Planning · 6 min read
How Much Food Do I Need for 20 People?
Cooking for twenty is the point where guessing stops working. These are planning estimates you can adjust to your crowd, your menu and how heavy your sides are.
Start with the number of dishes
The more dishes on the table, the less of each one you need. A plate has limited real estate: with three sides people take a full scoop of each, and with seven sides they take a spoonful.
As a rule of thumb, plan about 1 to 1.25 lbs of total food per adult across the whole menu, not per dish.
Typical per-person side servings
These are cooked-weight estimates for a standard side portion:
- Baked macaroni and cheese: about 1 cup
- Collard greens: about 3/4 cup cooked
- Candied sweet potatoes: about 3/4 cup
- Rice or dressing: about 3/4 cup
- Cornbread: 1 to 2 pieces
Meat quantities
Plan roughly 1/3 to 1/2 lb of boneless cooked meat per adult, or 3/4 to 1 lb for bone-in cuts. Children generally eat about half of an adult portion.
Build in a buffer
Add about 10 percent for a family meal and 20 percent for a holiday where people expect to take plates home. Running out is memorable in the wrong way.