Thanksgiving Timeline Planner

What it does

Tell it when you want to sit down, how big the turkey is and which sides you are making. It works backward and gives you clock times for Thursday, plus what to do on Wednesday and the night before. Roasting times are a rough guide (about 13 minutes per pound unstuffed, 15 stuffed, at 325°F). Ovens and birds vary, so use the plan to organize your day, and use a thermometer to decide when the turkey is done. Nothing you enter leaves this device.

The one test that matters

Time per pound only tells you when to start checking. The turkey is safe when a food thermometer reads 165°F in the thickest part of the thigh, and also in the center of the stuffing if the bird is stuffed. Check in more than one spot, away from the bone. This temperature comes from USDA food-safety guidance.

Please note: this is a planning aid, not a guarantee. If anyone at your table has a health condition or allergy, check the food and the guidance that applies to them.