How Much Meat Do You Need Per Guest?

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Figure out how much meat per person to serve at a dinner or gathering
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Food really does bring people together! But when it comes to feeding a small or large crowd, how do you know how much meat to serve? Ordering or preparing enough meat is crucial to ensuring your guests have full stomachs. To help out, we put together a guide to help you determine how many pounds (or ounces) of meat to serve per person. Read on to learn how much beef, chicken, pork, and other meats are needed for any event.

Keep in mind that the portion sizes described below are only estimates to help guide you.

How Much Meat to Serve Per Person

As a general rule of thumb, for buffets and plated dinners, aim to serve at least 1 ⁄ 2  lb (8.0 oz) of meat per person if the meat is the main dish. If the meat is only a component of the dish, plan to serve around 1 ⁄ 4  lb (4.0 oz) of meat per person.

Section 1 of 3:

What’s the right amount of meat to serve per person?

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  1. Estimating how much meat to serve for dinner or an event doesn’t have to be rocket science! Just stick to the general rule that you typically want to serve at least 1 ⁄ 2  lb (8.0 oz) of meat per person if the meat is the main focus of the dish. [1] If meat is simply a component of the dish, stick with around 1 ⁄ 4  lb (4.0 oz) or 1 ⁄ 3  lb (5.3 oz) per person.
    • For example, a steak dinner or Thanksgiving feast would include 1 ⁄ 2  lb (8.0 oz) of steak or turkey per person because the meat is the focus of the meal.
    • If you’re having spaghetti and meatballs, aim to have 1 ⁄ 4  lb (4.0 oz) of meatballs per person.
    • For buffet-style meals, aim to have more meat than you would with a plated dinner to accommodate for larger appetites.
    • Now, this doesn’t include leftovers, so make a little extra if you enjoy having extra meals handy.
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Section 2 of 3:

How Much Meat Do You Need

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Meat Amount Per Person
Meat Serving Per Person Guide
Beef filet ½ pound or 8 ounces
Bone-in beef ¾ pound or 12 ounces
Ground beef ⅓ pound or 5.3 ounces
Pulled pork ⅓ pound or 5.3 ounces [2]
Pork chops ½ pound or 8 ounces
Lamb chops ½ pound or 8 ounces
Chicken breasts ½ pound or 8 ounces
Chicken wings ½ pound or 8 ounces
Fish filet ¼ pound or 4 ounces
Boneless ham ¼ pound or 4 ounces [3]
Bone-in ham ⅓ pound or 5.3 ounces
  1. Aim to have at least 1 ⁄ 2 to 3 ⁄ 4  lb (8.0 to 12.0 oz) of meat per person for large barbecue style events. Whether you’re serving ribs, pulled pork, chicken, hot dogs, or burgers, make sure you have enough variety for everyone. [4]
    • It’s always better to have more food than not enough, so order or make more rather than less.
    • Bulk up your BBQ food options with delicious sides, like mac and cheese, corn on the cob, and coleslaw. [5]
    • Keep in mind that fattier meats shrink when cooked. For instance, beef brisket loses half its weight once cooked, so 1 ⁄ 2  lb (8.0 oz) of meat quickly turns to 1 ⁄ 4  lb (4.0 oz). Accommodate for this by buying 25% more meat than you think you’ll need. [6]
  2. A typical taco uses about 1 ⁄ 8 pound (2.0 oz) of meat. So, to determine how much meat you’ll need per person, figure out how many tacos everyone will eat. Adults usually eat 2 to 3 tacos each with kids eating between 1 and 2. Multiply the number of tacos by the number of guests, then multiply that number by 2 ounces. [7]
    • For example, say you’re serving 5 adults who’ll likely eat 3 tacos each. 5 x 3 is 15, and 15 x 2 is 30. This means you’ll need roughly 30 oz (1.9 lb) of meat for the entire meal.
    • Remember, meat can shrink once it’s cooked, especially when cooked at higher temperatures. [8] Aim to purchase 25% more meat than you think you’ll need to accommodate. [9]
  3. If you’re serving up some classic cold cuts or lunch meats, the general rule is to serve 6 oz (0.38 lb) of meat per person. This is enough to make 1 sandwich per person. [10] If you’re serving a large crowd, multiply the number of people by 6 to find out how many ounces of lunch meat you’ll need in total.
    • For instance, say you’re hosting a luncheon with 25 guests. 25 x 6 is 150, so you’ll need 150 oz (9.4 lb) of lunch meat in total.
    • Consider dividing the 6 oz (0.38 lb) portion size between 2 or 3 types of deli meats. This way, people can get a variety of meats on their sandwiches, like turkey, chicken, and ham.
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Section 3 of 3:

