Holiday dinner
A big holiday meal: pans and a thermometer for the cooking, enough seats and serving dishes, and containers for leftovers.
Amounts below are for 12 people. They are planning estimates; change any of them on your list.
Saves the 15 must-haves, 5 easy-to-forget items and 3 things to do to a list on this device. Upgrades are up to you. Then shop the list item by item and tick things off.
At a glance
- 🔎 Roasting pans2 pans
- 🛒 Food thermometer1 thermometer
- 🔎 Aluminum pans with lids4 pans
- 🔎 Aluminum foil1 roll
- 🔎 Serving bowls and platters4 pieces
- 🔎 Serving utensils1 set
- 🔎 Gravy boat and serving dishes1 set
- 🔎 Tablecloths2 tablecloths
- 🔎 Napkins36 napkins
- 🔎 Folding chairs6 chairs
- 🔎 Food containers1 set
- 🔎 Ice12 pounds
- 🔎 Coffee1 bag
- 🔎 Decaf and tea for guests1 box
- 🔎 Trash bags6 bags
🛒 1 exact products we picked · 🔎 14 Amazon searches, so you choose the brand and size.
Must-haves (15)
Roasting pans
Get about 2 pans
2 pans for the group
Amazon search: “disposable roasting pan”
- Our pick
Food thermometer
ThermoPro TP19 instant-read thermometer
A fast thermometer for meat and leftovers.
Good for: Holiday cooking
Get about 1 thermometer
1 thermometer for the group
Product link checked Oct 30, 2026
Aluminum pans with lids
Get about 4 pans
4 pans for the group
Aluminum foil
Get about 1 roll
1 roll for the group
Amazon search: “heavy duty aluminum foil”
Serving bowls and platters
Get about 4 pieces
4 pieces for the group
Amazon search: “disposable serving trays”
Serving utensils
Get about 1 set
1 set for the group
Amazon search: “serving utensils set”
Gravy boat and serving dishes
Get about 1 set
1 set for the group
Amazon search: “serving dish set”
Tablecloths
Get about 2 tablecloths
2 tablecloths for the group
Amazon search: “disposable tablecloths”
- Must-have
Napkins
Get about 36 napkins (1 × 250-pack)
12 people × 1 meal × 3 = 36 napkins
Folding chairs
Get about 6 chairs
12 people × 0.5 = 6 chairs
Food containers
For leftovers to send home.
Get about 1 set
1 set for the group
Amazon search: “food storage containers set”
Ice
Our rule: about a pound per person per day for drinks; more if the cooler holds food.
Get about 12 pounds
12 people × 1 day × 1 = 12 pounds
Amazon search: “bagged ice”
Coffee
Our rule: a 12-ounce bag covers about 25 person-days.
Get about 1 bag
12 people × 1 day × 0.04 = 1 bag (rounded up)
Amazon search: “ground coffee”
Decaf and tea for guests
Get about 1 box
1 box for the group
Amazon search: “tea variety pack”
- Must-have
Trash bags
Our rule: half a bag per person per day; at least one per day.
Get about 6 bags (1 × 50-pack)
12 people × 1 day × 0.5 = 6 bags
Amazon search: “heavy duty trash bags”
Easy to forget (5)
Oven mitts
Get about 2 mitts
2 mitts for the group
Dish towels
Get about 4 towels
4 towels for the group
Amazon search: “kitchen towels”
Dishwasher detergent
Our rule: about one load a day for four people.
Get about 3 pods (1 × 40-pack)
12 people × 1 day × 0.25 = 3 pods
Food allergy labels
Get about 1 set
1 set for the group
Amazon search: “food labels for party”
Cake carrier
Get about 1 carrier
1 carrier for the group
Upgrades (5)
Disposable chafing dishes
Get about 2 sets
2 sets for the group
Amazon search: “chafing dish set disposable”
Sterno cans
Get about 4 cans
4 cans for the group
Amazon search: “chafing fuel cans”
Insulated food carrier
Get about 1 carrier
1 carrier for the group
Amazon search: “insulated casserole carrier”
Thermal carafe
Get about 1 carafe
1 carafe for the group
Amazon search: “thermal coffee carafe”
Place cards
Get about 12 cards (1 × 50-pack)
12 people × 1 = 12 cards
Things to do (3)
- ✅ Plan meals for the tripCount meals before you shop; it keeps the list honest.
- ✅ Confirm the headcount
- ✅ Ask families about allergies
More in parties and entertaining
General planning information, not professional or medical advice. A list does not guarantee anyone’s safety. In any emergency, call your local emergency number and follow official guidance from local authorities.
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