Friendsgiving: who brings what for 6, 10, 15, 20 or 30 guests

One number comes from a source. The USDA and university extension services say to plan 1 pound of whole turkey per person, and 1.5 pounds per person if you want plenty of leftovers. Every turkey weight below is your headcount times one of those two numbers.

Everything else is a planning choice, and we say so. No federal or university source we could find gives per-person amounts for sides, pie or drinks, so we do not invent them. We give a number of dishes instead, and we size each dish with the University of Minnesota Extension yield rule: a dish that yields 50 one-cup servings feeds 50 people if each takes one serving.

So the last column reads "serves at least [headcount]" when you want everyone to try everything. Dish counts grow slower than headcount, because every guest takes a little of each dish. If you assign more dishes, each can be smaller.

Six guests need one turkey and four sides. At 1 pound per person that is a 6 pound bird, or 9 pounds with leftovers. The host takes the turkey, and each of the other five takes one slot.

Ten guests need a 10 pound bird (15 pounds with leftovers) and five sides. This is the size where the second dessert and second starter start to matter, because a single pie is gone before the last person reaches it.

Fifteen guests need 15 pounds of turkey (22.5 pounds with leftovers) and six sides. Ask the host to take the turkey and the gravy, and let guests claim the rest. Fifteen is also the size where someone should own the vegetarian main, so name it on the list.

Twenty guests need 20 pounds of turkey (30 pounds with leftovers). That is a lot for one bird, so ask two people to roast one each and say so on the list. Plan eight sides, because at this size the list is the only thing keeping you from three green bean casseroles.

Thirty guests need 30 pounds of turkey (45 pounds with leftovers), which means two or three birds in more than one kitchen. At this size, split the work by role: a few people roast, a few people bring sides, and one person owns the drinks.

The five tables above are the template. Pick the one closest to your headcount, copy its slots into a new sign-up page, and keep the numbers. A Friendsgiving potluck list is just that: slots with a number on each, so a full slot closes.

There is no file to download. The sign-up page has no printable sheet, PDF or spreadsheet export, so the template is the table on this page.

Assign the turkey before you open the list, since everything else depends on it. After that, open the biggest and hardest slots to the most reliable friends: the vegetarian main, the gravy, the stuffing.

Leave starters, rolls and drinks for the friends who say "I can not cook". They are the easiest to buy, and they are the slots that fill in the last two days.

Put a number next to anything your group buys in units. A slot that says "pie, 4" fills and then closes. A slot that says "dessert" never does.

Yes. Whoever adds an item can attach an optional note or a link, and a guest taking an item can add their own note, such as "Gluten free" or a link to the recipe. That helps a friend decide whether a side covers their own diet.

Be clear about the limits. It is free text, not a dietary form, and a guest cannot edit their note once it is saved. The organizer can still fix or remove any sign-up from the admin link.

Scale the numbers instead of the structure. If you have 12 guests, use the 10 table, add one dessert and a 12 pound bird. If you have 25, use the 20 table and add two sides.

The how much food for a potluck page covers the sourced numbers and the rule for how long a dish can sit out. The hosting timeline counts back from the date.