A Simple Way to Calculate Finger Food Quantities For A Party (2024)

FAQs

A Simple Way to Calculate Finger Food Quantities For A Party? ›

Type of Event:

co*cktail Party: For a stand-up co*cktail party where finger foods are the main focus and no other substantial meal is served, plan for 10-12 pieces per person per hour. Mixed Event: If your event includes finger foods as appetisers before a meal, aim for 3-5 pieces per person.

Type of Event:

co*cktail Party: For a stand-up co*cktail party where finger foods are the main focus and no other substantial meal is served, plan for 10-12 pieces per person per hour. Mixed Event: If your event includes finger foods as appetisers before a meal, aim for 3-5 pieces per person.

Rules to Plan By

Each adult will consume 1 pound of food total; children, about 1/2 pound. The more options you have, the less you need of each; decrease the main course portion sizes by 1 to 2 ounces if served on a buffet. Guests will always eat — and drink — more at night than during the day.

Appetizers - For parties where you're only serving appetizers and finger foods, base your estimate on five to eight appetizer bites per person, per hour. If there's a meal included, cut back to four or five per person per hour before the meal. Offer more types of appetizers for a larger crowd.

How many bites per person? If you're hosing 25 -35 guests, plan 3-4 bites per person if a full dinner is to be served afterwards, or 5-7 bites per person if a lighter meal will be served. If you're hosting a party of 50, then you can offer 6 to 9 different items.

Quantity. A good rule of thumb when working with your caterer on just how many hors d'oeuvres to choose is as follows: for 10 – 12 guests a minimum of 5 selections, 25 guests a minimum of 9 selections and for 50 guests, a minimum of 13 selections.

What Does a Typical Catering Tray Feed? Generally, a catering tray can feed 15-20 people. For example, a full tray of chicken breasts should have enough protein for 15-20 people. However, remember that people may choose sides like salads and desserts, which may not factor into this.

Fist = 1 cup

1 hand cupped is equivalent to a 1/2 cup serving. You can use this tool for measuring food items such as pastas, potatoes, nuts, and even ice cream. A Cupped Hand = 1/2 cup The Palm = 3 oz. The palm of your hand can be used to estimate protein intake.

For 40 guests, you may need around 4-5 trays of food, depending on the dish and the serving size.

How many finger sandwiches do I need for a party of 40? ›

Uncover the sandwiches and place on serving platters just before serving. Plan three to four finger sandwiches per person when serving with a salad as a main dish.

A finger buffet meal consists of food which may be picked up with the fingers (finger food), such as small (finger) sandwiches, canapés and vol-au-vents.

Choose at least 3 types of appetizers and serve about 6 servings total per guest (or about 2 servings per guest per type of appetizer). Choose at least one appetizer from the protein, starch, and fresh categories, and remember to consider your guests' allergies and dietary restrictions.

The overall rule that most caterers and party planners use is to calculate a pound of food per person, and a half pound per child. Professionals typically recommend breaking it down further from there: Aim for 2 to 4 ounces of appetizers per person—think 5 to 6 bites.

As a rule of thumb, most guests will consume 8 to 10 bite-size pieces for every 60 to 90 minutes of a party. However, the larger the variety of offerings, the more hors doeuvres that will be consumed because everyone will want to try at least one of each item.

You're supposed to eat hors d'oeuvres before a meal begins, versus appetizers, which are considered part of the meal. Then there is the quantity served, with appetizers being served once to a table, versus hors d'oeuvres being served several at a time.

Plan three to four finger sandwiches per person when serving with a salad as a main dish. If you are incorporating finger sandwiches into an appetizer party menu, you will need one to two of each sandwich per person, depending on the time of day and length of the event.

For a party with 20-25 people, plan on serving approximately 8-10 different food items. Aim for a variety, including appetizers, main dishes, and snacks. Calculate quantities based on the type of event and whether it's a full meal or just light bites.

Full Trays generally serve 25-30 people, half trays, 12-15 people depending on the quantity of other foods served.

As a general rule, ordering 1.5 sandwiches per person is the perfect number. If you're ordering a salad or an accompanying platter, 1 sandwich per person is the preferred portion size.