How much food do I need for 125 guests?
To calculate how much money per person you have to spend, take your budget and divide that by your number of guests. For example, a couple feeding 125 guests on a $5,000.00 budget will have $40.00 per person to spend on the food, utensils, and equipment.
Rules to Plan By
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.
- Appetizers or snacks should consist of two to three portions per person, more if these are the only food being served.
- 3 ounces of dip or salsa (about 1/3 cup per person)
- One cup of soup (less if it's a thick soup, like chowder)
- 3 ounces of salad (about 1 cup)
It's pretty simple too: We just determine an appropriate size portion of any dish in ounces per person, the we multiply that times the number of guests and divide by 16 (# of oz in a pound) and just like that you get the number of pounds you'll need.
The easiest rule is the “One Pound Rule.” Provide one pound of food for each adult guest (not including drinks or dessert).
If you're offering catered appetizers, plan for about six portions per guest. For a party of 100 guests, this adds up to roughly 600 appetizer portions.
- Pizza and Breadsticks. Nothing could be simpler than pizza and breadsticks for a lunchtime reception- and you don;t even have to cook it! ...
- Tacos, Rice and Beans. ...
- Pasta and Bread. ...
- Burgers and Fries. ...
- Sub Sandwich Bar.
- Send RSVP Cards. The traditional way to get an early guest estimate is to send RSVP cards along with the event invitations. ...
- Rely on Technology. ...
- Use a Calculation. ...
- Invite a Set Number of Guests.
- Soup.
- Loose meat sandwiches.
- Baked potatoes.
- Pasta.
- Tacos.
- Make-your-own-pizzas.
- Cheese and crackers.
- Vegetables and dip.
Equivalent to 200 quarter sandwiches per 100 guests.
How much should I cook for a crowd?
| Food Type | Approximate Amount for 50 Servings | Serving Size Per Person |
|---|---|---|
| Pasta, as side dish, spaghetti, macaroni, noodles | 4-5 16 oz. pkgs. | 1/2 cup, cooked |
| Rice, uncooked | 3-4 lbs | 1/2 cup, cooked |
| Beans, canned | 8-12 15.5 ounce cans | 1/2 cup |
| Dairy | ||
- Multiply the number of guests you wish to serve by 0.2 if the meat is going to be an appetizer.
- Multiply the number of guests by 0.5 to 0.33 if the meat will be a part of the main course but there also will be other filling components.
If there's going to be a main meal served at an event and the event itself is going to be two hours long, then you multiply 150 by 6. This means you'd need to serve at least 900 appetisers in total. If an event lasts two hours but it doesn't involve guests being served a main meal, you multiply 150 by 12.
Plan three to four finger sandwiches per person when serving with a salad as a main dish. If you are incorporating finger sandwiches into an appetizer party menu, you will need one to two of each sandwich per person, depending on the time of day and length of the event.
- Arrange the room for the best flow. ...
- Have a separate table for beverages. ...
- Start planning your buffet table before your event is scheduled like the evening before. ...
- Place plates at the beginning of the buffet line. ...
- Line up the food according to temperature. ...
- Finish the table with utensils.
- Go vegetarian. Not only is it usually cheaper to skip the meat, but you also can make just one meal that will include vegetarians and meat-eaters alike, which makes your life easier.
- Grains are your friend. ...
- Legumes for the win. ...
- Don't make meat the main event. ...
- Use cheaper cuts.
The cheapest food to cater is any rice or noodle-based cultural cuisine. Mexican, Indian, and Thai dishes are delicious and affordable. Or, if you're hosting an event during the day, serve brunch and breakfast items.
Roughly, it costs around $7000 total to feed a guest list of 100. So that would be $10,500 for 150 people, right?
- Pizza and Breadsticks. Nothing could be simpler than pizza and breadsticks for a lunchtime reception- and you don;t even have to cook it! ...
- Tacos, Rice and Beans. ...
- Pasta and Bread. ...
- Burgers and Fries. ...
- Sub Sandwich Bar.
- Send RSVP Cards. The traditional way to get an early guest estimate is to send RSVP cards along with the event invitations. ...
- Rely on Technology. ...
- Use a Calculation. ...
- Invite a Set Number of Guests.
How many pounds of bacon do I need to feed 50 people?
| Food Type | Approximate Amount for 50 Servings |
|---|---|
| Bacon | 6 lbs., 12-20 slices per lb |
| Ham, bone-in, to bake | 18-20 lbs. |
| Purchased ready to eat | 15 lbs |
| Sausage, links i.e.. Pork, Polish, Knockwurst or other variety sausages | 10-12 lbs. |
