quantities

Hi!  We will be hosting a graduation party for my oldest son in June.  We're having it at a park and are expecting between 100-150 people.  The menu is simple:  hamburgers, hot dogs, baked beans, potata salad, veggie trays, cake, potato chips, pretzels, water, soft drinks and of course the hamburger toppings.  Can anyone give me any suggestions of the quantities I will need?  Especially the baked beans and potato salad.  Thanks!

My advice is not first hand; I've never fed that large of a group.  But have you called a grocery store that has a deli/does catering?  They may be able to tell you have many pounds of an item they would have for a certain size group.  "serving size" on a baked beans can may say 1/2cup.  I'd err a little on the high side knowing that some people may not eat baked beans at all and have just chips, buth that some will have a pretty big serving of baked beans and not take any of the other side dishes. 

Good luck, and congratulations to the graduate!

Thank you!  I hadn't thought of that, but I'll try it!  And thanks for the congrats!

chryllynn:

Portion Control

• Count on 3 drinks per guest.
  
• Provide guests with non-alcoholic drink choices.
  
• Assume some of your guests will be vegetarians.
  
• Count on 4 to 6 hors d'oeuvres per person if you're serving a meal. If you're just serving hors d'oeuvres with cocktails, the amount goes up to 12 pieces per person.
  
• A portion of meat per person is 1/4 to 1/3 pound.
  
• A portion of vegetables, rice, pasta or salad is 1/2 cup.
  
• A 9-inch pie or tart (after a large meal) will serve 8 to 10.
  
• Always prepare a selection of items that can be served at room temperature. That way you don't have to worry that your hot entree will be getting cold, or your cold dessert will be melting.

Best wishes for a great celebration!

Thank you!  This is very helpful!  We won't be serving alcohol, so that won't be a problem. : )  I'm already stocking up on soft drinks and we'll have tea and lemonade, too! 

another thing to consider- are there other parties that the guest will be attending?  If so, then they will jsut be taking small portions and "tasting".  We had way too much food leftover since everyone had lots of parties to go to.  also, if you run out of potatoe salad, just take the bowl away, no one will know they missed it, esp with so much other food.

Good luck and have a great day.

There's a site, Frank's recipes, on line.  I'm pretty sure if you type in Frank's recipes in either google or ask.com  you'll be directed to the correct site.  I believe he is a Canadian cook.  There is a ton of information on a wide variety of subjects, including cooking for a crowd.  Also, there are cook books that have a chapter or section on how much food should serve people.  If Frank's site doesn't show up...just type in cooking for a crowd.  There is also a wide range of appetities - if you're feeding a lot of teenage boys...they're going to eat more than the average adult!  Or, if you're in an area that has a lot of open houses on the same day for the local graduates, they can be going from one party to the next & won't be eating as much at every house, so that may make a big difference too.

Thank you all!  I will check out Frank's website and try to find out how many other parties are going on that day! 

Congrats! You may want to be careful putting out potato salad for a length of time (outside in June). You may have to keep it covered and on ice so it doesn't spoil.  I errored on the side of caution and made garlic salt potatoes for my sons party a few years ago. It was a lot easier too. I cooked 30 pounds of small potatoes for 100 people and served it in my roaster with butter and garlic, and we had plenty.( It stays warm for a while, and people loved them even when they got cold!). You could also use regular size potatoes and quarter them, but they tend to break apart when you stir them. As far as drinks go, don't forget the bottled water! I ran out! I had gallon jugs of water also, but everyone wanted the bottles so they could drink some, re-cap it, then go back to playing football, volleyball, etc. ( I had cases of soda left over). The number of drinks per person may depend on the weather (how hot or cold it is) and how long your party is. I hope this helped you. When I had my son's party, I didn't have the internet and it was all tial and error. My youngest graduates this year so I'm using some of these tips and websites, along with some experience this time! Good Luck!!

Dnolan,  Congrats on your last one graduating!  I'm praying for good weather on the 7th and hope you have the same!  I had thought about the potato salad and we're going to set the containers in larger containers with ice in them.  Also, we had planned on the bottled water b/c that's what DH and I drink and there's never enough.  Glad you mentioned that though for others!  Good luck with your party, too!

Blessed