How much buffet food for 30 people

With veggies, estimate about eight to ten pieces per person. Have plenty of dip available as well. Desserts - It's best to offer desserts as single servings, so you can easily calculate how many you need.

Have some extras on hand for big eaters or those with a particularly sweet tooth. One 9" layer cake will serve 10 to 12 people; one 9" pie will serve 6 to 8. Appetizer Amounts for a Three Hour Party A three hour party is a good place to start; if your party will be longer, change the calculations to accommodate the additional time. Food for Dinner Parties Plan for a main dish chicken, turkey, beef, pork, ham, or casserole plus salads, sides, desserts, and drinks.

Food Up to 10 guests Whole chicken 2 4-pound 4 4-pound 6 4-pound 8 4-pound 10 4-pound Whole turkey 1 pound 2 pound 3 pound 4 pound 5 pound Boneless beef roast 5 pounds 10 pounds 15 pounds 20 pounds 25 pounds Pork roast or ham 5 pounds 10 pounds 15 pounds 20 pounds 25 pounds Casseroles 2 13x9" 3 13x9" 4 13x9" 5 13x9" 7 13x9" Side dishes 5 cups 10 cups 15 cups 20 cups 25 cups Green salad 10 cups 20 cups 30 cups 40 cups 50 cups Fruit salad 5 cups 10 cups 15 cups 20 cups 25 cups Rolls or bread slices 20 pieces 40 pieces 60 pieces 80 pieces pieces Cakes 1 layer cake 2 layer cakes 3 layer cakes 4 layer cakes 5 layer cakes Cookies 20 40 60 80 Pies 2 3 4 5 7 Wine 3 bottles 5 bottles 7 bottles 9 bottles 11 bottles.

Dessert Party Foods Desserts can be the star of the party, so be sure you have enough so everyone ends on a sweet note! Food Calculation Tips Follow quick tips to help you decide how much food you'll need: Always err on the side of too much food.

It's much easier to take home some leftovers or send them home with your guests than to let people go home hungry. Include both "heavy" and light options. Some people will be hungrier than others, so offering more substantial food items will allow them to fill up without consuming more of each dish.

If you think a certain dish will be very popular, plan to make or purchase extras. Be wary of suggested serving sizes on packaged foods. Keep in mind whether the servings will be meal or snack-sized and then determine yourself how many servings are in each package. Considerations to Factor In The number of guests is the most important factor, but there are a few other considerations, too. Time of Day for the Party The time of day dictates the types of food you'll serve.

Cheese and Crackers Platter : Serve assorted cheeses with crackers, digestive biscuits, chutneys, and fruit. Fruit and Cheese Platter : seasonal fruits with a selection of cheeses; serve with bread and crackers. Mediterranean Platter : falafel, quinoa, tabbouleh, hummus, pita bread, pesto drizzled feta, tzatziki. Sandwich Platter : a series of pre-made sandwiches in a wide variety of options. Keep presentation in mind when designing platters. You want to make everything look attractive and appealing.

Vary your colour choice too as it will not only look beautiful, but it will also provide a nutritionally varied meal for your guests. For a complete breakdown for buffet and table service portions, see our various charts.

Pork Chops. Chicken, pieces with bone-in. Chicken, boneless, skinless, cut-up for casserole, soup, stew etc. Turkey, whole, to roast. Ham, bone-in, to bake.

Purchased ready to eat. Sausage, links i. Pork, Polish, Knockwurst or other variety sausages. Hamburgers, ground beef or mixture of ground meats. Ground Meat, beef, turkey, pork, veal for meat sauce, lasagna, tacos, casseroles, etc. Beef, Ham, Turkey, deli sliced. Pickles, whole, dill or sweet. Olives , ripe, whole or pitted. Salad dressing, self serve. Jelly, jam preserves,. Crabs , whole, steamed, boiled in shell. Fish, Fillets and steaks, fresh or frozen.

Shrimp, raw in shell any size. Cooked packaged frozen variety. Sea Scallops , fresh or frozen. Crabmeat, lobster meat, squid , cooked, canned or packaged. Mussels, Oysters, Clams, in shell. Potatoes , red, white, Yukon gold, Russet or sweet; mashed, scalloped, au gratin, salads. Plan a menu that can be eaten standing up with a plate and a fork. If you hire a caterer, ask for delivery 2 to 4 hours before the event to give you plenty of time to set up everything.

Serve wines or pre-made cocktails. I often serve a pitcher of vodka and cranberry. On the drink station, simply place in sight the bottles or cocktail pitchers, the glasses, the ice bucket, and a corkscrew. Let the guests serve themselves. Assume that people will gather in the kitchen and next to the buffet table. Leave room for people to move around. Plan your space and food and drink stations accordingly.

Whenever happens, keep smiling. You and your guests are there to have fun. If you forget to serve something, do not worry about it. Let it go and continue with the rest. My Menu I received compliments all night for the food.