Food Quantities for Serving a Large Group
Crowd Quantities for Basic Meal Components
When you’re cooking for a crowd, it’s one thing to have a recipe for large groups which clearly tells you how many it people it serves. With a recipe from a trusted source in hand, you can be fairly assured of the quantities you need to purchase of each ingredient. But what do you do when you’re trying to figure out how much salad mix to buy for 230 or how much nacho sauce you need for 300 youth? Too much and you’ve wasted money on the ingredients and possibly time on the prep. Too little and you have hungry folks who aren’t getting fed.
You’re probably also wondering how far in advance can items be prepared without suffering in quality and how do you re-heat them or hold them for serving.
No More Guesswork
These were the kinds of questions that used to wake me up at 2:00 am and keep me up till 5:00 am (at which point I’d finally fall back to sleep for all of 45 minutes where upon my alarm would go off so I could get up and work out. I know, I know – I really need to get a life). So that you too are not losing sleep wrestling with the ‘How much should I buy’ Tasmanian Devil, I thought it might be useful to cover some of the basic quantities which you won’t typically find in cooking for a crowd recipes, such as: breakfast, salads, desserts and refreshments.
The quantities listed below assume each person will take exactly that amount. Anyone who’s watched a crowd of people at a buffet line knows that’s not the case. The size of the serving spoon (try to get it as close to the quantity per serving as possible) and the location of the item on the serving line (the closer to the end, typically the less room they have on their plate and therefore the less they’ll take) are two of the biggest impacts on the servings size. But you can assume it will average out. I typically plan on 5 – 10% overage to be safe and allow for seconds. If you use my quantities below and my proven large group recipes, I promise you’ll have plenty of people interested in seconds.
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Food Quantities for Serving a Large Group
When you’re cooking for a crowd, it’s one thing to have a recipe for large groups which clearly tells you how many it people it serves. With a recipe from a trusted source in hand, you can be fairly assured of the quantities you need to purchase of each ingredient.
But what do you do when you’re trying to figure out how much salad mix to buy for 230 or how much nacho sauce you need for 300 youth? Too much and you’ve wasted money on the ingredients and possibly time on the prep. Too little and you have hungry folks who aren’t getting fed.
Let me share my many years of volunteer cooking for groups of 50 – 400 with you, so you don’t have to guess and worry. If you use my quantity guidelines below with my proven large group recipes, I promise you’ll have plenty of people interested in seconds.
Quick Links to Sections
Servings by Container Size
Breakfast Quantities for a Crowd
Salad Quantities for a Crowd
Vegetable Quantities for a Crowd
Meat Quantities for a Crowd
Sandwich Materials for a Crowd
Fruit Quantities for a Crowd
Fruit Quantities for a Crowd
Dessert Quantities for a Crowd
Ice Cream Serving Quantities for a Crowd
Refreshment Amounts for a Crowd
How much Drinks & Ice for a Crowd
Servings by Container Size
A Full Size Steam Table Disposable Aluminum Pan will serve 50 – 80
This is a Full Size Steam Table Disposable Aluminum Pan. It measures a roughly 20″ x 13″ x 3″. It is a very standard large group container. You can fit 2 of these in a regular size, 2 rack oven (1 per rack).
When I’m cooking for a large group I always use these Full Size Steam Table Disposable Aluminum Pans because it makes it easy for me to eye-ball that I have the correct serving quantity.
How Much Does it Hold?
- The Full Size Steam Table Disposable Aluminum Pan will typically serve at least 50 main dish servings and as many as 75 – 80 side dish servings.
- A typical serving size is 4 – 6 ounces. Just for comparison, a cup is 8 ounces. So a serving is about 1/2 – 3/4 of a cup.
- These pans hold about 250 ounces if filled to about 3/4 inch from the top, which is about the maximum I would put in it.
NOTE: I frequently set these trays on a flat cookie sheet for baking, especially if the contents are liquid. This makes it MUCH easier to transfer into, and out of, the oven.
- You can triple a recipe designed for a 9 x 13 x 2 (2.5 – 3 quart) baking dish (which holds about 80-90 ounces) and it will fit in the Full Size Steam Table Pan with about 1/2 inch clearance to the top. NOTE: You will need to increase the cooking time. The amount varies by recipe.
How Full Size Steam Table Aluminum Pans & Ovens will I need?
