Portion Size Calculator
Calculate how much food to prepare for a group, by meal type, appetite level and number of people.
Enter quantities in grams per person that you plan to serve:
Disclaimer. Portion recommendations are general catering guidelines based on typical appetite levels, not a guarantee that you will have exactly enough or too much food. Actual needs vary by guest appetite, other dishes served, and event duration. Adjust quantities based on your own knowledge of your guests. Read full disclaimer →
About the Portion Size Calculator
This tool calculates the total amount of food to prepare for a group, based on the number of people, the type of meal, and the appetite/occasion level. You enter target grams-per-person for protein, carbs/grains, vegetables, and sauces/extras; the tool then applies a multiplier based on your meal type (Main Course, Side Dish, Starter, Dessert, or Buffet/Party) and appetite level (Light, Standard, Hearty), and multiplies the result by your number of guests to give category totals and an overall weight of food needed.
The multipliers reflect how much less food is typically needed for side dishes, starters and desserts compared to a full main course -- for example, a side dish at "standard" appetite uses 80% of the main-course baseline, while a starter at the same appetite level uses only 70%. Buffet/party planning uses its own multiplier set since guests typically take smaller portions across a wider variety of dishes than they would from a single plated main course. These are planning guidelines based on typical catering rules of thumb, not a substitute for knowing your specific guests' appetites.