Published October 29, 2026

Thanksgiving dinner grocery list for 8 to 12

A traditional turkey dinner, the full shopping list, and a countdown that starts two weeks out.

This list covers one Thanksgiving dinner for 8 to 12 people: a roast turkey with gravy, six classic sides and two pumpkin pies. Most of it can be made a day or two ahead, so the day itself is mostly about the turkey. It's sized for 12, so with fewer guests you'll have leftovers.

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Check you have these at home

Most kitchens already have these. The amounts are what this dinner uses, so check before you shop.

Kosher salt and black pepper
All-purpose flour (½ cup, for the gravy)
Sugar (about 3½ cups, for the pies and cranberry sauce)
Light brown sugar (½ cup, for the sweet potatoes)
Olive or vegetable oil
Instant-read meat thermometer
Three 9×13-inch baking dishes
A large pot for the potatoes

The menu

Main: Roast turkey with pan gravy

Roasted unstuffed, so it cooks more evenly. The gravy is made from the pan drippings

Side: Bread stuffing with sage and celery

Baked in its own dish while the turkey rests

Side: Mashed potatoes

Made on the stove, so they don't need oven space

Side: Green bean casserole

Put it together the day before; add the fried onions as it bakes

Side: Sweet potato casserole

Also made the day before, with marshmallows or pecans on top

Side: Cranberry sauce from fresh berries

Ten minutes on the stove, two days ahead

Side: Dinner rolls

Store-bought; warm them while the turkey is carved

Dessert: Two pumpkin pies with whipped cream

Baked the day before; whip the cream just before serving

Your countdown

Times on the day are counted back from when you want to eat.

2 weeks beforeBuy a frozen turkey, or order a fresh one to pick up 1 or 2 days before. Buy everything that keeps: cans, broth, pie crusts (into the freezer), fried onions, marshmallows and cider. Ask guests about allergies and diets, and hand out jobs like drinks or a second dessert.
Sunday beforeMove the frozen turkey to the fridge, still wrapped, on a tray to catch drips. A 12 to 16 lb bird needs about 3 to 4 days to thaw.
TuesdayShop for produce, dairy, rolls and bread. Cut the bread into cubes and leave them out to dry for the stuffing. Make the cranberry sauce and refrigerate it.
WednesdayBake the pies. Chop the onions, celery and herbs. Put together the green bean and sweet potato casseroles (toppings off), cover and refrigerate. Check the turkey has no ice inside and take out the neck and giblets.
5 hours beforeHeat the oven to 325°F. Rub the turkey with butter, salt and pepper and roast it. A 12 to 14 lb bird takes about 3 to 3¾ hours; 14 to 16 lb takes about 3¾ to 4¼ hours.
1½ hours beforeTake the casseroles out of the fridge. Mix the stuffing. Peel the potatoes and start them boiling.
At 165°FMove the turkey to a board, cover it loosely with foil and let it rest. Turn the oven up to 350°F and bake the stuffing and both casseroles (onions and marshmallows on for the last 10 minutes). Make the gravy from the drippings, flour and broth, and mash the potatoes.
ServeWarm the rolls while someone carves. Whip the cream for the pies just before dessert.

Tips for Thanksgiving dinner

Buy about 1 pound of turkey per guest

That's Butterball's rule of thumb, and it's the weight of the whole bird, bones and all.¹ For 8 guests a 10 to 12 lb turkey is plenty; for 12, or if you want leftovers, buy 14 to 16 lb.

Thaw in the fridge, and start sooner than you think

Allow about 24 hours in the fridge for every 4 to 5 pounds.² Short on time? Thaw it in its wrapper in cold water, changing the water every 30 minutes; that takes about 30 minutes per pound, and the turkey has to be cooked right after.

Bake the stuffing in a dish, not the bird

USDA recommends cooking stuffing in a casserole dish for more even cooking. If you do stuff the turkey, the center of the stuffing has to reach 165°F too.²

Trust the thermometer, not the clock

The turkey is done at 165°F, checked in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh and wing.³ Roasting times are only estimates, and a pop-up timer isn't a substitute. Let it stand 20 minutes before carving.²

Plan the oven, not just the menu

The turkey has the oven for most of the day, so the sides wait until it comes out. It needs to rest at least 20 minutes anyway, and under foil it stays warm while the casseroles and stuffing bake. Mashed potatoes and gravy are made on the stove, and a slow cooker on Warm keeps the potatoes hot.

Shop early in the week

Stores are at their busiest the last two days before Thanksgiving, and the holiday basics can sell out. Many stores close early or don't open on Thanksgiving Day, so check your store's hours.

Ask about diets before you shop

For vegetarian guests, make the stuffing with vegetable broth and keep some aside before the gravy goes on. For gluten-free guests, the stuffing bread, gravy flour, fried onions and cream of mushroom soup usually contain wheat, so read labels or use the swaps on our gluten-free list.

Get the leftovers into the fridge within 2 hours

Throw out anything left out longer than that. Turkey, stuffing and potatoes keep 3 to 4 days in the fridge, or freeze them.⁴ Reheat leftovers to 165°F.³

Help is a phone call away

The Butterball Turkey Talk-Line (1-800-288-8372) answers turkey questions from early November to Christmas Eve.⁵ USDA's Meat and Poultry Hotline (1-888-674-6854) answers food safety questions.⁴

Make it your own list

We'll fill in this dinner's list in our free list builder. Remove what a guest is bringing, add a recipe URL for your family's own stuffing or pie, and get one list sorted by store section.

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Sources

Butterball, How to Choose a Turkey, about 1 pound of turkey per person.
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Let's Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey, thawing times, roasting times at 325°F, stuffing, and standing time before carving.
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart, poultry 165°F; leftovers reheated to 165°F.
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Leftovers and Food Safety, refrigerate within 2 hours, use within 3 to 4 days; Meat and Poultry Hotline.
Butterball, Contact Us, Turkey Talk-Line, November to December 24; hours vary by day.