Thanksgiving is a bread holiday. There are rolls on the table, bread in the stuffing, and, if you're hosting a houseful, something warm for breakfast before the turkey goes in. The question we hear most at the counter this time of year is simple: how much should I order? Here's how we'd plan it.
Start with your headcount
Count everyone who will be at the table, then add one or two. Extra bread is never wasted at Thanksgiving: it becomes turkey sandwiches on Friday and toast all weekend.
It also helps to make a short list before you order: rolls or loaves for the table, bread for stuffing, breakfast pastries, and anything for dessert.
Bread for the table
Plan on about one and a half rolls per person. Some guests will take two, some will skip bread to save room for everything else, and it evens out. For 10 guests, that's about 15 rolls.
If you'd rather put a whole loaf on the table, a crusty loaf sliced at the last minute feels generous and keeps everyone reaching. A sourdough bâtard, a country round or a baguette all work well. Baguettes are best the day you pick them up; loaves with a thicker crust hold up a day or two longer.
Bread for stuffing
A typical serving of stuffing is about three quarters of a cup per person, so 10 guests need roughly seven and a half cups of finished stuffing, and a little more if you want leftovers. Check your recipe for how much bread it calls for, either by weight or in cups of cubes.
Stuffing is where bakery bread really earns its place. A loaf with a sturdy crumb, like sourdough or a country loaf, soaks up stock without turning to mush. Buy it a day or two early, cut it into cubes, and let it dry out on a sheet pan. Slightly stale bread makes better stuffing than fresh.
Breakfast for a full house
If people are staying over, Thanksgiving morning gets busy, and the oven is spoken for. A box of pastries means nobody has to cook breakfast. Plan on one pastry per person, plus a few extra for the cooks. Croissants, pecan sticky buns and seasonal muffins and scones are easy to set out and easy to grab with a cup of coffee.
Keeping it fresh through the weekend
Crusty bread is happiest at room temperature, cut side down on a board or in a paper bag, not in the refrigerator. If you won't finish a loaf within a couple of days, slice it and freeze it in a sealed bag, then toast slices straight from the freezer. A few minutes in a hot oven brings a day-old loaf back to life before dinner.
Order early, pick up close to the day
Pre-ordering is the easiest way to make sure your bread is waiting for you. Thanksgiving pre-orders are open now and close Wednesday, November 18 at 1pm. Choose the café that's most convenient for you, and pick up close to the holiday so everything is as fresh as possible.
Thanksgiving Pre-Order pickups will be all day on Wednesday 11/25 and Thursday 11/26.
A quick guide for 10 guests:
Rolls: about 15
Stuffing: about 7½ cups finished, plus extra for leftovers
Breakfast pastries: 10 to 12
Ready to plan your table? Place your Thanksgiving pre-order before November 18 at 1pm and pick it up at your nearest Seven Stars café.