, glasses, containers for leftovers, and bags or boxes for guests. Disposable aluminum pans are also handy: they're great for baking sides and for giving food to someone who's cooking at home.
Master Grocery List for 8 People
- Turkey: 10–12 pounds, or 13–14 pounds for leftovers.
- Bread for stuffing: 1.5 pounds or 2 packages of bread cubes.
- Chicken or vegetable broth: 32 ounces.
- Onions: 4 large ones.
- Celery: 1 large bunch.
- Potatoes: 5 pounds.
- Sweet potatoes: 4 pounds.
- Fresh green beans: 2.5–3 pounds.
- Fresh cranberries: 12 ounces.
- Oranges: 2.
- Butter: 2 pounds.
- Milk or half-and-half: 1 quart.
- Eggs: 1 dozen.
- Pumpkin puree: 1 15-ounce can.
- Pie crusts: 2, or ingredients for homemade dough.
- Apples for pie: 3 pounds if making apple pie.
- Sugar, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, cinnamon, sage, thyme, garlic.
- Pecans or almonds: 8–12 ounces.
- Whipped cream or vanilla ice cream: 1–2 containers.
- Wine: 3 bottles; apple cider: 1 gallon; sparkling water: 2 packs.
- Coffee, tea, ice, napkins, and containers for leftovers.
The approximate budget for such a dinner is $150–$250, including drinks and tableware. It will be lower if you use a frozen turkey, store-bought pies, and items on sale.
Timeline: 3 Weeks Out, 1 Week Out, 2 Days Out, and the Day Before
3 Weeks Out
Decide on the menu, confirm the number of guests, and check for allergies. Buy the frozen turkey, non-perishables, drinks, paper goods, and baking pans. Create a shared Pickt list and assign people responsible for categories.
1 Week Out
Order the fresh turkey or confirm your reservation. Buy butter, broth, spices, frozen items, and pie ingredients. Check that you have enough space in the fridge and freezer.
2 Days Out
Buy fresh vegetables, bread, dairy, cranberries, and desserts. Move the frozen turkey to the fridge if you haven't already. Make the cranberry sauce, bake the pies, and chop vegetables for the sides.
The Day Before
Assemble the stuffing, prep the sweet potatoes and green beans, and make the mashed potatoes partially or fully. Set the table, chill drinks, and plan the oven timing. The turkey should be the main dish in the oven, so it's better to prepare sides in advance and reheat them after the bird rests.
How to Split Cooking Among Guests: Potluck Format
Potluck reduces costs and lets the host avoid spending the whole holiday at the stove. The host usually handles the turkey, gravy, and coordination. One guest brings stuffing, another a vegetable side, a third a pie, and someone else drinks and ice.
Distribute not just dishes but also the little things: whipped cream, bread, containers for leftovers, napkins. These are the items most often forgotten. In Pickt, you can create a shared Thanksgiving list, add quantities and comments for each item, and then assign items to specific people.
When a guest marks a purchase in the shared list, everyone else sees it immediately. This way, the family keeps one up-to-date plan in Telegram, avoids duplicate purchases, and calmly puts together the holiday table. As a result, Thanksgiving remains a day for gathering, not endless checking of receipts and bags.
