Planning the perfect function takes a lot of time, careful consideration and organisation. For many the task of organising an event can seem extremely stressful and daunting, but with the right tools the process can actually be a very exciting one.
One of the most important questions asked when planning a function is how much food you’ll need to cater for everyone. Over catering can end up running your budget too high – not to mention the waste of food, and under catering can lead to unsatisfied guests. Events that offer catered for food and buffet options often have higher expectations, so how do you make sure everyone is content? Here’s a few tips for getting the quantity right at your next function to ensure your guests are feeling full and happy!
1. The Importance of Good Preparation
Good prep is absolutely essential for a smooth running event and the right amounts of food. Before you begin, you’ll need to consider where the event will take place and how many people can fit into that space. Knowing how many people will be expected at your function will help to decipher exactly what type of buffet you’re going to run, for example: a fork buffet may be more practical for large crowds rather than finger food.
Other vital prep tools include how much space you will have to store the food and the type of food you wish to serve. The time of your event is a big indicator on what buffet options your guests may expect too and the longer your guests stay, the more they’ll consume as they are more likely to get hungry and thirsty all over again.
Additional points to consider for good preparation include:
• The length of the event.
• Type of food you want to serve, including hot or cold food.
• Know your guest profile including age bracket of people attending the event. Older groups tend to prefer a milder menu whereas younger guests opt for more variety.
• Anticipate for special diet needs or restrictions where possible.
• Don’t forget to take food safety into consideration too.
2. Appetisers
Appetisers can make the perfect pre-dinner snack or work well for an evening function that doesn’t require a full dinner buffet. If you’re serving appetiser before a buffet dinner make sure you only choose lighter options and allow for about 3-5 pieces per person. If you’re having a larger variety of food options, it’s best to serve them in smaller bite-sized portions – this way, guests can try a little bit of everything and tend to feel more satisfied by doing so.
For events with no dinner buffet planned, you can afford to have appetisers that are more substantial to complement beverages. If you’re serving the appetisers as a buffet style, it’s better to round up so plan at least 10-15 pieces per person. Buffet style appetisers will be more practical for larger groups of people.
3. Catering Quantities for a Breakfast Event
A breakfast event is renowned for fresh juices and coffee, complete with croissants and other pastry delights. As far as buffets go, breakfast tends to be a bit easier for catering quantities than a dinner buffet. A breakfast buffet should include a main entrée with two sides, one of them to be bread. Another side suggestion is fruit and you would aim for about 3-5 pieces per guest.
Usually attendees will drink 2-3 beverages on average, whether it be coffee juice or tea so ensure you have a few options available. Plan to serve 2 pieces of pastry per person as either a breakfast dessert or alongside the main entrée.
A good point to note, for both breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets is to not multiple everything by the number of people attending the event. You’ll find that the more guests you have, the less they tend to eat as there’s more mingling and networking encouraged. For example, catering quantities for a breakfast or dinner buffet for 50 attendees you would look at feeding only 45 and 100 attendees would only be about 90.
4. Cater Quantities for a Lunch Event
Similar to the breakfast buffet, a main entrée should be provided to guests at a lunch event. Ideally, 2-3 sides would need to be incorporated, including a starch side (bread or something fairly filling) and a small dessert. Chips, crackers, vegies and various dips are all inexpensive fill-ins to have as a backup if you find your guests are getting more peckish too.
If you do decide to include bite-sized sandwiches or baguettes for a lunch buffet too, allow for 1-2 per person. Fresh fruit platters are perfect for a lunch buffet side or as a dessert too, and like a breakfast buffet you can allow for 3-5 pieces per guest.
5. Dinner and Desserts
Dinner buffets tend to be more filling than other buffets so include the essentials – meat, fish, vegetables, potatoes, rice (or any grains) and cheese. The buffet should include enough for a main entrée for guests, with 2-3 sides per person. Smaller portions of breads, salads and soups can act as great fillers too.
As with breakfast and lunch buffets, dinner buffets should include a choice of dessert and a variety of beverages. Prepare for 1-3 dessert servings per guest and use options likes cakes, pastries, something creamy like a chocolate mousse and fresh fruit.
A great rule of thumb is whenever you’re planning an event buffet, always bulk up on items like potatoes, bread and salads if you’re ever worried about running out. These options are great for fillers and work out inexpensive too. By having a better idea on the best catering quantities to use and taking good food preparation into consideration, your next function is bound to be a success.
5 Sample Buffet Menus
Here are 10 sample buffet menus with approximate quantities for 30 people.
