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Chart of Food Estimates: How Much Food Do You Need?
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Are you cooking for a crowd? If you’re planning a big meal, this handy chart can help determine the amount of meat, sides, and food you should buy. From family reunions to potlucks and picnics to a Thanksgiving feast, have enough food foreveryone!
These cooking estimates are based on “average” servings; adjust quantities upward for extra-big eaters and downward if children are included.
How Much Food to Serve at aParty
| FOOD | SERVE 25 | SERVE 50 | SERVE 100 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Meats | |||
| Whole turkey (1 pound/person) | 25 pounds | 50 pounds | 100 pounds |
| Chicken or turkey breast | 8–9 pounds | 16–18 pounds | 32–36 pounds |
| Fish (fillets or steaks) | 7-1/2 pounds | 15 pounds | 30 pounds |
| Hamburgers | 6-1/2–9-1/2 pounds | 13–15 pounds | 26–30 pounds |
| Ham or roast beef | 10 pounds | 20 pounds | 40 pounds |
| Hot dogs | 4 pounds | 7 pounds | 13 pounds |
| Meatloaf | 6 pounds | 12 pounds | 24 pounds |
| Oysters | 1 gallon | 2 gallons | 4 gallons |
| Pork | 8–9 pounds | 16–18 pounds | 32–36 pounds |
| Miscellaneous | |||
| Bread (loaves) | 3 | 5 | 10 |
| Butter | 3/4 pound | 1–1/2 pounds | 3 pounds |
| Cheese | 3/4 pound | 1–1/2 pounds | 3 pounds |
| Coffee | 3/4 pound | 1–1/2 pounds | 3 pounds |
| Milk | 1–1/2 gallons | 3 gallons | 6 gallons |
| Nuts | 3/4 pound | 1–1/2 pounds | 3 pounds |
| Olives | 1/2 pound | 1 pound | 2 pounds |
| Pickles | 1/2 quart | 1 quart | 2 quarts |
| Rolls (2 rolls/person) | 50 | 100 | 200 |
| Soup | 5 quarts | 2–1/2 gallons | 5 gallons |
| Side Dishes | |||
| Baked beans | 5 quarts | 2–1/2 gallons | 5 gallons |
| Beets | 7–1/2 pounds | 15 pounds | 30 pounds |
| Cabbage for coleslaw | 5 pounds | 10 pounds | 20 pounds |
| Carrots | 7–1/2 pounds | 15 pounds | 30 pounds |
| Lettuce for salad (heads) | 5 | 10 | 20 |
| Peas (fresh) | 12 pounds | 25 pounds | 50 pounds |
| Potatoes | 9 pounds | 18 pounds | 36 pounds |
| Potato salad | 3 quarts | 1–1/2 gallons | 3 gallons |
| Salad dressing | 3 cups | 1–1/2 quarts | 3 quarts |
| Gravy (1/3 cup/person) | 8 cups | 16-1/2 cups | 33 cups |
| Stuffing (3/4 cup/person) | 19 cups | 37-1/2 cups | 75 cups |
| Cranberry Sauce (1/2 cup/per) | 12-1/2 cups | 25 cups | 50 cups |
| Desserts | |||
| Cakes (9-inch) | 4 | 6 | 12 |
| Ice cream | 1 gallon | 2 gallons | 4 gallons |
| Pies (9-inch) | 4 | 6 | 13 |
| Whipping cream | 1 pint | 2 pints | 4 pints |
About The Author
Catherine Boeckmann
Catherine Boeckmann loves nature, stargazing, and gardening so it’s not surprising that she and The Old Farmer’s Almanac found each other. She leads digital content for the Almanac website, and is also a certified master gardener in the state of Indiana. Read More from Catherine Boeckmann
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Comments
For the meats, is that pounds of meat cooked/prepared? - or is it how much of the meat (ex: pork shoulder for pulled pork) to buy raw/unprepared?
Hi, Jess. That would be cookedmeat.
I am curious how these numbers change when you have 2 meats, three salads, MP, gravy and hot vegetable??
What about the sweet potatoes ??? !!!
Signed, Panic in Punxsutawney
Hi, Marianne. You can follow the same guidance as regular whitepotatoes.
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