Hosting a Big Party? Here’s How Much Food to Serve

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We have a secret: Planning how much food to serve at a party doesn’t have to be daunting! In fact, with our easy charts, you’ll be able to make sure all plates and glasses are full while having time to enjoy the festivities yourself. (These impressive slow cooker recipes can also help.)

Here’s a quick guide to how many drinks and how much food to stock, course by course.

Appetizers

On average, each guest will have about six appetizers, although this number may double if it’s a cocktail party. You want enough to keep your guests satisfied, but not so many that their appetites will be ruined. (Here are some crowd-pleasing apps made in 15 minutes or less.)

Pro tip: Stock up on bulk items like nuts, pretzels and olives that guests can munch on when they arrive!

Entrees and Sides

The main event! Remember, the more options you have available, the smaller each portion size will generally be.

• Poultry, fish or meat: 6 ounces per serving.
• Grains: 1.5 ounces as a side dish, 2 ounces as a main dish casserole.
• Potatoes: 5 ounces.
• Vegetables: 4 ounces.
• Beans: 2 ounces.
• Pasta: 4 ounces (main dish-less for a side dish).
• Green salad: 1 ounce, without dressing.
• Bread such as buns, rolls, tortillas or corn bread: 1 to 2 pieces (or more if each piece is small)

Our favorite party foods are easy to make, too.

Desserts

We know that no matter how filling dinner was, there’s always room for dessert.

• Cake, tart, pastry: 1 slice per guest.
• Creamy desserts: 4 ounces.
• Ice cream: 5 ounces.

We have so many dessert ideas!

Drinks

We can’t decide which would be worse: running out of dinner or running out of drinks. Several factors govern ensuring that everyone stays, ahem, hydrated, including the type of party, its duration, where it will be held and your guests’ preferences. These general guidelines are for parties that are two hours long. If you offer more than one type of alcohol, you can get away with buying less per type.

• Ice: 1 pound per person (more if it’s a summer party).
• Wine: One bottle of wine for every two adult guests. It’s best for white to outnumber red, especially in the summer.
• Beer: Two servings per guest for the first hour, and then one for each additional hour.
• Champagne: 1.5 glasses per person for a premeal cocktail, three glasses per person at dinner. (We like to vary up the typical glass of bubbly by making a champagne punch.)
• Spirits: Three drinks per person. You’ll get about 17 drinks per bottle.
• Liqueurs and Post-Dinner Drinks: One drink per guest, 15 drinks per bottle
• Nonalcoholic beverages: One drink per person if alcohol is provided, three per person if alcohol isn’t. (Here are some grown-up mocktails.)

Here’s How Much To Buy (Note: we’re assuming you’re only serving one type of alcohol. If you’re offering more, then reduce the amount of each type)

Luckily, spirits don’t go bad once open, so if something doesn’t get drunk, you can save it for the next party. Still, don’t open anything you don’t need to-you don’t want to have several half bottles of wine left over.

Making sure that you have enough servings to keep all guests happy-especially if they go back for seconds or thirds-is key to pulling off a party they’ll fondly remember down the road. Keep in mind that our estimates are nearly exact, but a good rule of thumb is to round up from these and err on the side of having too much-and we doubt you’ll complain if you end up with a few leftovers. (And if you do, here’s how to repurpose them!)