Breakfast Buffet
Assorted pastries:
- Croissants: 60 pieces
- Danish pastries: 60 pieces
- Muffins (blueberry, chocolate chip, and bran): 90 pieces (30 of each flavor)
Fresh fruit platter:
- Sliced melons: 15 lbs
- Pineapple chunks: 10 lbs
- Grapes: 10 lbs
- Berries: 10 lbs (mixed)
Yogurt parfait station:
- Greek yogurt: 6 quarts
- Granola: 3 lbs
- Honey: 2 quarts
- Mixed berries: 6 lbs
Hot breakfast options:
- Scrambled eggs: 12 dozen eggs
- Crispy bacon: 10 lbs
- Breakfast sausages: 10 lbs
- Hash browns: 10 lbs
Beverages:
- Freshly squeezed orange juice: 3 gallons
- Apple juice: 3 gallons
- Coffee (regular and decaf): 2 gallons each
- Assorted teas: 60 tea bags
Cold Buffet
Appetizers:
- Fresh fruit skewers with yogurt dip: 90 skewers, 2 quarts of yogurt dip
- Assorted cheese platter with crackers: 8 lbs of cheese, 6 lbs of crackers
- Smoked salmon crostini with dill cream cheese: 90 pieces
- Caprese skewers with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil: 90 skewers
Salads:
- Classic Caesar salad with garlic croutons: 6 lbs of romaine lettuce, 4 cups of croutons, 1 quart of Caesar dressing
- Greek salad with feta cheese, olives, and cucumber: 6 lbs of salad, 2 lbs of feta, 2 lbs of olives
- Quinoa salad with roasted vegetables and lemon vinaigrette: 6 lbs of quinoa, 6 lbs of roasted vegetables
Beverages:
- Sparkling water with lemon and lime wedges: 6 liters, 12 lemons, 12 limes
- Fruit-infused iced tea: 6 gallons
- Assorted fruit juices: 6 gallons
Entrees:
- Potato Salad: 12 lbs
- Pasta Salad: 12 lbs
- Coleslaw: 9 lbs
Desserts:
- Mini fruit tarts with pastry cream: 90 pieces
- Lemon bars with powdered sugar: 90 pieces
- Chocolate-dipped strawberries: 120 pieces
- Assorted mini cheesecakes: 90 pieces
Vegetarian Buffet
Appetizers:
- Stuffed mushrooms with cream cheese and herbs: 90 pieces
- Spinach and feta cheese phyllo triangles: 90 pieces
- Caprese skewers with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella balls, and basil leaves: 90 skewers
Salads:
- Mixed green salad with cherry tomatoes, cucumber, and balsamic vinaigrette: 6 lbs of greens, 3 pints cherry tomatoes, 3 cucumbers
- Quinoa salad with roasted vegetables and lemon-tahini dressing: 6 lbs quinoa, 6 lbs roasted vegetables
- Greek salad with feta cheese, olives, and red onion: 6 lbs salad, 2 lbs feta, 2 lbs olives
Main Courses:
- Vegetable stir-fry with tofu in a ginger-soy sauce: 9 lbs tofu, 12 lbs vegetables
- Eggplant Parmesan with marinara sauce and melted mozzarella cheese: 9 lbs eggplant, 6 lbs mozzarella, 1 gallon marinara sauce
- Lentil curry with basmati rice: 6 lbs lentils, 9 lbs rice
Sides:
- Garlic roasted potatoes: 12 lbs
- Grilled asparagus with lemon zest: 12 lbs
- Steamed broccoli with a squeeze of lemon: 9 lbs
Breads:
- Assorted artisan bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar for dipping: 10 loaves, 3 cups olive oil, 1 cup balsamic vinegar
Desserts:
- Fresh fruit platter: 12 lbs mixed fruit
- Chocolate-dipped strawberries: 120 pieces
- Assorted mini cheesecakes: 90 pieces
Economical Buffet
Appetizers:
- Crudité platter with dip: 6 lbs of vegetables, 3 quarts of dip
- Deviled eggs: 90 halves (45 eggs)
- Bruschetta with tomato and basil: 60 pieces
- Fried mozzarella sticks: 90 sticks
Sides:
- Garden salad with dressing: 6 quarts of salad, 2 quarts of dressing
- Steamed vegetables: 10 lbs
- Garlic bread: 60 slices
- Potato chips: 5 lbs
Beverages:
- Lemonade and iced tea: 3 gallons each
- Soda and bottled water: 60 bottles
Entrees:
- Baked ziti with marinara sauce: 10 lbs
- Grilled chicken breasts with BBQ sauce: 12 lbs (30 pieces)
- Vegetarian chili with cornbread: 8 quarts of chili, 60 pieces of cornbread
- Mini hot dogs with toppings bar: 60 mini hot dogs, 3 quarts of each topping (e.g., relish, ketchup, mustard, onions)
Desserts:
- Brownies: 60 pieces
- Rice Krispie treats: 60 pieces
- Chocolate chip cookies: 120 cookies
- Ice cream sundae bar: 6 quarts of ice cream, 3 quarts assorted toppings
Office Lunch Buffet
Appetizers:
- Spinach and artichoke dip with pita chips: 4 quarts of dip, 180 chips
- Caprese skewers with cherry tomatoes, mozzarella, and basil: 90 skewers
Sides:
- Mixed green salad with balsamic vinaigrette: 9 lbs
- Roasted vegetable medley: 12 lbs
Main Course:
- Grilled chicken wraps (with assorted veggies and sauces): 90 pieces
- Penne pasta with Alfredo and marinara sauces: 12 lbs
Desserts:
- Assorted cookies: 90 pieces
- Fresh fruit platter: 12 lbs
Beverages:
- Iced tea and soda: 5 gallons each
- Coffee and tea: 5 gallons
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