What to Know About Serving Portions

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  1. In order to figure out how much meat to serve, you need to know how many people you’re feeding. [11] Whether you’re making dinner for the family or hosting a backyard BBQ, this is important! Do a headcount or rough estimate of how many people you think will be there. Then, multiply that number by the ounces or pounds of meat you’ll eat.
    • For example, say you’re hosting a dinner party with 10 guests. If pork chops are the main dish, you’ll multiply 8 ounces by 10, giving you 80 ounces. This means you’ll need 5 pounds or 80 ounces of meat in total to serve everyone.
    EXPERT TIP

    Stefanie Chu-Leong

    Professional Event Planner
    Stefanie Chu-Leong is the Owner and Senior Event Planner for Stellify Events, an event management business based in the San Francisco Bay Area and California Central Valley. Stefanie has over 15 years of event planning experience and specializes in large-scale events and special occasions. She has a BA in Marketing from San Francisco State University.
    Stefanie Chu-Leong
    Professional Event Planner

    Make a list to help you organize your event. Write down the number of guests coming and what will be on the menu. Separate your list into categories by main dish, appetizers, desserts, etc. to ensure you have enough food for everyone.

  2. Is your event serving primarily adults, children, or elderly folk? Knowing who you’ll be feeding can help you determine portion sizes, as age can play a big part in appetite and overall likes and dislikes.
    • Say you’re hosting an event for a teenage boy’s birthday party. You’ll likely want to serve more meat than you would when entertaining elders, as teenagers tend to have a bigger appetite.
    • As another example, if your guests are mostly kids, you might want to stick with more crowd-pleasing and simple meats, like drumsticks, hot dogs, and burgers.
  3. Whether you’re serving bone-in or boneless meat can play a part in portion sizes. Bone-in meat typically weighs more than boneless meat, thanks to the bone. Because of this, it’s important to factor in that you’ll need more meat if you serve bone-in cuts rather than something boneless.
    • For example, you usually need 1 ⁄ 2  lb (8.0 oz) of bone-in ham per person but only 1 ⁄ 3  lb (5.3 oz) if it’s boneless. [12]
  4. The style of event you’re hosting can help determine how much meat to serve. More casual events, like backyard BBQs or friend gatherings, can have a variety of meats and sides, making the portions not too strict. More formal events, like weddings, likely require a stricter menu with exact portion serving sizes. [13]
  5. Who you’ll serve can affect how much and what type of food to serve. If you know your guests have bigger appetites, aim to serve a few extra portions of meat. Similarly, if you know some guests prefer chicken over beef, ensure there’s a variety of meat options to choose from. [14]
    • Knowing who’s attending not only helps with portion sizes and preferences, but it can also help you order or serve anything that’s suitable for allergies. [15]
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.macbeths.com/recipes-guides/cooking-guides/weight-meat-order/
      2. ↑ https://www.bhg.com/recipes/grilling/how-much-meat-per-person-for-bbq/
      3. ↑ https://ask.usda.gov/s/article/How-much-ham-should-you-buy-per-person
      4. ↑ https://amazingribs.com/technique-and-science/party-planning/
      5. ↑ https://www.bhg.com/recipes/grilling/how-much-meat-per-person-for-bbq/
      6. ↑ https://otaokitchen.com.au/blog/learning/how-to-work-out-meat-shrinkage-or-yield-when-cooking-b224.html
      7. ↑ https://www.mykitchenescapades.com/ground-beef-per-person-for-tacos/
      8. ↑ https://www.fsis.usda.gov/food-safety/safe-food-handling-and-preparation/meat/ground-beef-and-food-safety
      9. ↑ https://otaokitchen.com.au/blog/learning/how-to-work-out-meat-shrinkage-or-yield-when-cooking-b224.html
      1. ↑ https://mortadellahead.com/making-cold-cut-platter/
      2. ↑ https://tonysdelipa.com/2022/05/how-much-deli-meat-should-i-order/
      3. ↑ https://food52.com/blog/26054-how-much-ham-per-person
      4. ↑ https://www.ezcater.com/downloads/15-catering-tips.pdf
      5. ↑ https://lilliesq.com/blogs/blog/how-much-bbq-to-cook-per-person-at-your-next-event
      6. ↑ https://www.eatpureroots.com/blog/office-catering-tips-how-to-order-corporate-catering
      7. ↑ https://www.ezcater.com/downloads/15-catering-tips.pdf

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