Thanksgiving Dinner Planner & Budget 2026 | Excel Menu, Guest List & Shopping List

Host a calm, on-budget Thanksgiving - guests, menu, oven times and shopping in one Excel file.

Enter your dinner date, eating time and food budget, then plan guests, dishes and groceries. The sheet works out when each dish has to start cooking, how much you have spent and what is left.

WHAT'S INCLUDED

• Event Details: date, eating time, budget, turkey weight, days to go, headcount, budget per guest

• Turkey helper: turkey needed for your guests and fridge-thaw start date (rule-of-thumb estimates)

• Guest List: RSVP (Yes/Maybe/No), adults and kids, dietary needs, what each guest is bringing

• Menu & Cooking Timeline: course, who makes it, servings, oven temp, cook + rest time and calculated start time

• Shopping List: 60 rows with category, store, estimated vs actual price, Bought tick and difference

• Dashboard: days until dinner, guests coming, budget, spent, budget left, items bought %, cost per guest + spend-by-category chart

• Start Here guide and sample data

BEST FOR

Thanksgiving and Friendsgiving hosts in the USA and Canada, first-time hosts, families splitting dishes, anyone hosting a big holiday dinner on a budget.

HOW IT WORKS

1. Download and open in Microsoft Excel.

2. Type in the yellow cells (sample data shows the format).

3. The Dashboard updates automatically.

PAIRS WELL WITH

2026 Holiday Spending Control Center, Meal Planner & Grocery Budget, Black Friday & Boxing Day Deal Planner (LaunchKit Labs)

IMPORTANT

Turkey and thawing figures are general rules of thumb - always follow your turkey's package instructions and food-safety guidance.

FORMAT / DELIVERY

Microsoft Excel (.xlsx), Excel 2010 or later, Windows and Mac; also opens in Google Sheets. Instant digital download - no physical item.

FAQ

What exactly do I get?

Excel Thanksgiving planner: guest list & RSVPs, menu with oven start times, shopping list with estimated vs actual cost, budget dashboard.

What do I need to use it?

Microsoft Excel on Windows or Mac (Excel 2016 or newer, or Microsoft 365). It also opens in free Google Sheets, though Excel is recommended.

How do I get it?

It is an instant digital download: right after payment you get the file on the page and by email. No physical item is shipped.

What if it is not right for me?

Contact me through my Payhip store within 30 days and I will refund you - no hard feelings.

I have a question

Use the contact link on my Payhip store page and I will help.