HowMuchIt / Party food
How much food do I need for a party?
Count people, then count per person: appetizer pieces, ounces of each side, a slice of dessert. Children eat about half. The calculator adds it up, and does the pizzas if you order in.
Work out the food for your party
| Food | Amount |
|---|---|
| Appetizers as the meal | about 12 pieces, 5 or 6 kinds |
| Appetizers before a meal | about 6 pieces |
| Side dishes | 2 or 3 dishes, 4 to 5 oz of each |
| Meat as the main, with sides | about 1/3 lb cooked |
| Dessert | 1 slice of cake or pie, or 1 to 2 bars |
| Pizza | a large pizza is 14 in, cut in 8 to 10 slices |
Children count as about half. We count 8 slices per pizza, the low end, so you do not come up short.
Appetizers
When appetizers are the whole meal, plan about 12 pieces per person and offer at least 5 or 6 kinds. When a full meal follows, about 6 pieces is plenty, fewer for a short cocktail hour. Guests eat the most in the first hour and less after, so put the best out early.
The meal, dessert and pizza
Two or three side dishes, up to four, are enough for most party meals, at about 4 to 5 ounces of each per person. With meat as the main and about three sides, about 1/3 pound of cooked meat per person does it. Plan one slice of cake or pie per person, or 1 to 2 brownies or bars. A self-serve buffet needs a little more food than a plated meal, because guests serve themselves bigger portions; a party at lunch or dinner time does too. A large pizza is usually 14 inches, cut into 8 to 10 slices: check with your pizzeria.
Questions people ask
How many appetizers per person?
About 12 if they are the meal, about 6 before a meal.
How many side dishes?
Two or three, up to four, at 4 to 5 ounces each per person.
How many pizzas for 30 people?
At 3 slices each for 30 adults, 90 slices: 12 pizzas of 8 slices.
Good to know
- Count children as about half an adult portion (very young children may eat even less).1,2
- Guests eat more when the party falls at lunch or dinner time, so add to your portions.2,3
- If meat is the main dish with about three sides, plan about 1/3 pound of cooked meat per person.2,4
- Raw meat to buy for a main: about 1/2 pound boneless or 3/4 pound bone-in per adult.1,5
- Heavy appetizers or filling sides mean guests eat less of the main dish; a light starter means they eat more.4,5
- A large pizza is usually 14 inches across.6,7
- Most pizzas are cut into 8 to 10 slices; check the slice count with your pizzeria.6,7
- Plan fewer slices for children than for adults (children eat about half to two-thirds as much).7,8
- If the party is at lunch or dinner time, add a slice or two per person.7,9
- When appetizers are the whole meal, plan about 12 pieces per person.10,11,12
- When a full meal follows, plan far fewer appetizers: about 6 pieces per person, or fewer for a short cocktail hour.10,11,12
- Guests eat the most appetizers in the first hour and fewer in each hour after.12,13
- For an appetizers-only party, offer at least 5 or 6 different kinds.10,11,12
- Two or three side dishes (up to four) are enough for most party meals.14,15
- Plan about 4 to 5 ounces of each side dish per person.15,16,17
- Plan one slice of cake or pie per person.11,14,17
- For bite-size desserts, plan 1 to 2 brownies or bars per person.11,17
- A self-serve buffet needs a little more food than a plated meal, because guests serve themselves larger portions.14,17
How we checked this page
Checked on October 27, 2026. We kept a fact only when two independent publishers agree, and each one is numbered to its sources below. Where sources give different numbers, we keep only what they share. We never write a price. This page was written with an AI assistant and checked against the sources below.
Sources
- Party Planner Serving-Size Calculator; Quantity & Portion Chart of Estimates, The Old Farmer's Almanac
- How Much Meat Per Person? BBQ Planning Guide, Smoked BBQ Source
- Pizza Calculator - Find How Many Pizzas to Order, Inch Calculator
- Brisket Portions Explained: How Much to Serve Per Person, Truth BBQ
- How To Determine The Amount Of Meat Per Person You'll Need For A Dinner Party, The Daily Meal
- Pizza Party Calculator, Omni Calculator
- Pizza Calculator - Find How Many Pizzas to Order, Inch Calculator
- Party Planner Serving-Size Calculator; Quantity & Portion Chart of Estimates, The Old Farmer's Almanac
- How Much Meat Per Person? BBQ Planning Guide, Smoked BBQ Source
- Creating an Appetizer Menu, America's Test Kitchen
- Cooking For Crowds For Dummies Cheat Sheet, Dummies (John Wiley & Sons)
- Appetizers To Serve Per Person?, What's Cooking America
- Hors D'oeuvres (catering menu), Washington State University Dining Services and Catering
- Party Planner Serving-Size Calculator; Quantity & Portion Chart of Estimates, The Old Farmer's Almanac
- How Much Food to Bring to a Potluck: A Portion Guide, Grasshopper SignUp
- How to Figure Out How Much Food You Need for a Party, Napoleon (grills)
- A Guide to Catering Portion Sizes, WebstaurantStore