Party food calculator
How much food to make or order: canapés, main course, sides, bread, dessert and cake servings, scaled to your guests and the kind of party.
Style of food
Two mains, three sides, bread and dessert. People take a bit more at a buffet.
Units
| Canapés / starters | 174 pieces |
| Main 1 (cooked) | 7.5 kg |
| Main 2 (cooked) | 6.4 kg |
| Sides (3 dishes total) | 17.9 kg |
| Salad leaves | 2.3 kg |
| Bread | 87 rolls |
| Desserts | 70 servings |
| Cake servings | 60 (≈ 30 cm / 12 in round) |
Rules of thumb caterers use
- Canapés before a meal: 4 to 6 pieces per person for the first hour.
- Canapés instead of a meal: 10 to 15 pieces per person across the evening, with some substantial “bowl food”.
- Main protein: 170–225 g (6–8 oz) cooked per adult for a sit-down meal; a little less at a buffet with several mains.
- Sides: about 115 g (4 oz) of each side per person, or around 280 g (10 oz) in total across three sides.
- Dessert: one serving each, plus cake. A 25 cm (10 in) round cake gives around 40 “party” slices, or roughly 38 finger portions at a wedding.
Children under twelve usually eat about half an adult portion. Leftovers are cheaper than running out, so round up; the calculator already adds a small buffer. Pair this with the drink calculator and send invitations with the party invitation maker.
Questions people ask
How much food do I need per person at a party?
For a sit-down meal, about 170–225 g (6–8 oz) of cooked protein, 280 g (10 oz) of sides, bread and a dessert per adult, plus 4 to 6 canapés beforehand. For canapés only, allow 10 to 15 pieces per person.
How many canapés per person?
4 to 6 per person for an hour before a meal; 10 to 15 per person if the canapés replace the meal.
How big a cake do I need?
A 20 cm (8 in) round serves about 20 party slices, a 25 cm (10 in) about 40, and a 30 cm (12 in) about 56. Wedding finger portions are smaller.