Anyone have a good way of determining how much food to prepare for a party of 300 people?

Question

Planning a graduation party for 300 people. I need to know how much food to prepare. Any help would be great.

Answer 1

Betty Crocker and Better Homes & Gardens will have charts in their basic cookbooks (and maybe on-line) .....I have a chart in the back of another cookbook of mine too - and here are some examples for 300:

75 lbs. of hot dogs; 105 lbs. of hamburger meat; 13-1/2 gal. of potato salad; 6 lbs and 18 gal of water for coffee;  450 lbs. of watermelon (!); 6 12x20" sheet cakes.......

Answer 2

get it catered...

Answer 3

Work out how much one person would want and multiply by 300

Answer 4

a whole lot

Answer 5

Not knowing how many are children and what your preference is for food choices.  I would calculate as follows:

Used to be in catering.

Hamburgers -  1 per person = 300

Hot dogs  - 1.5 per person = 450 (some will eat two)

Potato salad - 1 serving = 4 oz x 300 = 1200 oz = 9.5 gallons

For each salad calculate approximately 9 gallons - 3 would be a good amount.  

Cake - 2 full sheet cakes, one chocolate, one vanilla

Chips - 25 large bags, a variety of dips

12 large trays

Veggie - 1 serve 25 people

Fruit and cheese 1 serves 25 people

Drinks, depends if you are serving alcohol.  3-4 drinks per person

Several cases of soda

Answer 6

I was in the catering business for over 20 years, if it is a buffet like heavy orderv'es i.e. sweedish meatballs, open face tenderloin sandwich (bite size) hot dips and chips fruit trays.....you usaually assume 3-4 bites per dish per person, if it is a sit down meal usually 1/2 # meat per person 1/2 cup of vegis ect. and if it is self serve and alot of men double that!!