To easily serve ONE recipe to 100 people, you need:
- 2 (20″ x 13″ x 3.5″) Full Size Steam Table Disposable Aluminum Pans
- 1 oven
To easily serve ONE recipe to 200 people, you need:
- 3 (20″ x 13″ x 3.5″) Full Size Steam Table Disposable Aluminum Pans (4 pans if it’s a main dish or you want leftovers)
- 2 ovens
To easily serve ONE recipe to 400 people, you need:
- 5 (20″ x 13″ x 3.5″) Full Size Steam Table Disposable Aluminum Pans (7 pans if it’s a main dish or you want leftovers)
- 3 ovens
When ever I’m cooking for a crowd, I buy at least 1 pack of these. They are very handy for mixing and serving and unless I’ve baked in them, I wash and re-use them.
Half Sheet Pan will provide 24 good-size servings
Items cooked on a half sheet can be sliced into 4 rows by 6 rows to yield 24 servings. I generally go for the 24 portions if I’m cooking for groups of 150 or less. Here’s a couple different bars cut into 24 portions.
If you’re serving a larger group and want to stretch the yield, or in the case of a dessert bar if you want smaller portions of multiple items, you can cut the portions into smaller sizes. One option is 5 rows by 8 rows to yield 40 small-sized servings, or instead of 4 rows by 6 rows you can cut 8 rows by 6 rows to yield 48 smaller-sized servings like the image below. This works best if your item has a sturdy base such as a shortbread crust or is a sturdy cake.
I use the Heavy Duty Lincoln Wear-Ever Sheet Pan sold by Vollrath. I think it’s the best available. The rolled edges preserves its shape and prevent warping while cooking. The exclusive concave bottom also flattens during cooking for even heat distribution. It has 1 height sides. and measures 12.88 length x 17.75 width. Your church kitchen probably contains 1 or more of these pans (our has 18 – which I guard like a mother hen!!) If not, pick yourself up one – you’ll love it.
Breakfast
Bacon
There are approximately 40 thick cut slices in a this 4 pound bag of bacon. You’ll need to decide on whether you serve 1 or 2 slices per person. Either way this is an item which should be portioned controlled, especially if you’re serving young men. You can do so by setting it at the end of the buffet table and having leaders stand at the head of the table to serve it. I’ll have an easy way to fix bacon for a crowd soon.
Cereal & Milk
I have it on good authority, Cereal is the #1 choice of kids and young adults.
1 cup of cereal (1 ounce to 1.5 ounces) and 1 cup (8 ounces) milk equals one serving size
When serving cereal to a large group, plan on between 1 cup (1 ounce) per person for kids to 1 1/2 cups (1.5 ounces) per person for teens and adults. There’s a good reference article on cereal serving portions here.
The big box cereals are all different sizes. For example the one pictured above is 49.5 ounces. It would provide 33 (1.5 ounce) servings. NOTE: Cereal is also an item which should be portioned controlled. You can do so by either setting out pre-poured bowls of cereal or by having leaders serve it.
There are 16 (1 cup) servings in 1 gallon of milk.
Milk to Drink
There are 12 (10 ounce) drinking servings of milk in 1 gallon.
NOTE: Chocolate milk is another item that needs to be portion controlled if serving to kids or teens. Pour it into cups and have leaders hand it out at drink tables.
Garden Salad
Salads are not only a cost-effective component of your meal, they are generally well received and appreciated. Young women in particular typically enjoy a nice, fresh salad. And their popularity isn’t just limited to girls on diets. Interestingly, salad was the item I replenished the most and the Ranch dressing was the item I almost ran short on during the last meal I served for the 159 member cast and crew of Savior of the World.
General Salad Portion Sizes:
If you are serving salad as a side dish (with other side dishes), plan on approximately 1.5 ounces lettuce per person
If you are serving only salad as one of the main dishes (Soup & Salad or Salad bar), plan on approximately 2.5 ounces lettuce per person.
Click here for everything you need to know about salad sizes.
Greens
I would not take the time to process whole heads of lettuce. Sam’s Club offers either Tossed Salad or Chopped Romaine, both in 2 pound bags. 1 (2 lb. bag) Tossed Salad/Chopped Romaine serves 16 (main course) to 25 (side salads). 6 (2 lb. bags) = 150 servings (you will go through every bit of it).
SALAD GREENS | SIZE | BITE SIZED PIECES | APPROXIMATE SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
Boston lettuce | 1/2 lb head | 6 cups | 4 |
Iceberg lettuce | 1 1/2 lb head | 12 cups | 8 |
Leaf lettuce | 3/4 lb bunch | 8 cups | 5 |
Romaine lettuce | 1 1/2 lb bunch | 12 cups | 8 |
Spinach | 3/4 lb bunch | 8 cups | 5 |
Dressing & Croutons
A standard serving of salad dressing is 2 tablespoons, which equals 1 ounce.
