How to Estimate How Much Food for Catering

Buffets can be a little more difficult to estimate for catering.

Gather information for your catering event for before you plan how much food to prepare. Find out how many people will be eating, the time of day -- since people eat more at dinner than at lunch -- and the season because people eat less on very hot summery days. You need to know if you are catering a formal dinner where five or more courses are being served or a self-serve buffet. Since a stomach holds about 40 ounces, caterers can use this as a guideline to estimate the amount of food to prepare.

Instructions

1. Cater a seven course formal sit-down meal, starting with a first course appetizer. Allow five 1-ounce appetizers per person.

2. Serve each person the second course of a 4-ounce salad with 1 ounce of dressing followed, by the third course of a 6-ounce portion of soup. Follow the soup with the fourth course, which can consist of a 3-ounce pasta dish.

3. Serve either a 12-ounce filet mignon or break your protein down into two smaller entrees, such as 6 ounces each of boneless chicken breast and steak, for your fifth course. Include 3 ounces of vegetables with your main course.

4. Wrap up your meal with a scrumptious 6-ounce dessert. In the desert calculation add the butter and baked goods, such as the bread served with your main course.

5. Serve coffee or tea to end your seven-course dinner. Allow one cup or coffee or tea per person. Working out the portions by courses can give you a good idea how much food is required for each person. Multiply the quantity of food required by the amount of guests expected.

References

• Healthy Vegan Recipes: How Much Food Can Your Stomach Hold
• Ellen's Kitchen: Self Catering Your Wedding or Event: The Steps Before the First Step

Resources

• BBQ and Catering: Catering Guide