[KOH] How many pounds does my Thanksgiving turkey need to be and when should I defrost it? Those are just a couple of typical calls that come into the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline every year around Thanksgiving. Meredith Carothers with the USDA’s Meat and Poultry Hotline says there’s a simple formula for buying your bird.

And remember, if you get a frozen bird, you should defrost it in the refrigerator rather than on your kitchen counter where bacteria can grow. Plan to defrost your bird one day in the frig for every 5 pounds of turkey.