What You Need for a Thanksgiving Dinner

Use this Thanksgiving dinner shopping list to cover the food, serving pieces, table setup, and kitchen equipment that are easy to overlook. Plan the turkey by weight, then add ingredients for sides, dessert, cranberry sauce, and drinks. Check your plates, glasses, serving dishes, roasting pan, and carving tools before shopping. Buying non-perishables first and fresh groceries closer to dinner keeps the menu manageable and prevents last-minute gaps.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Dining tablesqty 3
Chairsqty 24
Buffet table
Coat racksqty 2

Tableware

Dinner platesqty 24
Deep platesqty 24
Dessert platesqty 24
Water glassesqty 30
Wine glassesqty 24
Coffee cupsqty 24
Dinner cutlery setsqty 24
Serving spoonsqty 8
Soup ladlesqty 4
Serving plattersqty 8
Sauce bowlsqty 3
Carafesqty 4

Kitchen

Roasting pansqty 2
Meat thermometer
Carving knivesqty 2
Cutting boardsqty 4
Measuring cupsqty 2
Mixing bowlsqty 5
Oven mittsqty 2
Kitchen scale
Aluminum foilqty 2

Decorations

Tableclothsqty 3
Cloth napkinsqty 24
Table runnersqty 3
Candle holdersqty 3
Vasesqty 3
Name card holdersqty 24

Lighting

Table lampsqty 3

Equipment

Coffee maker
Kettle
Coolersqty 2

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 3
Dish brushesqty 2
Reusable cleaning clothsqty 8

Catering

Groceries
- Turkey - 8 kilogram
- Vegetarian roast - 2 pieces
- White bread - 3 loaves
- Unsalted butter - 1 kilogram
- Onions - 2 kilograms
- Celery - 2 heads
- Winter carrots - 2 kilograms
- Garlic - 4 bulbs
- Floury potatoes - 5 kilograms
- Sweet potatoes - 3 kilograms
- Green beans - 2 kilograms
- Brussels sprouts - 2 kilogram
- Fresh cranberries - 1 kilogram
- Apples - 2 kilograms
- Lemons - 6 pieces
- Fresh sage - 3 bunches
- Fresh thyme - 3 bunches
- Fresh rosemary - 2 bunches
- Parsley - 3 bunches
- Chicken stock - 4 liters
- Vegetable broth - 2 liters
- Flour - 1 kilogram
- Granulated sugar - 1 kilogram
- Dark brown sugar - 500 gram
- Eggs - 24 pieces
- Whipped cream - 2 liters
- Whole milk - 4 liter
- Cream cheese - 500 grams
- Pumpkin puree - 2 kilograms
- Puff pastry - 4 rolls
- Walnuts - 500 gram
- Pecans - 500 grams
- Raisins - 300 grams
- Olive oil - 1 liter
- Sunflower oil - 1 liter
- Salt - 500 grams
- Black pepper - 100 grams
- Paprika powder - 100 grams
- Cinnamon - 100 gram
- Nutmeg - 1 jar
- Cloves - 1 jar
- Maple syrup - 500 milliliter
- Cranberry compote - 2 jars
- Mayonnaise - 1 jar
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Sandwich rolls - 30 pieces
- Mixed nuts - 1 kilogram
- Chips - 6 bags
- Olives - 3 jars
- Hummus - 1 kilogram
- Grapes - 2 kilogram
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 4 bottles
- Sparkling water - 8 bottles
- Still water - 8 bottles
- Apple juice - 4 liter
- Orange juice - 4 liters
- Red wine - 8 bottles
- White wine - 6 bottles
- Alcohol-free beer - 12 bottles
- Coffee - 500 grams
- Black tea - 1 box
- Herbal tea - 1 box
- Lemon tea - 1 box
- Honey - 1 jar
- Sugar cubes - 1 kilogram
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 30 pieces
- Sponges - 6 pieces
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Paper napkins - 100 pieces
- Garbage bags - 30 pieces
- Toilet paper - 12 rolls
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles

Tips

Allow about 1 to 1½ pounds of turkey per guest, including bone weight, and move a frozen turkey to the refrigerator several days ahead; a 15-pound turkey can need roughly 3 to 4 days to thaw safely.
Plan two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then about one drink per hour afterward. Chill drinks before guests arrive and include water in carafes so the kitchen is not handling every refill.
Count one dinner plate, one deep plate, one dessert plate, one water glass, and one full cutlery set per guest, plus at least 10% extra for breakage or unexpected guests.
Check the serving equipment before shopping: one large roasting pan, a meat thermometer, carving knives, cutting boards, serving platters, sauce bowls, serving spoons, and a soup ladle are easy to discover missing when the food is ready.
Buy shelf-stable ingredients and aluminum foil first, but leave fresh vegetables, herbs, dairy, and bread until one or two days before dinner. Keep dessert and cranberry sauce on the early-preparation list so oven space is available for the turkey and sides.

Frequently asked questions

How much turkey do I need per person for Thanksgiving dinner?: Buy 1 to 1½ pounds of whole turkey per person. For 10 guests, that means a turkey weighing about 10 to 15 pounds; choose the higher amount if you want leftovers.
How many plates and glasses do I need for Thanksgiving dinner?: Plan one dinner plate, one deep plate, one dessert plate, one water glass, and one wine glass per guest. Add two or three extra place settings, or roughly 10%, so a group of 20 needs 22 to 23 of each main item.
When should I buy groceries for Thanksgiving dinner?: Buy non-perishable ingredients and drinks up to two weeks ahead. Buy fresh vegetables, herbs, dairy, and bread one or two days before dinner, and thaw a frozen turkey in the refrigerator for about 24 hours per 4 to 5 pounds.
What kitchen equipment do I need to cook a Thanksgiving turkey?: You need a roasting pan large enough for the turkey, a meat thermometer, oven mitts, aluminum foil, a cutting board, and a carving knife. Check these at least one week before dinner, especially if you do not roast a turkey regularly.

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