How Much to Serve at a Gathering
I think one of the hardest things to do when planning a gathering is trying to figure out how much food you will need to have to make sure all your guest have plenty to eat. But on the other hand, you don’t want to just plan to have an abundance of food and have leftovers to have to deal with. Figuring out how much to serve at a gathering doesn’t have to be overwhelming.
How much is enough?
I think the hardest thing for me is the appetizers. I tend to treat it like a 1st meal even when I have planned a large main course meal to follow. The chart I have put together hangs on my pantry door and it helps remind me that only 6 pieces per person are plenty if they are getting a meal to follow. It is almost like reassuring me that I am serving enough.
3 Tips to help fill the gaps when serving several
Tip #1 Have a cheese plate with crackers and cut up apples. This is something that will soothe any snacker and it is something that will not go bad quickly if you didn’t need it.
Tip #2 Nothing like a bowl of chips to have on hand to just snack on while the main course is getting ready. Use a nice bag of chips in a pretty bowl to add another option to your appetizers. The cost is cheap and there is always someone that just needs that salty crunch.
Tip #3 Always serve bread with your meal. A dinner roll is something that everyone loves and it is a filler. Plan 2 rolls per person. This will fill their stomachs and make your food stretch farther.
The chart above is a free printable for you to enjoy and refer back to when planning your next gathering. Hopefully, this will help you not stress out on How much you need to serve at a gathering.