Salad Dressing
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
2 Tbsp | 1 1/2 cups | 3 cups | 1 1/2 qt |
Aloha Tip: For quicker and easier serving (and savings!), cut your Ranch dressing with a little milk.
1 (2 pack – 40 ounce each (80 ounces total)) Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing + 1/4 cup (2 ounces) Milk per each (40 ounce) container of dressing easily SERVES 100. (I have actually SERVED 120 with 80 ounces since, on average, the guests (an even mix of men, women, teens and children) really only took approximately .75 ounce per person.) For faster serving, mix dressing with milk then pour thinned dressing into 2-4 squeeze bottles or pour it back into the original dressing bottles.
1 (2 pack – 20 ounce each (40 ounces total) Olive Garden Italian Dressing easily provides 50 (2 tablespoon) servings. THIS STUFF ROCKS!!! Use it on salad greens or soak chicken tenders in dressing for 3-4 hours (refrigerated), then grill or bake in oven.
1 (24 oz. bottle, 2 ct.) Virginia Brand Vidalia Onion Vinaigrette Salad Dressing = 70 – 75 (2 tablespoon) SERVINGS. Note: This dressing is fairly sweet and can be used with either salad greens or as a topping for fresh fruit.
1 (32 ounce) bag Olive Garden Seasoned Croutons. Although this theoretically contains only 32 (1 ounce (10-11 croutons)) servings, when planning you can safely assume 1 (32 ounce) bag will easily serve 75 – 100 people.
Vegetables
Potatoes & Onions
It’s hard to order potatoes by the pound not knowing how many potatoes you’re getting. This 10 pound bag of potatoes from Sam’s Club:
holds 28 medium size potatoes.
This 6 pound bag of onions from Sam’s Club:
holds 10 medium size onions.
VEGETABLE | SIZE | APPROXIMATE YIELD | APPROXIMATE SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
Asparagus | 1 lb | 30 – 45 spears | 8 – 11 |
Bell pepper | 2 peppers | 24 strips (3 1/2 x 1/2″) | 6 |
Broccoli or cauliflower | 2 lb | 32 florets | 8 |
Carrots | 1 lb | 65 sticks (3 x 1/2″) | 16 |
Celery | 4 medium stalks | 33 sticks (4 x 1/2″) | 8 |
Cucumber | 2 large | 45 sticks (4 x 3/4″) | 8 – 11 |
Mushrooms (medium) | 1 lb | 20 mushrooms | 5 |
Pea pods | 4 oz | 30 pea pods | 7 |
Zucchini | 3 medium | 35 slices (1/2″) | 9 |
Carrots | 1 lb | 65 sticks (3 x 1/2″) | 16 |
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
4 pieces | 4 doz (48 pieces) | 8 doz (96 pieces) | 15 doz (192 pieces) |
Food for 50 Servings
Vegetables: (Serving size, approx. 1/2 cup)
Canned vegetables = 2 1/2 (Number 10) cans
Frozen vegetables = 4 (40-ounce) packages
Fresh Broccoli = 16 pounds
Fresh Brussels Sprouts = 12 1/2 pounds
Fresh Carrots = 12 1/2 pounds
Mashed Potatoes = 13 pounds
Baked Potatoes = 19 to 20 pounds
Veggies Added in to Salads
NOTE: You can probably find folks who have an abundance of vegetables and would be happy to provide them at no cost (trust me, toward mid-summer they are looking for someone to take their extras).
12 medium tomatoes mixed in with the tossed lettuce = approximately 150 servings
6 sliced cucumbers mixed in with the tossed lettuce = approximately 150 servings
7 – 8 of these mixed in with the tossed lettuce= 150 servings
7 – 8 of these mixed in with the tossed lettuce = 150 servings
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
4 pieces | 4 doz (48 pieces) | 8 doz (96 pieces) | 15 doz (192 pieces) |
Meats
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
3/4 lb | 9 lb | 18 lb | 36 lb |
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
1/4 lb | 3 lb | 6 lb | 12 lb |
Chicken
Chicken to be used in a Large Group Recipe
Unless you’re grilling, in almost ALL cases, the large group chicken-choice should be boneless, skinless thighs. Why is that you ask? Well, let me tell you:
