Are you in the catering business? If so, you know that serving the right catering portions of your dishes is key to keeping your guests happy and satisfied. But calculating catering portions can be challenging, especially if you’re new to the game or catering to a large group.
That’s why we’ve created this guide to help you out. We’ll provide you with a quick and easy method for calculating portions that will make your life easier and reduce waste. You’ll learn how to calculate the number of ingredients needed, how to determine the number of dishes needed, and how to adjust portions based on your event’s size.
So whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this guide is a must-read for anyone in the catering business. Let’s get started!
4 Quick and Easy Methods for Calculating Portions for Your Catering Business
1. Using standard serving sizes
If you’re looking to provide your guests with a satisfying meal at an event, it’s important to have a good grasp of portion control. Thankfully, the USDA has established standard serving sizes to make this task a bit easier for you.
By using these guidelines, you can determine the appropriate amount of food to serve per dish and the total number of dishes needed for your event. Not only does this prevent you from under or overestimating the amount of food required, but it also ensures that your guests receive the right amount of nutrition for a satisfying meal.
So, keep these standard serving sizes in mind when planning your catering event, and you’ll be sure to impress your guests with the quality and quantity of your dishes.
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2. Using a serving calculator
When it comes to catering events, calculating the appropriate portions can be a daunting task. But fret not, because there’s an easy solution to this problem – recipe and food costing calculators (or serving calculators).
These nifty tools can be found on various catering software such as Flex Catering, and are designed to take into account important factors like the number of guests and type of event. It also lets you input the exact ingredient amount per dish/portion. By simply inputting these details, you’ll be provided with the accurate amount of ingredients to fulfill the event’s dishes.
Using a serving calculator saves you time and effort in planning and preparing for your event. Plus, you’ll have the peace of mind that comes with knowing you’ll have enough food to satisfy all of your guests. So, next time you’re planning a catering event, be sure to use a serving calculator and make the task of portion control a breeze.
3. Using the plate method
When it comes to planning a catering event, ensuring a balanced and nutritious meal for your guests is essential. Luckily, the plate method provides a quick and easy way to calculate the right portions for each dish.
This method involves visualizing the different food groups on a plate, which helps you to balance protein, carbohydrates, and vegetables in each serving. Dividing the plate into four sections, one for protein, one for carbohydrates, and two for vegetables helps to ensure that your guests are getting a well-rounded meal.
Not only does the plate method help to ensure a balanced meal, but it also helps to calculate the portions of each food group needed. By following this method, you can take the guesswork out of portion control, and be sure that your guests are receiving a nutritious and satisfying meal.
It is important to note that in most events, you should serve an entree, main, and dessert followed by coffee and tea. So plan your dishes to balance it out. For example, you don’t want to have an entree so big that the guests are full by the time the main comes out.
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4. Recommended Serving Sizes
This is a reference only and it may change per country and type of event. You can base the calculation on these numbers to make sure you’re not under or over catering. You can then adjust it up or down depending on the client and type of event. In addition, in the US portion sizes are typical bigger than in Australia and the UK.
Entrée
Allow for one entrée per person.
For seafood entrées, cater the following amounts:
Prawns: unpeeled, 200g (or 7oz) per person
Oysters: 3 per person
If canapes, allow 5 to 7 canapes per person.
Mains
Each guest should be allocated about 175g of protein or a vegetarian substitute. Depending on what type of meat you plan to serve, the weights will vary. The weight of uncooked meats is higher, to account for the meat shrinkage and/or bones.
- Pork, lamb or beef: 200g (7 oz) uncooked, boneless weight per person.
- Chicken and turkey: 500g (18 oz) uncooked weight per person.
- Seafood: 200g (7 oz) uncooked weight in filets per person. Whole fish will yield different amounts of filet. You should inform your fish supplier how many guests you have and ask for their recommendation.
- Vegetarian: 175g (6.2 oz) of cooked food per person. Consider recipes with pasta, rice (risottos), grains, eggs, tofu, tempeh and legumes. Eggs, tofu and tempeh won’t shrink much compared to meat. Grains and legumes will swell when cooked.
Sides
- Salads: approx. 1 cup per person
- Vegetables: 120g-130g (4.5 oz) of peeled and trimmed vegetables per person
- Rolls or bread: 2 slices or rolls per person
Dessert
- 1 serve or two pieces per person – If possible, provide two options. One fresh and fruity and one creamy or chocolatey.
Drinks
Allow for 3-4 drinks per person. The following is a rough guide to how many drinks each bottle of different types of drinks will provide.
- Sparkling wine: 750ml bottle (26 oz) = 6 x 125ml (4.4 oz) flutes
- Wine: 750ml bottle (26 oz) = 5 x 150ml (5.3 oz) glasses
- Spirits: 750ml bottle (26 oz) = 15 x 50ml (1.75 oz) nips
- Soft drink: 1.25L bottle (44 oz) = 6 x 200ml (7 oz) glasses
- Fruit Juice: 2L bottle (70 oz) = 8 x 250ml (8.8 oz) glasses
5. Using an Event Management Software
Event management software is a useful tool for tracking portions and keeping track of the number of dishes needed for your event. An event management software can help you to organize and manage the details of your event, including the number of servings per dish, the number of dishes needed, and any adjustments that need to be made.
You can use event management software to record the number of guests, the type of event, and the type of food you are serving, which can help you to calculate the number of servings per dish and the total number of dishes needed. Additionally, you can use it to track any adjustments that need to be made, such as adding or subtracting dishes or servings based on the number of guests or the type of event. Event Management software like Flex Catering is natively integrated into a serving calculator.
An event management software, you can easily access and manage all the information related to your event, which will help you to be more organized, efficient, and prepared.
Read More: 10 Cheap Catering Ideas For Any Event
Considerations When Selecting Catering Portions
- Number of guests: The number of guests attending the event is one of the most important factors to consider when selecting catering portions. You must calculate the number of servings per dish and the number of dishes needed based on the number of guests.
- Type of event: The event you are catering for can also affect your portions. For example, a formal sit-down dinner will require different portions than a buffet or a cocktail reception.
- Type of food: The food you serve will also affect your portions. Some dishes are more filling than others, and some may be more popular.
- Budget: Your budget can also affect your portions. When determining your portions, you must consider the cost of ingredients and the labor required to prepare the food.
- Allergies and dietary restrictions: Consider any dietary restrictions and allergies of your guests, and make sure to provide enough options for those with special dietary needs.
- Time of day: The time of day of the event can also affect portions. For example, a breakfast event will require different portions than a lunch or dinner event.
- Leftovers: Consider how much food you want to be left, if any, and adjust the portions accordingly.
- Serving style: The way you are serving the food also matters. A formal plated dinner will require more food per guest than a buffet-style service.
Conclusion
By using the methods discussed in this guide, such as using standard serving sizes, serving calculators, plate methods, and event management software, you can easily and accurately determine the number of servings per dish, the number of dishes needed for your event and ingredients needed to produce the dishes. Additionally, Flex Catering software can help you to streamline and automate this process.
Flex Catering software can provide you with various tools to help you manage your catering business and event management business, such as menu management, recipe building, inventory management, customer management, and scheduling.
