# Thanksgiving cooking timeline

Enter your turkey’s weight, your sides and when you want to eat, and you’ll get a Thanksgiving Day schedule: when the turkey goes in, when the casseroles go in, and what you can make ahead.

Source: https://feastflow.co.uk/thanksgiving-cooking-timeline (FeastFlow free cooking-time guides). Last checked 9 November 2026. The page has a calculator that works out the time for any weight and serving time.

## Thanksgiving prep timeline for the week

| When | What to do |
| --- | --- |
| The weekend before | Move a frozen turkey to the fridge: a day for every 4–5 lb (see the [thawing calculator](https://feastflow.co.uk/turkey-thawing-time)). Shop for everything that keeps. |
| Tuesday | Make the cranberry sauce and pie dough. Shop for fresh produce. |
| Wednesday | Bake the pies. Make the stuffing and casseroles, unbaked, and keep them in the fridge. Peel the potatoes and keep them in cold water. |
| Thursday morning | Take the turkey out of the fridge an hour before it goes in. |
| While the turkey rests | Bake the casseroles and stuffing, make the gravy, mash the potatoes and warm the rolls. |

## The turkey rest is your oven time

A 14 lb turkey roasts at 325°F for 3 to 3¾ hours. Once it’s out, it rests under foil for 30–45 minutes, and that’s when the oven is free for the stuffing, green bean casserole and sweet potato casserole at 350–425°F.

## Questions

### What time should I put the turkey in for Thanksgiving?

For a 14 lb turkey and dinner at 4pm, it goes in at about 11:15am. Use the planner above with your turkey’s weight.

### How long does a 20 lb turkey take?

At 325°F, 4 h 15 min to 4 h 30 min unstuffed.

### How much turkey per person?

Allow about 1½ lb per person for a whole turkey, so there’s some for leftovers.

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Times are a guide: ovens and joints vary. Always check meat with a thermometer before serving. FeastFlow’s times come from British Turkey, AHDB and USDA guidance.

FeastFlow also plans a whole meal backwards from serving time, with every dish timed and oven temperatures that don’t clash: https://feastflow.co.uk/