1. Chicken thighs are more tasty than breasts. They have more of that chicken flavor you’re after.
2. Chicken thighs are much less likely to dry out during cooking than breasts.
3. Boneless, skinless thighs are the way to go. Period. They are WAY easier to cook and WAY easier to prepare than bone-in, skin-on thighs. They can be beautifully poached in chicken broth, (as I do in my fabulous chicken salad for a crowd). And this is a HUGE deal. Your alternative to poaching the boneless, skinless thighs is to pan-sauté skin-on chicken on the stove top or bake skin-on chicken in the oven. Neither is good. Don’t EVEN think about processing 150 skin-on chicken pieces on a stove top as it leads to: unsightly and painful grease splatter burns on your wrists, grease splatter in a 4 foot radius of your range top, and more chicken fat renderings than you know what to do with. Just sayin. It’s very messy, and you have to process the chicken after baking. Don’t. Do. It.
Instead, of subjecting yourself (and your happy marriage) to this folly, poach your chicken instead! I’ll choose boneless, skinless thighs poached hands-down anytime.
Costco typically have 5 and 8 pound pouches. Sam’s has a 6 pound pouch. They are frozen individually (very handy) and pretty much trimmed of excess fat (another HUGE time saver when cooking for a crowd). Or you can buy it in case quantities. If your chicken is a component of a recipe, plan on 3 to 4 ounces of chicken per serving. Large quantities of boneless, skinless chicken thighs are very often NOT available at your local supermarket.
If you follow AlohaDreams you know I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs a LOT! They also work GREAT in the slow cooker. Here’s a secret, you generally don’t need to thaw your chicken before putting it in the crockpot.
By the way – This is how much refrigerator or freezer space you’ll need for 245 chicken thighs. Just sayin…
Chicken on the Grill
Grilling chicken? Choose thighs! (Noticing a theme here?) For all the reasons itemized above, thighs are your best choice. Except if you’re grilling, you’ll want bone-in, skin-on thighs. However, let me pass on a HARD WON word of large group chicken grilling caution. If you exceed more than about 30 thighs on a medium size grill, you are very likely to experience a grill fire. Not fun. Especially not fun in the middle of a Princess-theme Girls Camp.
My Huli Huli chicken for a Crowd (a HUGE hit at our last luau for 170 friends and neighbors) is a great choice for a large group. It’s easy and everyone loves it! Another great recipe for a crowd is my Roasted Chicken for a Crowd in Mushroom Cream Sauce (coming soon) was another HUGE hit at our last Fabulous Christmas Feast for 80. By the way, these are both delicious meals for your family and the recipes include family size quantities as well.
Chicken Breasts – if you want a more delicate, subtle chicken option
There are occasions where I do like chicken breast better. For example, in my smaller size chicken salad recipe or in my sautéed chicken breast recipes. However, if you are planning on a whole chicken breast per person, you will have too much. A serving of chicken is 3-4 ounces, about the size of a deck of playing cards or the palm of your hand. Depending on your source, some chicken breasts are twice or even three times the size of a recommended serving. Just cut them on the diagonal into 2 or 3 (3 ounce) servings.
Chicken refrigerator shelf life
- Raw chicken can be kept in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days in the original package. Cooked chicken will keep 2 – 3 days in the refrigerator.
- To maximize the shelf life in the refrigerator, don’t open the original packaging until ready to use.
- Do not leave your raw chicken unrefrigerated more than 2 hours. If you have raw chicken that has set out more than 2 hours – discard it!
Chicken freezer shelf life
- Raw or cooked chicken will keep up to 4 months in the freezer. Although it’s not a safety concern, after 4 months, depending on packaging, the quality of the frozen chicken begins to degrade.
- To maximize the shelf life in the freezer, wrap the original packaging in another layer of freezer paper, plastic wrap or heavy duty aluminum foil and store in large heavy-duty freezer bags.
- Plan on time to thaw in the refrigerator. Raw chicken that has been defrosted in the refrigerator (which is the best way to do it) can be kept for 1 to 2 days in the refrigerator before cooking.
- Raw chicken that was thawed in the microwave or in cold water should be cooked immediately.
Ground Beef
Hamburger
A quarter pound burger (4 ounces) is a bit larger than the recommended 3 ounce serving size. And sometimes restaurant burgers are even 1/3 to 1/2 pound (5 1/3 ounces to 8 ounces).
You should plan on 3 ounces per person if you’re incorporating it with other ingredients or making smaller hamburgers. I would plan on 4 ounces (think a Quarter Pounder burger) for a more substantial burger.
