Christmas Dinner Calculator
Enter your numbers for the turkey size and every trimming, then plan the timings in the Meal Synchroniser.
Answer
A 9.02kg turkey, 2.3kg of potatoes and 1.2 litres of gravy
Your shopping list
The trimmings
Getting it all out at once
This is the hard part of Christmas dinner, and it is exactly what the planner is for. Work out each dish, add it to My Meal, then let the Meal Synchroniser build you a timetable working back from when you want to sit down.
Next step
Worth knowing
- Every number here comes from the same rules as the individual calculators, so the turkey, gravy and stuffing figures will always agree with them.
- Oven space, not quantities, is what goes wrong on Christmas Day. Work out what can be done ahead or cooked on the hob.
- Order the turkey by the weight above, and remember it needs fridge space and defrosting time if it is frozen.
- Use the Meal Synchroniser to turn these dishes into a timetable working back from when you want to eat.
Source: Standard UK catering and home-cooking portion guidance · Reviewed 2026-09-10 · Guidance version 1.0.0
Reference and detail
Buy for leftovers on purpose
Cold turkey, sandwiches and Boxing Day pie are half the point. The leftovers figure adds roughly another meal's worth rather than leaving you with a fridge full of it.
Everything here uses the same rules as the individual calculators
The turkey size, portions, gravy, stuffing and Yorkshire numbers come from the same shared logic as those tools, so you get the same answer whichever way you arrive at it.
Timing is the hard part, not quantity
One oven and eight dishes is the real Christmas problem. Add each dish to My Meal and let the Meal Synchroniser work backwards from when you want to sit down, treating the oven as the shared space it actually is.
Questions and answers
Questions about Christmas dinner quantities
How much turkey do I need for Christmas dinner, including leftovers?
Enter your guest numbers and whether you want leftovers above for a precise weight. Turkeys are sold in fixed sizes, so the calculator rounds up to the nearest one that covers everyone plus any leftovers you want.
How much of each side dish do I need at Christmas?
Enter your numbers above for stuffing, potatoes, vegetables and trimmings quantities. Christmas dinner has more dishes on the plate than a normal roast, so each individual side is a smaller portion than it would be on its own.
How do children change Christmas dinner quantities?
Children generally eat noticeably less turkey and fewer trimmings than adults, so count them at roughly half an adult portion rather than a full one across the board.
Should I cook extra for Christmas dinner?
A little extra is sensible, particularly of the sides, Christmas dinner is meant to feel generous, and extra vegetables, stuffing and potatoes are easy to use up afterwards.
Is my turkey cooked through?
Poultry must be cooked all the way through. Check the thickest part of the meat is steaming hot, the juices run clear and there is no pink meat.
Food safety
Poultry must be cooked all the way through. Cut into the thickest part and check it is steaming hot, the juices run clear and there is no pink meat. With a food thermometer, the middle should reach 70°C for two minutes, or an equivalent combination such as 75°C for 30 seconds.
Source: Food Standards Agency, Cooking your food: cooking poultry and pork (GOV.UK) · Reviewed 2026-09-11 · Guidance version 2.0.0
How do I get the turkey and all the sides ready at the same time?
Work backwards from your serving time, resting the turkey while the sides finish, and stagger the oven and hob so nothing needs the oven at the same moment as something else.
Guidance
Read the full guide
- How to Cook a Turkey for ChristmasA full Christmas turkey plan: what size to buy, how many days it needs to defrost, when to put it in, and how to keep the rest of the dinner moving around it.