How Much Food To Serve At Your Event

How much food should you serve at your event? This is a very common question!

Throwing a successful party involves careful planning, and one of the key factors to consider is how much food to serve. Whether you’re hosting an intimate gathering or a large celebration, finding the right balance between too little and too much food can be challenging. But don’t worry! In this article, we’ll guide you through the art of portion planning, ensuring that your guests leave satisfied without breaking the bank.

1. Know Your Guest Count

If you don’t have an accurate headcount, you might run out of food. And there’s nothing more embarrassing than telling hungry guests that there’s no food left!

The first step in determining how much food to serve at your party is to have a clear idea of how many people will be attending. It’s essential to have an accurate headcount to avoid any last-minute surprises. Once you have this number, you can start estimating the quantities of food needed.

Keep in mind, that this headcount should include everyone at the party, not just guests. You should include vendors, bartenders, servers, babysitters, photographers, and anyone else present during the event in your overall headcount. You might think you’re only serving your guests, but everyone present tends to eat.

Even if vendors or bartenders don’t ask for food, at least one person at the party will offer them a plate.

2. Know Your Audience

Understanding your audience is crucial when planning any event, but it becomes even more important when considering their eating habits. Take into account their age group, cultural background, and dietary restrictions. And consider the type of event as well.

Guests tend to eat less at fancy tea parties, or cocktail hours – particularly events that take place between or after the big three meals of the day. And they tend to eat more at intimate parties – particularly at night.

This knowledge will help you curate a menu that caters to their preferences while keeping the balance between food and drink in mind.

3. Alcohol Plays a Huge Role

Will you be serving alcohol?

Planning a catering event requires attention to detail, creativity, and a deep understanding of your guests’ preferences. But, there’s one factor that often goes overlooked, that can significantly impact the success of your event. As the saying goes, people tend to eat more when they drink.

So, if you’re going to be serving alcohol, make sure you have a little extra food available.

4. Consider the Duration of the Party

The duration of your party is another critical factor in determining how much food to serve. If it’s a short gathering, such as a cocktail hour or a casual get-together, lighter finger foods and appetizers are more than enough.

However, for longer events like dinner parties or celebrations lasting longer than 5 hours, you’ll need to offer a main course or double the amount of finger foods and appetizers.

5. Variety is Key

The right selection of dishes can elevate the atmosphere, satisfy your guests’ taste buds, and leave a lasting impression.

So, when planning your menu, aim for a diverse selection of dishes that cater to different tastes and dietary preferences. Include vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options so that all your guests can enjoy the spread. Offering a variety of choices also helps prevent boredom and ensures that everyone finds something they love.

From bite-sized bruschetta and crispy spring rolls to mini burger bites and refreshing caprese skewers, we have many options to choose from. Offering a diverse selection ensures that everyone’s preferences are catered to, whether they are meat lovers, vegetarians, or seafood enthusiasts.

If you want some ideas for your setup, check us out on Instagram.

6. Appetizers and Finger Foods

Appetizers and finger foods are a great way to keep your guests satisfied and entertained.

For parties where finger foods are the main attraction, plan on serving around 8-10 bites per person. This estimate allows guests to sample different options without feeling overwhelmed. If you’re also serving a meal afterward, adjust the quantity accordingly.

If your event will be longer than 5 hours, then you should plan on serving about 15-20 bites per person.

7. Dinner or Hot Foods

When it comes to serving a main course, it’s best to plan on approximately 200-250 grams or 7-9 ounces of protein per person. 3/4 of a lb. per person is a good rule of thumb. For sides, allocate around 150 grams or 5 ounces per person, and consider various options to cater to different tastes.

The main course is the centerpiece of any event, so it’s essential to select dishes that are not only delicious but also cater to different dietary needs. We offer a range of hot food options such as succulent grilled chicken and salmon, tender beef kabobs, and mouth-watering lamb chops. We can also include sides like roasted vegetables, rosemary potatoes, fragrant rice, and different salads to complement the main course.

These options can be served either family style, or buffet style in chafing dishes that keep the food hot.

8. Desserts

If appetizers or hot food will be served at the event, you can plan on 1 slice of cake or 2 small servings of other types of desserts for each guest. If other food will not be served, you can plan on 4-6 servings per guest.

And if you’ll be serving hot beverages, like tea or coffee, have enough on hand for 1 serving per guest.

The Final Verdict

Properly planning the food for an event takes some thought and calculation. But when in doubt, keep things simple, and consider the crucial elements.

What’s your headcount? Get an accurate headcount, and you will have an estimate to work off of. From there, consider the type of event. Specifically, consider the amount of alcohol consumption, level of activity, etc.

Do you plan on your guests having a few drinks and enjoying themselves? Will there be dancing or other activities? If yes, then you will probably need a little more food than you think.