If you are purchasing hamburger in large quantities, it will come in a tube-like package called a chub. The image above is a 10 pound chub. See below for hamburger serving sizes.
Sizes Available
- 1 pound – 4 (4 ounce) to 5 (3 ounce) servings
- 2 pounds – 8 (4 ounce) to 10 (3 ounce) servings
- 3 pounds – 16 (4 ounce) to 20 (3 ounce) servings
- 5 pounds – 24 (4 ounce) to 30 (3 ounce) servings
- 10 pounds (chub) – 48 (4 ounce) to 60 (3 ounce) servings
Hamburger Refrigerator Shelf Life
- Up to 3-4 days in the unopened chub packaging
Hamburger Freezer Shelf Life
- Up to 6 months; no need to re-wrap if freezing in unopened chub packaging. Plan to thaw overnight.
SOURCE: American Meat Institute
Sandwich
Meat Cold Cuts
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
2 1/2 oz | 2 lb | 4 lb | 8 lb |
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
1 oz | 1 lb | 2 lb | 4 lb |
Rolls
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
1 1/2 rolls | 2 doz | 3 doz | 6 doz |
Vegetables
Potatoes & Onions
It’s hard to order potatoes by the pound not knowing how many potatoes you’re getting. This 10 pound bag of potatoes from Sam’s Club:
Side Dishes
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
1 cups | 3 qt | 1 1/2 gal | 3 gal |
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
1/2 cup | 1 1/2 qt | 3 qt | 1 1/2 gal |
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
1/2 cup | 1 1/2 qt | 3 qt | 1 1/2 gal |
Fruit
FRUIT | SIZE | APPROXIMATE YIELD | APPROXIMATE SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
Cantaloupe | 3 lb | 25 (1″) chunks or balls | 9 |
Honeydew | 6 lb | 36 chunks | 9 |
Grapes (seedless) | 1 lb | 12 – 15 clusters | 6 – 8 |
Pineapple | 3-4 lb | 40 chunks | 10 |
Strawberries (large) | 1 lb | 20 – 25 berries | 5 – 6 |
Watermelon | 4 lb | 36 chunks |
FRUIT QUANTITIES NEEDED TO SERVE: | 10 | 25 | 100 |
---|---|---|---|
Cantaloupe – 5 to 6 (1″ chunks) | 1 | 2 | 10 |
Honeydew – 5 to 6 (1″ chunks) | 2 | 5 | 10 |
Grapes (seedless) | x | xxx | xxx |
Pineapple – 5 to 6 (1″ chunks) | xx | xxx | xxx |
Strawberries (large) – 3 berries, halved | x Pints | xx Pints | xxx flats |
Watermelon (large) – 1/4 slice serving (see picture below) | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Watermelon – large
Cut into 8 slices. Cut each slice into 4 quarters to serve 32.
Cover cut watermelon with plastic film and store for up to 3 days in fridge.
Grapes
Grapes – 1 cup serving of grapes is 16 grapes.
Strawberries
Sides
Potato Salad, Chicken Salad, Baked Beans or Coleslaw
The 5 pound container of Potato Salad or this 5 pound container of Baked Beans above typically serves 20 people (4 ounce servings)
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
1/2 cup (4 ounces) (Double to 1 cup if main dish) | 1 1/2 qt | 3 qt | 1 1/2 gal |
Crackers
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
4 crackers | 8 oz | 1 lb | 2 lb |
Desserts
Bars & Cakes
The answer to the question, “How Many People Does A Sheet Cake Feed?” actually lies in the answers to two other questions:
- How big is the sheet cake?
- What size servings will you offer?
In the U.S. there are two “typical” sizes of sheet cake pans.
- Homemade Sheet Cake, 9″ x 13″, serves 13-28
Cut 3 x 6 (roughy 2″ x 3″ pieces) = 18 servings. This is a typical serving size.
Cut 3 x 7 (roughly 2″ x 3″ pieces) = 21 servings
Cut 4 x 6 (roughly 2″ x 2″ pieces) = 24 servings
- Half Sheet Pan (Church size) Sheet Cake, 13″ x 18″, serves
SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
8″ layer cake cut in 2″ wedge = 12 servings | 1 cake | 2 cakes | 4 cakes |
10″ layer cake cut in 2″ wedge = 16 servings |
Refreshments
Nacho Cheese Sauce
How much nachos your guests eat will depend on a lot of factors, such as:
- Percentage of your guests who are men, young men or boys (or me)
- Amount of other food you have
- Temperature (if it’s hot they will eat less)
- A typical serving size of queso dip is 3 tablespoons (2 1/4 ounces of queso), which is about 1/4 cup or 1 ladle-full.
