Free Thanksgiving planner

Thanksgiving grocery list, sorted by aisle

Twelve classic dishes, from the roast turkey to the pumpkin pie. Untick what you are not making and set how many are coming: every ingredient is added up into one shopping list, in the order you walk the store.

Thanksgiving is Thursday, November 26, 2026

After Thursday

Plan the rest of the week and share the list with your household

Gustamo is the free app behind this list. Save recipes from a link, a photo or a screenshot, put them on the days of the week, and shop from one list everyone at home shares: a tick in the store shows up on every phone.

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Make ahead

What you can cook before Thursday

Each dish on this menu, on the earliest day you can start it.

Monday, October 26up to a month ahead
- Soft dinner rolls: bake and freeze them. On the day, warm them in a 350 °F oven for 10 minutes.
Thursday, November 19up to a week ahead
- Orange cranberry sauce: make it and keep it covered in the fridge.
November 20 to 251 to 6 days ahead, by the size of the bird
- Frozen turkey: move it to the fridge, about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb. The turkey card gives the day for yours.
Tuesday, November 24up to 2 days ahead
- Pumpkin pie: bake it, let it cool and keep it covered in the fridge.
- Creamy mashed potatoes: make them and keep them in the fridge.
- Turkey gravy: make it with broth only and keep it in the fridge.
- Herb bread stuffing: dry the bread cubes and keep them in a bag at room temperature.
- Wild rice stuffed acorn squash: make the filling and keep it in the fridge.
- Maple balsamic Brussels sprouts: trim and halve the sprouts and keep them in the fridge.
Wednesday, November 25up to 1 day ahead
- Baked mac and cheese: assemble it without the panko and keep it in the fridge.
- Sweet potato casserole with pecan crumble: assemble it without the topping and keep it in the fridge.
- Green beans with toasted almonds: boil and chill the beans.
Thursday, November 26Thanksgiving
- Turkey: roast it to 165 °F and let it rest 20 minutes before carving. Keep the pan juices.
- Gravy: bring it to a boil and whisk in the pan juices.
- Stuffing: bake it in its own dish, to 165 °F in the center.
- Mac and cheese: add the panko and bake it for 35 to 40 minutes, until 165 °F in the center.
- Sweet potato casserole: add the topping and bake it, allowing 10 to 15 minutes more.
- Mashed potatoes: reheat them covered in a 350 °F oven, with a splash of milk, until 165 °F in the center.
- Green beans: finish them in the pan just before serving.
- Acorn squash: roast the squash and fill it.

Temperatures from the USDA Safe Minimum Internal Temperature Chart (updated April 14, 2025, read November 2, 2026).

Turkey times

How big a turkey, and how long to thaw and roast it

Turkey size by guests

Guests	Turkey
4	4 lb bone-in breast
6	6 lb bone-in breast
8	8 lb whole turkey
10	10 lb whole turkey
12	12 lb whole turkey
14	14 lb whole turkey
16	16 lb whole turkey
18	18 lb whole turkey
20	20 lb whole turkey
24	24 lb whole turkey
30	2 whole turkeys of about 15 lb

1 pound per person, the USDA rule of thumb. Buy bigger for leftovers.

Thawing a frozen turkey

Weight	In the fridge	In cold water
4 to 12 lb	1 to 3 days	2 to 6 hours
12 to 16 lb	3 to 4 days	6 to 8 hours
16 to 20 lb	4 to 5 days	8 to 10 hours
20 to 24 lb	5 to 6 days	10 to 12 hours

In the fridge at 40 °F or below, about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb. In cold water, change the water every 30 minutes and cook the turkey right away.

Roasting at 325 °F, unstuffed

Weight	Time
4 to 8 lb (breast)	1½ to 3¼ hours
8 to 12 lb	2¾ to 3 hours
12 to 14 lb	3 to 3¾ hours
14 to 18 lb	3¾ to 4¼ hours
18 to 20 lb	4¼ to 4½ hours
20 to 24 lb	4½ to 5 hours

The times are approximate. Let the turkey stand 20 minutes before carving.

When it is safe

165 °F (74 °C) on a food thermometer, in the thickest part of the breast and the innermost part of the thigh and wing.
The USDA does not recommend stuffing the bird. Bake the stuffing in its own dish, to 165 °F in the center.
Leftovers: put the turkey, stuffing and gravy in the fridge within 2 hours (1 hour above 90 °F) and eat them within 3 to 4 days.

Source: USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service, Let's Talk Turkey: A Consumer Guide to Safely Roasting a Turkey, updated November 17, 2023, read November 2, 2026.

The menu

What goes into each dish

Ingredients for 8, the amounts the list starts from.

Herb butter roast turkey

Serves 8 · 4 h 25 min

1 whole turkey, thawed, at least 8 lb (1 lb per guest)
8 tbsp butter, softened
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
1 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 lemon, halved
1 yellow onion, quartered
1 head garlic, halved crosswise
2 cups chicken broth

Make ahead: A frozen turkey thaws in the fridge in about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb: start 3 to 4 days ahead for a 12 to 16 lb bird.

