Turkey Size Calculator — What Size Turkey to Buy
Enter your headcount, cooked turkey per person, and a leftovers buffer. The calculator totals the cooked turkey needed and divides by the typical bone-in whole-turkey edible yield (~44% — about 73% cooked yield with ~60% of that edible after bone and skin, per USDA AMS Standard Yield QAD 635) to find the raw turkey to buy, then rounds up to a whole-bird purchase size. Serving size and yield are kept separate — both are planning estimates you can adjust. Quantity planning only — no thawing, cooking, or doneness guidance.
What this calculator determines
It estimates the raw turkey to buy for a crowd by dividing the cooked turkey needed by an adjustable bone-in edible yield, then rounding up to a whole-bird purchase size.
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Examples
12 people, 1 lb each, 44% yield
12 people, 1 lb cooked each, bone-in whole (44% edible)
Calculation
- Cooked = 12 × 1 = 12 lb
- Turkey to buy = 12 ÷ 0.44 = 27.27 lb
- Purchase size = ceil(27.27) = 28 lb
≈ 27.27 lb — buy a ~28 lb turkey
20 people, 0.5 lb each (lighter)
20 people, 0.5 lb cooked each, 44% yield
Calculation
- Cooked = 20 × 0.5 = 10 lb
- Turkey to buy = 10 ÷ 0.44 = 22.73 lb
- Purchase size = ceil(22.73) = 23 lb
≈ 22.73 lb — buy a ~23 lb turkey
Assumptions & Conventions
- Yield is an estimate
- The default 44% edible yield is a planning estimate; actual yield varies by bird, cooking method, and doneness.
- Yield is adjustable
- Raise the yield percentage for boneless cuts that lose less to bone and skin.
- Separate inputs
- Cooked servings per person and edible yield are separate inputs — both are planning estimates you can adjust.
- Purchase rounding
- The suggested purchase size is rounded up to the next whole pound.
- Scope
- Quantity planning only — no thawing, cooking, or doneness guidance.