- Even heated, the sauce straight out of the can is far to thick to eat, let alone serve, effectively. You’ll need to thin a (6 pound, a 11 ounce can) can of the sauce down with 3 cups (24 ounces) of water.
- 1 (6 pounds, 11 ounces) can of cheese sauce plus 24 ounces of water has a total weight of 8 pounds 3 ounces – and serves 50 – 60 people.
- On average if you’re feeding 100 people for dance or party, you only need 2 (6 pounds, 11 ounces) cans of cheese sauce each thinned with 24 ounces of water. The most I’d get is 3.
Chips
- A typical serving size is 1 ounce.
- On average if you’re feeding 100 people for dance or party, get 4 (28 ounce) bags of chips.
CHIPS SERVING SIZE | 24 SERVINGS | 100 SERVINGS | 150 SERVINGS | 250 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 ounce (7-8 chips) | 1 (28 ounce) bag | 4 (28 ounce) bags | 6 (28 ounce) bags | 9 (28 ounce) bags |
Dip
DIP SERVING SIZE | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 48 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
2 Tbsp | 1 1/2 cups | 3 cups | 1 1/2 qt |
Drinks
How much beverage and ice your group consumes depends entirely on the size of the cup and on portion control. When I’m serving a meal to a large group I set up 1 or 2 drink stations like the one pictured above. I assign one leader to be in charge of drinks and have them pre-fill the cups 15 minutes prior to serving with ice or with ice and drink. This allows me to control portions and significantly speed up the serving time. I typically plan on 8 ounces of beverage and 4.5 ounces of ice per serving.
Cup Options
If you’re serving pop to a large group at a party or youth dance, you need to plan on 2-3 drinks per person. NOTE: Unless you provide markers and have everyone put their name on their cup, this also means 2-3 cups per person.
These red 18 ounce Member’s Mark Red Plastic Cups at Sam’s are the same as the Solo cups at Wal-Mart. This is a very generous size for serving drinks. If you fill an 18 ounce cup like the one above full of ice, it will hold 8 ounces of beverage and 8,5 ounces of ice. If you fill it 1/2 full of ice it will hold 12 ounces of beverage and 4.5 ounces of ice.
These 12 ounce Member’s Mark Translucent Plastic Cups at Sam’s are another common size for serving beverages to a large group. If you fill a 12 ounce cup like the one above full of ice, it will hold 5 ounces of beverage and 6 ounces of ice. If you fill it 1/2 full of ice it will hold 8 ounces of beverage and 3 ounces of ice.
Pop
- A 2 liter bottle of pop holds 67.6 fluid ounces.
- 13.5 (5 ounce) servings in a 2 liter bottle
- 8 (8 ounce) servings in a 2 liter bottle – This is the typical serving size
- 5.5 (12 ounce) servings in a 2 liter bottle
- On average if you’re feeding 100 people for 1 meal, serving 1 (8 ounce) beverage, you need 12 (2 liter) bottles of pop
POP SERVING SIZE | 6 SERVINGS | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 100 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 cup (8 ounces) | 1 (2 liter) bottle | 1 1/2 (2 liter) bottles | 3 (2 liter) bottles | 12 (2 liter) bottles |
Punch
- 16 (8 ounce) servings in a gallon – This is the typical serving size
- On average if you’re feeding 100 people for 1 meal, serving 1 (8 ounce) beverage, you need 6.5 gallons of punch
PUNCH SERVING SIZE | 6 SERVINGS | 12 SERVINGS | 24 SERVINGS | 100 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 cup (8 ounces) | 1 1/2 qt | 3 qt | 1 1/2 gal | 6 1/2 gal |
Ice
- An 8 pound bag of ice holds 28 (4.5 ounce) servings – this is a typical serving size
- 18 ounce red cup 1/2 full of ice = 4.5 ounces of ice
- 18 ounce red cup full of ice = 8.5 ounces of ice
- 12 ounce clear plastic cup 1/2 full of ice = 3 ounces of ice
- 12 ounce clear plastic cup full of ice = 6 ounces of ice
- On average if you’re feeding 100 people for 3 meals (1 beverage per meal), you need about 85 pounds of ice
ICE SERVING SIZE | 24 SERVINGS | 100 SERVINGS | 150 SERVINGS |
---|---|---|---|
4.5 ounces (1 beverage) | 7 pounds | 28 pounds | 42 pounds |
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