Thanksgiving Dinner Calories: Every Dish on the Plate, by USDA Numbers
A classic Thanksgiving plate is about 1,768 calories by USDA data, from 616 for a light plate to 4,071 with seconds and two pies. Every dish counted.
A classic Thanksgiving plate, with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, sides, a roll, and a slice of pumpkin pie, comes to about 1,768 calories and 77g of protein by USDA FoodData Central numbers. A lighter plate is about 616. Seconds plus two pies is about 4,071. The turkey is not the problem: stuffing, butter, and pie decide the total.
Every dish, by USDA numbers
Base foods come from USDA's SR Legacy database. The prepared dishes marked with an asterisk come from FNDDS, the USDA survey database, where each entry is a single "typical recipe" value: one standard version of the dish, not your family's. Portions are USDA's own weights, and each value is the per-100g figure times that weight.
| Dish | Portion | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey, light meat, no skin | 3 oz (85g) | 125 | 25.6g |
| Turkey, light meat, with skin | 3 oz (85g) | 150 | 25.2g |
| Turkey, dark meat, no skin | 3 oz (85g) | 147 | 23.5g |
| Turkey, dark meat, with skin | 3 oz (85g) | 175 | 23.2g |
| Roasted turkey skin on its own | 1 oz (28g) | 129 | 6.7g |
| Mashed potatoes, whole milk and butter | 1 cup (210g) | 237 | 3.9g |
| Turkey gravy, canned | 1/2 cup (119g) | 61 | 3.1g |
| Bread stuffing* | 1 cup (200g) | 354 | 6.3g |
| Cornbread stuffing* | 1 cup (200g) | 358 | 5.8g |
| Green bean casserole* | 1 cup (230g) | 129 | 4.5g |
| Sweet potato casserole* | 1 cup (250g) | 248 | 4.7g |
| Candied sweet potatoes* | 1 cup (250g) | 468 | 3.0g |
| Sweet potato, baked, plain | 1 medium (114g) | 103 | 2.3g |
| Macaroni and cheese* | 1 cup (230g) | 513 | 20.0g |
| Cranberry sauce, canned | 1 slice (57g) | 91 | 0.5g |
| Dinner roll | 1 roll (28g) | 87 | 3.1g |
| Butter | 1 pat (5g) | 36 | 0.0g |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14.2g) | 102 | 0.1g |
| Pumpkin pie* | 1 regular slice (150g) | 374 | 7.1g |
| Apple pie* | 1 regular slice (150g) | 444 | 4.0g |
| Pecan pie* | 1 regular slice (150g) | 674 | 9.0g |
| Whipped cream, pressurized | 2 tbsp (6g) | 15 | 0.2g |
A USDA "regular slice" of pie weighs 150 grams, exactly one eighth of the 1,200 gram weight USDA gives an 8 to 9 inch pie. Cut it in six and every slice is bigger.
What the typical recipes contain matters. USDA's bread stuffing is a dry stuffing mix made with margarine and water. Its green bean casserole is green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and milk, with no fried onion topping listed. Its sweet potato casserole is sweet potato, half and half, and a little sugar, with no marshmallows or pecan crumble. If your version has those toppings, it is higher than the table, and the candied sweet potato row (sugar and fat added) is a better guide.
A typical plate, three ways
The light plate. White meat, no skin, small scoops, one small slice of pie.
| Item | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey, light meat, no skin, 3 oz | 125 | 25.6g |
| Mashed potatoes, 1/2 cup | 119 | 2.0g |
| Gravy, 1/4 cup | 30 | 1.5g |
| Green bean casserole, 1/2 cup | 64 | 2.3g |
| Cranberry sauce, 1 slice | 91 | 0.5g |
| Pumpkin pie, mini slice (75g) | 187 | 3.6g |
| Total | 616 | 35.5g |
The classic plate. Light and dark meat with skin, a full scoop of the starches, a roll with butter, and a regular slice of pie.
