Thanksgiving template
Thanksgiving Potluck Template & Sign-Up Sheet
The classic Thanksgiving arrangement — host anchors the turkey, everyone else carries a lane, and the pies arrive in three different flavors instead of four pumpkins.
Typical size
10–24 family and friends
How much food
Plan 1¼–1½ lbs of bone-in turkey per person, one side per 6–8 guests across four or five sides, and one pie per four people — capped, and assigned by flavor. Run the numbers.
The sign-up sheet
A balanced starting point — adjust to taste, then let guests claim what they'll bring from one link.
The turkey (host's lane)
- Roast turkey + gravy — stays with the host and the oven
- A vegetarian centerpiece alongside, if the table needs one
Classic sides
- Stuffing or dressing
- Mashed potatoes (slow cookers travel well)
- Green bean casserole or roasted vegetables
- Mac and cheese
- Sweet potatoes
Cranberry & bread
- Cranberry sauce — cold, zero oven demands
- Dinner rolls + butter
- Cornbread
Something fresh
- A green salad
- A citrus or apple salad
- Pickles and olives for the table
Pies (assign by flavor!)
- Pumpkin pie
- Apple pie
- Pecan pie
- Whipped cream — its own slot, always forgotten
Drinks & essentials
- Wine, cider, and something sparkling
- Coffee for after
- Ice
- To-go containers — leftovers are half the point
Tips for a smooth thanksgiving
- Everything guests bring should arrive ready — the host's oven belongs to the turkey until mid-afternoon.
- Reheat sides while the turkey rests (30–45 minutes — that's the window).
- Assign pies by flavor as separate slots, or you'll get four pumpkins.
- Ask 'needs oven time?' on the sign-up so the day sequences itself.
Further reading: Thanksgiving Potluck Sign-Up Sheet: Who Brings What
Turn this into a real sign-up.
Share one link, let guests claim a dish, and skip the duplicate casseroles. Your first gathering's free.