Holiday Planning with the Thanksgiving Calculator

(Some practical fun for the holidays...) As many people know - especially those who invite themselves - my house is the place to be for Thanksgiving. Over the last ten years, my smallest turkey day seated 10 around the table; the largest, 45 people ensconced somewhere in the house with a full plate. All of those overworked entrepreneurs that you know? They probably end up at my place.

For this year's feast (serving 18, so far as I know), I thought it would be fun to set up a Thanksgiving Calculator. Every year, cooks end up doing the same Turkey Math. (And well, I had just finished running IRR calculations for a new investment and I was feeling an Excel groove.) For the purposes of Turkey Math, I've used my own recipes, but the calculator should support your own traditional recipes. It is incompatible with lemon essence-infused cranberry sauce or other specialty fare, though probably you could just add specialty ingredients to the basics on this planner. Here's the supported menu:

• Roast turkey with stuffing
• Mashed potatoes and gravy
• Cranberry sauce (sliced gel)
• Cranberry sauce (loose)
• Salad
• Hot vegetables
• Bread and butter
• Desserts (Pies: apple, pumpkin, sweet potato, banana cream; also, cranberry bread)

The calculator is available here as an Excel download. Once you've downloaded it, simply enter the basic variables marked in blue:

• Number of turkey-eating and/or vegetarian guests
• Number of turkey-eaters and/or vegetarians having leftovers
• Average number of times those people want to eat leftovers
• What kind of pies you want to make, if any

Enjoy your saved planning time!

Special note: If you can't cook yet, make me an offer and I'll send you my recipes. Cash (below) or trade considered. <LOL> Make me a SCANDALOUSLY LARGE offer and you can call me on Wednesday afternoon for advice as I'm baking!

UPDATE: I must not be the only one that finds holiday meal shopping to be a hassle. After I posted this on Instructables, it was reposted at Core 77, Lifehacker, and Make.   

Comments

[Trish]

Hi - just heard about you on NPR - I love spreadsheets -
I had created one that I plugged my receipes and times into and it mapped out exactly when to start each item in order for everything to be ready at the same time.
Got laughed at - but it worked.
Thanks for the giggle again.
Trish

[Nancy White]

Christine, FANTASTIC. I did not cook this year so even finding it late was still fantastic. I'm now thinking "holiday baking spreadsheet!"

[Christine]

yeah, but you *love* my cooking. :)

[charlie crystle]

geek!