| Item | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey, light meat, with skin, 3 oz | 150 | 25.2g |
| Turkey, dark meat, with skin, 3 oz | 175 | 23.2g |
| Mashed potatoes, 1 cup | 237 | 3.9g |
| Gravy, 1/2 cup | 61 | 3.1g |
| Bread stuffing, 1 cup | 354 | 6.3g |
| Green bean casserole, 1/2 cup | 64 | 2.3g |
| Sweet potato casserole, 1/2 cup | 124 | 2.4g |
| Cranberry sauce, 1 slice | 91 | 0.5g |
| Dinner roll | 87 | 3.1g |
| Butter, 1 pat | 36 | 0.0g |
| Pumpkin pie, regular slice | 374 | 7.1g |
| Whipped cream, 2 tbsp | 15 | 0.2g |
| Total | 1,768 | 77.3g |
Seconds and two pies. The classic plate, then a second round of the main course, mac and cheese, and both pumpkin and pecan pie.
| Item | Calories | Protein |
|---|---|---|
| Turkey, light meat, with skin, 6 oz | 301 | 50.3g |
| Turkey, dark meat, with skin, 6 oz | 350 | 46.4g |
| Mashed potatoes, 1 cup x 2 | 474 | 7.8g |
| Gravy, 1/2 cup x 2 | 122 | 6.2g |
| Bread stuffing, 1 cup x 2 | 708 | 12.6g |
| Macaroni and cheese, 1 cup | 513 | 20.0g |
| Green bean casserole, 1/2 cup | 64 | 2.3g |
| Sweet potato casserole, 1/2 cup | 124 | 2.4g |
| Cranberry sauce, 1 slice | 91 | 0.5g |
| Dinner roll x 2 | 174 | 6.2g |
| Butter, 1 pat x 2 | 72 | 0.0g |
| Pumpkin pie, regular slice | 374 | 7.1g |
| Pecan pie, regular slice | 674 | 9.0g |
| Whipped cream, 2 tbsp x 2 | 30 | 0.4g |
| Total | 4,071 | 171.2g |
The jump from light to classic is 1,152 calories, and from classic to seconds another 2,303. Notice where it comes from: the turkey rows barely move the total, while stuffing, mac and cheese, and pecan pie carry it.
The biggest swings on the plate
Pie choice is the largest single decision. A regular slice of pecan pie is 674 calories, 300 more than the same size slice of pumpkin at 374. Apple sits between at 444. Slice size matters as much as flavor: a mini pumpkin slice is 187, and a regular slice of pecan is 487 more than that.
Butter is the quiet one. A pat is 36, a tablespoon is 102, and it is already inside the mashed potatoes, the stuffing, and the pie crust before anyone reaches for the butter dish. A roll with two pats is 159, almost double the roll alone at 87.
Gravy is cheaper than its reputation. USDA's canned turkey gravy is 61 calories per half cup, less than a single dinner roll. That figure is for canned or bottled style. A pan gravy built from drippings and butter will run higher, so say so when you log it.
Dark meat and skin matter less than people think, per serving. Dark meat without skin is 22 calories more per 3 ounces than white meat without skin. Keeping the skin that comes with a normal slice adds about 25 to 28. The real jump is eating extra skin on its own: roasted skin is 129 calories per ounce, mostly fat. Six ounces of dark meat with skin against six of white meat without is a 100-calorie gap. Pie is a bigger lever.
Candied sweet potatoes double the casserole. Half a cup of USDA's sweet potato casserole is 124. The same half cup candied is 234. Add marshmallows and the gap grows. The vegetable underneath is a medium baked sweet potato at 103, covered in our potato guide.
Leftovers
Leftover turkey is one of the best lunches of the year. Three ounces of white meat without skin is 125 calories with 25.6 grams of protein, about as lean as chicken breast. A leftover slider of two dinner rolls, 3 ounces of white meat, and a slice of cranberry sauce is 390 calories with 32 grams of protein.
The trap is the leftover plate that quietly repeats the classic dinner at 1,768, and the leftover pie eaten straight from the tin across three days. Pie slices do not get smaller in the fridge. Log the slice the same way you logged it on Thursday, and the week stays honest. Bread-based leftovers have more numbers in our bread guide, and the cheese behind mac and cheese is in Calories in Cheese.
