Prepare up to eight appetizer items per person, depending on the length of the party.
Knowing how much food to fix for a party is part math, part experience. If you've thrown parties with many of the same attendees before, then you have an idea of how much they eat and drink. If you have new people coming, then you may have to rely on approximations to make sure you can provide enough food and drink. Consider not only the number of guests, but also their ages (children eat less), dietary needs and whether they will all drink alcohol.
Instructions
1. In general, plan on preparing 1 pound of food person outside of drinks and dessert, according to greatpartyrecipes.com. Some guests will eat more, others less.
2. For appetizers, figure five items per person for the first hour, three per hour thereafter.
3. For the main meal, plan on an average of 5 oz. of meat, poultry or fish per person. For side dishes and salads, plan for 4 to 6 oz. per person.
4. For dessert, plan on 6 oz. per person.
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