Wondering how much food to serve at your next shindig so you’re not committing a major party foul? There’s nothing worse than attending a party where the host isn’t thinking about the amount of food or drink that’s needed. We’ve ALL been to a party that promises food and then you get there to find everyone scrambling over the one veggie tray.
While there is no perfect formula to calculate how much party food and drink you’ll need, there are some basic guidelines that usually ensure a successful party. Here’s our party food calculator.
Each adult will consume 1 pound of food total; children, about 1/2 pound. The more options you have, the less you need of each; decrease the main course portion sizes by 1 to 2 ounces if served on a buffet. Guests will always eat — and drink — more at night than during the day.
How much alcohol do you need for 50 guests? For a 4 hour party with 50 guests, you will need approximately 200 drinks: 80 beers, 72 glasses of wine (15 bottles) and enough for 48 individual co*cktails (amounts will depend upon what type of co*cktail you serve).
On average, plan for each adult to consume about 1 pound of food total (not including dessert). Count on children to consume about a ½ pound. Remember; the more options you have, the less you need of each.
Over the course of your reception (including co*cktail hour), your guests will most likely have about 4 beverages (about 1 per hour). If we do the math here, that is 100 guests x 4 drinks = 400 drinks.
Buy for the Number of Guests and Length of Service
An estimated Concierge calculation would be: (25 guests x 2 drinks) first hour + (25 guests x 1 drink) second hour + (25 guests x 1 drink) third hour totals 100 glasses. Each 750mL wine bottle will serve 4-5 glasses depending on the number of ounces in each pour.
Cheap catering food ideas include rice or pasta-based dishes, hot dogs, burritos, tacos, cookies, and muffins, which are loved by everyone and are often more affordable than sophisticated seafood or meat dishes.
Budgeting is a crucial step in planning your event. Decide on a per-person budget and then multiply this figure by your expected number of guests. Thus, you will come up with a fairly accurate food and drink budget. Additionally, this number can serve as your guideline when choosing menu items and their quantities.
A good estimate is to use 1.5 pounds as the amount of food to be served to one person. Subdivide this by the number of servings, taking into consideration the main dishes and side dishes.
For a buffet, two to three dinner plates per person, plus one dessert place per person is a safe bet. For a full service meal, use one 10 1/4″ plate for the main course, a 9″ plate for salads or appetizers, and one 6-7″ plate each for bread and dessert.
1 hand cupped is equivalent to a 1/2 cup serving. You can use this tool for measuring food items such as pastas, potatoes, nuts, and even ice cream. A Cupped Hand = 1/2 cup The Palm = 3 oz. The palm of your hand can be used to estimate protein intake.
A good estimate is to use 1.5 pounds as the amount of food to be served to one person. Subdivide this by the number of servings, taking into consideration the main dishes and side dishes.
How many drinks per person? You should plan to serve 2 drinks per person, for each hour for first 2 hours and 1 drink per person for each hour after that.
Introduction: My name is Greg O'Connell, I am a delightful, colorful, talented, kind, lively, modern, tender person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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