Drinks
Drinks add up because nobody counts the refills. By NIAAA's official figures, a 5 oz glass of red wine is 125 calories, white wine 121, a 12 oz regular beer 153, and a light beer 103. Two glasses of red with the classic plate is 250 more, which takes it to 2,018. Pours at a holiday table are rarely a measured 5 ounces, so count glasses and round up. The full list is in How to Track Alcohol Calories.
One day does not decide much. The week does.
Thanksgiving is one dinner. If your target is 2,000 calories, the seconds-and-two-pies plate alone is 2,071 over it. Spread across a week, that is about 296 a day. Real, but not a disaster. The classic plate is 1,768, which leaves 232 calories of a 2,000 target for the rest of the day.
So enjoy the meal, log it honestly, and look at the week instead of the day. Skipping the log because the number feels embarrassing is the one move that actually costs you, because the week then looks better than it was. If you want the math behind your own target, TDEE Explained covers it.
How to log a Thanksgiving plate in Nouri
A holiday plate is a good case for a photo, as long as the food is clearly laid out: turkey in one spot, the scoops separate, not one gravy-covered pile. Snap it and Nouri turns the picture into a sentence first, something like "turkey with skin, mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, cranberry sauce, a roll." That sentence is your chance to fix it before anything is counted: "two scoops of stuffing," "pan gravy made with butter," "dark meat."
The reason that step exists is the part the camera cannot see. When I tested AI photo trackers against what the ingredients actually added up to, the photo numbers came in low, because a camera cannot see the oil in the pan or the portion under the garnish. At Thanksgiving that hidden part is the butter folded into the mashed potatoes and the stuffing. The sentence lets you name it.
If the plate is a heap, say it instead. Type it like a note, use voice, or say "Hey Siri, track food in Nouri" from the lock screen and describe the plate in one sentence. You get a calories and macros card right away, with what you have left for the day. Every item comes with its reasoning, so you can add "large slice" to the pie and recalculate. All four ways are equal, and text and voice are the most precise when you know exactly what you ate. More on that in Text vs Voice vs Photo Calorie Tracking.
Then the week does the talking. On Sunday evening, with four or more logged days, the Nouri Report shows your average calories and macros against your targets, days on target judged by your goal, your wins and slips, and one clear focus for the next week. Thursday becomes one day inside that average, which is the honest way to see it. Most calorie apps give you numbers. Nouri gives you answers. Nouri is iPhone (iOS only), and you can try it free.
FAQ
How many calories in a Thanksgiving dinner?
A classic plate with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, two sides, cranberry sauce, a buttered roll, and a slice of pumpkin pie is about 1,768 calories by USDA numbers. A light plate is about 616. Seconds with pumpkin and pecan pie reaches about 4,071.
How many calories in turkey with skin?
Three ounces of roasted light meat with skin is 150 calories, and dark meat with skin is 175, by USDA. Without skin, the same portions are 125 and 147. Roasted skin on its own is 129 calories per ounce.
Is white or dark turkey meat lower in calories?
White meat is lower, but only a little: 125 against 147 calories per 3 ounces without skin. Both carry 23 to 26 grams of protein per serving, so either is a lean choice.
How many calories in a slice of pumpkin pie?
A regular slice of pumpkin pie, which USDA weighs at 150 grams or one eighth of a 9 inch pie, is 374 calories with 7.1 grams of protein. A mini slice is 187, and a large slice (250g) is 622. Whipped cream adds about 15 per 2 tablespoons from a can.
How many calories in pecan pie?
A regular 150 gram slice of pecan pie is 674 calories by USDA's typical recipe value, the highest on the table. That is 300 more than the same slice of pumpkin pie. Apple pie lands between them at 444.
How many calories in stuffing?
One cup of bread stuffing is 354 calories, and cornbread stuffing is 358, by USDA's typical recipe values. Half a cup is about 177. Recipes with sausage or extra butter run higher.