Turkey gravy

Serves 8 · 20 min

4 cups chicken broth
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 sprig fresh thyme
Salt and black pepper

Make ahead: Make it up to 2 days ahead with broth only and keep it in the fridge. On the day, bring it to a boil and whisk in the turkey pan juices.

Herb bread stuffing

Serves 8 · 1 h 20 min

1 lb sturdy white bread, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
8 tbsp butter, plus more for the dish
2 yellow onions, diced
4 celery stalks, diced
2 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
2 1/2 cups chicken broth
2 large eggs
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
Salt and black pepper

Make ahead: Dry the bread cubes up to 2 days ahead and keep them in a bag at room temperature.

Creamy mashed potatoes

Serves 8 · 40 min

4 lb Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
1 cup whole milk
8 tbsp butter
1/2 cup sour cream
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
Salt and black pepper

Make ahead: Make them up to 2 days ahead and keep them in the fridge. Reheat covered in a 350 °F oven, with a splash of milk, until hot in the center (165 °F).

Sweet potato casserole with pecan crumble

Serves 8 · 1 h 15 min

4 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch chunks
10 tbsp butter, melted, divided
3/4 cup brown sugar, divided
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup all-purpose flour

Make ahead: Assemble it up to 1 day ahead without the topping and keep it in the fridge. Add the topping and bake it on the day, allowing 10 to 15 minutes more.

Green beans with toasted almonds

Serves 8 · 25 min

2 lb green beans, trimmed
4 tbsp butter
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 shallot, finely chopped
1 lemon
Salt and black pepper

Make ahead: Boil and chill the beans up to 1 day ahead and keep them in the fridge; finish them in the pan just before serving.

Maple balsamic Brussels sprouts

Serves 8 · 35 min

2 lb Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp maple syrup
Salt and black pepper

Make ahead: Trim and halve the sprouts up to 2 days ahead and keep them in the fridge.

Baked mac and cheese

Serves 8 · 50 min

1 lb elbow macaroni
6 tbsp butter, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk
1 tsp mustard powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1 lb sharp cheddar, shredded
4 oz Gruyère, shredded
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
Salt and black pepper

Make ahead: Assemble it up to 1 day ahead without the panko and keep it in the fridge. Add the topping and bake it on the day for 35 to 40 minutes, until hot in the center (165 °F).

Orange cranberry sauce

Serves 8 · 20 min

1 bag fresh cranberries (12 oz)
3/4 cup sugar
1 orange
1/2 cup water
1 cinnamon stick

Make ahead: Make it up to 1 week ahead and keep it covered in the fridge.

Soft dinner rolls

Serves 8 · 2 h 30 min

1 cup whole milk
2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
3 tbsp sugar
6 tbsp butter, divided
1 large egg
1 tsp salt
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Make ahead: Bake them up to 1 month ahead and freeze them; warm them in a 350 °F oven for 10 minutes.

Wild rice stuffed acorn squash

Serves 8 · 1 h 15 min

4 acorn squash, halved and seeded
3 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 cup wild rice blend
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 celery stalks, finely chopped
8 oz cremini mushrooms, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme
1 can chickpeas (15 oz), drained and rinsed
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 tbsp maple syrup
Salt and black pepper

Make ahead: Make the filling up to 2 days ahead and keep it in the fridge; roast and fill the squash on the day.

Pumpkin pie

Serves 8 · 3 h 10 min

1 all-butter pie crust, refrigerated or frozen
1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz)
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 can evaporated milk (12 oz)
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp sugar

Make ahead: Bake it up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge once it has cooled.

Questions

About the Thanksgiving list

How big a turkey do I need?

Allow 1 pound of turkey per person, the USDA rule of thumb: a 12 lb bird for 12 guests, more if you want leftovers. For fewer than 8, a bone-in turkey breast of 4 to 8 lb is a good fit.

When should I start thawing the turkey?

In the fridge a frozen turkey needs about 24 hours for every 4 to 5 lb. A 12 to 16 lb bird takes 3 to 4 days, so move it on Sunday, November 22. Set your guests above and the turkey card gives the day for yours.

Can I change the dishes?

Yes. Untick a dish and its ingredients leave the list. An ingredient that several dishes share, like butter or celery, goes down to what the others still need.

Why is the butter in sticks?

Eight of the twelve dishes use butter, and a US store sells it in sticks of 8 tablespoons, four to a pound, so the list counts sticks. Switch to metric to see it by weight.

Can I print the list or put it on my phone?

Print gives you the menu, the list and the turkey card on one page. Copy puts the list on your clipboard, ready to paste into Notes, a text or an email.

Is my list saved?

No. The list is made in your browser, and nothing you pick is sent to us or stored. To keep a list on your phone and share it with your household, use the Gustamo app.

Looking for an everyday list? The weekly meal planner turns any recipes you paste into one list by aisle.