Seems like this time of year most of us are fixing food for many — the holiday parties, the family gatherings, etc. One of the questions I always get is: How much of what do I plan on when feeding a crowd? This is probably one of the biggest puzzlers for most folks when the "family gets together."
Here are some pointers:
Generally, a meat serving is 3-4 ounces of cooked meat — without bone.
Figure 3/4 pound per person when deciding how much whole turkey to buy, so if you are serving 25 people, you would figure you would need about a 19-pound bird. This will not leave you much meat for leftovers, so if you want more leftovers, figure a pound per person.
For a ham, figure 3 ounces as your serving size, so 1 pound will feed 5-ish.
Cooked veggies or veggie side dishes will be about half a cup.
For salad greens, plan on at least 1 cup.
For fruit salad or Jell-O salad, figure half a cup.
Five to six 9-by-13-inch pans will serve approximately 100 people as a side dish — when 1/2 to 2/3 full.
Ten 9-by-13-inch casseroles will serve approximately 100-120 people as a main dish.
8 gallons of a drink = 100 10-ounce servings.
10 pounds potatoes (or sweet potatoes) for serving 25 people.
Four 16-ounce cans cranberry sauce will serve 25 people.
Plan on 4-6 pieces person on appetizers.
I hope that helps as you gather together this holiday season with your family and friends.
