How to Determine Food Amounts for a Buffet
- 1). Finalize your guest list and collect all responses so you know how many people to expect.
- 2). Estimate food quantities based on the amounts recommended for a buffet by supermarket franchise and party caterer Giant. For a main dish, such as meat, fish or poultry, plan for a 5 to 7 oz. portion per person if you're offering only one choice and between 4 and 6 oz. if your guests can choose from more than one item. Put out 1 lb. of pasta for every eight to 10 people, a handful of vegetables or salad per person, and 10 to 12 appetizer items per person. One standard sheet or round cake will serve 10 people or up to 15 if the menu includes more than one dessert.
- 3). Adjust amounts if your party has a specific clientele, such as mostly children, mostly vegetarians or mostly health-conscious adults. Change amounts accordingly, such as more salad and vegetables for a health-conscious crowd or smaller amounts of everything for a children's buffet.
- 4). Prepare extra food if your party will run more than 3 hours because people tend to make more rounds of the food table the longer they are there.
- 5). Adjust amounts if your party is being held between meal times, such as in the middle of the afternoon or late at night, after dinner time. At times like these, it is best to serve light foods, such as hors d'oeuvres, fruits, salads and desserts. Calculate amounts twice as much as the ones recommended above if the buffet doesn't include entree items. If you choose to serve a full meal, prepare smaller quantities than the ones recommended above, which are intended for a meal-time party.
