Party Food Calculator
Tell the calculator how many adults and kids are coming, what kind of party it is and how long it lasts. It works out appetizers, mains, sides, desserts, drinks and ice using catering rules of thumb, and builds a shopping list you can copy or print.
Your party
Quantities
| Item | Rule per adult | Total | What to buy |
|---|
Shopping list
Estimate based on common catering rules of thumb. Round up for big eaters or if the party runs over a mealtime.
How to use the Party Food Calculator
- Enter the number of adults and kids you expect.
- Choose the event type and duration, and how many side dishes you will serve.
- Set appetite, units and drinks options such as alcohol and hot weather.
- Press Calculate food to see the quantity of every item and what to buy.
- Copy or print the shopping list and tick items off at the store.
Party food rules of thumb
Quantities per adult used by the calculator (kids count as half an adult for food):
| Event | Appetizers (pieces) | Main (cooked) | Each side | Bread | Dessert |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cocktail party | 6 first hour + 4/hour | – | – | – | 2 bites |
| Buffet dinner | 4 + 2/hour, max 8 | 6 oz (170 g) | 4 oz (115 g) | 1.5 | 1.5 |
| Sit-down dinner | 3 + 1/hour, max 6 | 6 oz (170 g) | 4 oz (115 g) | 1.5 | 1 |
| BBQ / cookout | 3 + 1/hour, max 6 | 8 oz (225 g) | 5 oz (140 g) | 1.5 buns | 1.5 |
| Brunch | 2 + 1/hour, max 4 | 5 oz (140 g) | 4 oz (115 g) | 2 | 1 |
| Kids' party | 3 + 1/hour, max 5 | 4 oz (115 g) | 3 oz (85 g) | – | 1 slice |
| Wedding reception | 4 + 2/hour, max 8 | 6 oz (170 g) | 4 oz (115 g) | 1.5 | 1.5 |
With four or more side dishes, plan 3 oz of each instead of 4–5 oz, because guests take smaller spoonfuls when there is more choice.
Worked example: buffet for 20 adults and 10 kids
Thirty guests count as 20 + 10 × 0.5 = 25 adult portions. Over 4 hours:
- Appetizers: 4 + 2 × 3 = 10, capped at 8 per person → 8 × 25 = 200 pieces
- Main: 6 oz × 25 = 150 oz = 9.4 lb cooked
- Sides: 4 oz × 25 = 6.3 lb of each of 3 sides
- Rolls and desserts: 1.5 × 25 = 38 each
- Drinks: 2 + 3 = 5 per guest, so 100 for adults and 50 for kids. With alcohol, 75 adult drinks are alcoholic: 38 glasses of wine (8 bottles), 23 beers and 15 cocktails (1 bottle of spirits)
- Ice: 30 lb, or 3 bags of 10 lb
Drink and serving conversions
| Item | Servings |
|---|---|
| Wine, 750 ml bottle | 5 glasses of 5 oz (150 ml) |
| Sparkling wine, 750 ml bottle | 6–8 flutes for a toast |
| Spirits, 750 ml bottle | about 16 drinks of 1.5 oz (45 ml) |
| Beer, case | 24 bottles or cans |
| Soda, 2-liter bottle | 8 cups of 8 oz (240 ml) |
| Coffee, 1 lb (450 g) of ground coffee | about 50 cups |
Frequently asked questions
How much food do I need per person for a party?
For a buffet dinner plan about 6 oz (170 g) of cooked main dish, 4 oz (115 g) of each side dish, 1 to 2 rolls and 1.5 dessert servings per adult, plus appetizers. Kids eat roughly half as much.
How many appetizers per person?
If dinner follows, plan 4 pieces per person for the first hour and 2 for each extra hour, up to about 8. For an appetizers-only cocktail party plan 6 pieces in the first hour and 4 per hour after that, so 12 to 15 pieces for a typical evening.
How many drinks per person should I plan?
Plan 2 drinks per guest in the first hour and 1 per hour after that. A 4-hour party needs about 5 drinks per guest. One 750 ml bottle of wine pours 5 glasses and a 750 ml bottle of spirits makes about 16 cocktails.
How much ice do I need for a party?
Plan 1 lb (about 0.5 kg) of ice per guest for drinks, and 2 lb per guest in hot weather or if you also chill bottles in coolers.
How much food for 50 people?
For a 4-hour buffet with 50 adults and 3 sides: about 400 appetizer pieces, 19 lb of main dish, 12.5 lb of each side, 75 rolls and 75 dessert servings, plus roughly 250 drinks and 50 lb of ice.
Does the calculator store my guest list?
No. Everything is calculated in your browser and nothing is sent anywhere; only your last event type and unit choice are remembered on this device.