Meat per guest

How much meat per person?

The calculator uses one published rule for each kind of meat:

• Whole turkey: the USDA says to allow 1 lb (0.5 kg) per person, and 1.3 lb (0.6 kg) for a frozen pre-stuffed turkey.
• Bone-in rib roast: the Beef Checkoff says to buy a roast with 1 rib for every 2 people. Its roasting chart plans about 3 ounces of cooked beef per person: a 2-rib roast of 4–6 lb (1.8–2.7 kg) serves 4 to 6, and a 4 to 5 rib roast of 8–10 lb (3.6–4.5 kg) serves 8 to 10.
• Boneless meat: Certified Angus Beef plans on a pound for every two guests and a half-pound for every two kids, so 0.5 lb (0.2 kg) per adult and 0.3 lb (0.1 kg) per kid, plus an extra pound just in case.

For boneless meat, the calculator also estimates the cooked weight with the USDA's cooking yield for that cut: a brisket or a pork butt loses about a third of its weight. See the yield calculator.

Big appetites, lots of sides

These are planning rules, not exact portions. Buy more if your guests are big eaters, if the meat is the whole meal or if you want leftovers, and less if there are plenty of sides. When you serve more than one meat, split the total between them.

Next steps

Thawing a frozen turkey takes days: see the thawing calculator. Then work out when it goes in with the cook planner.