How many calories in mashed potatoes and gravy?
A cup of mashed potatoes made with whole milk and butter is 237 calories, and half a cup of canned turkey gravy adds 61, so about 298 together. Pan gravy made with drippings and butter is higher than the canned figure.
How many calories in green bean casserole?
One cup is 129 calories by USDA's typical recipe, which is green beans, cream of mushroom soup, and milk. That recipe lists no fried onion topping, so a version with onions on top will be higher.
How much protein is in a Thanksgiving dinner?
The classic plate has about 77 grams, most of it from 6 ounces of turkey. The light plate has about 36 grams, and the seconds plate about 171. Turkey and mac and cheese are the only dishes with real protein; the other sides mostly carry starch and fat.
Will one Thanksgiving dinner ruin my diet?
No. Even the 4,071-calorie seconds plate is 2,071 over a 2,000 target, which works out to about 296 a day across a week. What matters is that you log it and get back to normal meals the next day.
How many calories in a glass of wine at Thanksgiving?
A 5 oz glass of red wine is 125 calories and white is 121, by NIAAA figures. A 12 oz regular beer is 153 and a light beer is 103. Holiday pours often run bigger than 5 ounces, so count glasses and round up.
What is the easiest way to track Thanksgiving dinner calories?
Snap a photo of a clearly laid-out plate in Nouri and fix the sentence it writes, or just say what you ate: "turkey with skin, a cup of stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy, pecan pie." You get calories and macros item by item, and Sunday's Nouri Report puts the holiday inside your weekly average.
Pie and stuffing decide the night, and the week decides the result. Log the plate in Nouri in one sentence, check How to Track Calories Without Weighing Food for eyeballing scoops, and when December comes, Christmas Dinner Calories has the next holiday plate.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy (checked October 3, 2026):
- Turkey, whole, light meat, meat and skin, cooked, roasted (FDC 171089): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171089/nutrients
- Turkey, all classes, light meat, cooked, roasted (FDC 171491): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171491/nutrients
- Turkey, whole, dark meat, meat and skin, cooked, roasted (FDC 171489): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171489/nutrients
- Turkey, whole, dark meat, cooked, roasted (FDC 171091): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171091/nutrients
- Turkey, whole, skin (light and dark), roasted (FDC 171082): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171082/nutrients
- Potatoes, mashed, home-prepared, whole milk and butter added (FDC 168555): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/168555/nutrients
- Gravy, turkey, canned, ready-to-serve (FDC 171568): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/171568/nutrients
- Sweet potato, cooked, baked in skin, flesh, without salt (FDC 168483): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/168483/nutrients
- Cranberry sauce, canned, sweetened (FDC 173961): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/173961/nutrients
- Rolls, dinner, plain, commercially prepared (FDC 172793): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/172793/nutrients
- Butter, salted (FDC 173410): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/173410/nutrients
- Cream, whipped, cream topping, pressurized (FDC 170860): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/170860/nutrients
- USDA FoodData Central, FNDDS (Survey) typical recipe values (checked October 3, 2026):
- Bread stuffing (FDC 2707687): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2707687/nutrients
- Cornbread stuffing (FDC 2707812): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2707812/nutrients
- Green bean casserole (FDC 2710040): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2710040/nutrients
- Sweet potato, casserole or mashed (FDC 2709708): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2709708/nutrients
- Sweet potato, candied (FDC 2709704): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2709704/nutrients
- Macaroni or noodles with cheese (FDC 2708811): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2708811/nutrients
- Pie, pumpkin (FDC 2708011): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2708011/nutrients
- Pie, apple (FDC 2707995): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2707995/nutrients
- Pie, pecan (FDC 2708015): https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/food-details/2708015/nutrients
- Portion weights are USDA's own household measures; half and quarter cups are halves and quarters of USDA's cup weight. Per-portion values are USDA per-100g figures times those weights, rounded to whole calories and 0.1g protein; plate totals are sums of the rounded rows.
- Drink calories: NIAAA Rethinking Drinking, Alcohol Calorie Calculator (checked October 3, 2026)
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