Shopping for a Crowd


IMPORTANT! On these tables, the size for one ordinary serving is listed; a mixed adult group uses about 1.2 servings per person. with more men in the group, you will need about 1-1/2 servings per person, and teenagers and young 20's may eat double!

Beverages Servings Serving Size Amount
Needed
Buy as
Coffee, standard 25 1 cup (8 oz cup) 6-1/2 quarts 2-1/4 cups
1/2 pound, ground
Coffee, strong 25 1 cup (8 oz cup) 6-1/2 quarts 1/2 cup per quart
3/4 pound, ground
Milk 24 1 cup 1-1/2 gallons 
Soft Drinks 24 10 ounces 4 2-liter bottles 
Tea, hot 25 6 ounces, 3/4 cup 5 quarts 20-25 teabags, 2 ounces loose
Tea, iced 25 1 cup 1-1/2 gallons 24-30 tea bags, 3 ounces loose
Orange juice 32 1/2 cup 1 gallon 
Lemonade 32 1 cup 2 gallons 
Beer 24 12 ounces 1 case of 24 cans 
Wine 10 5 ounces 1.5 liter bottle 



Desserts Servings Serving Size Amount
Needed
Buy as
Cake 24

24

1/12 cake

2-1/2-inch square

2 13x9" cakes

1 15x10-1-inch sheet

2 9" 2 layer cakes

3 9" single layers

Ice Cream 24 1/2 cup 3 quarts 
Frozen Yogurt 24 1/2 cup 3 quarts 
Pie 24

30

1/8 pie

1/10 pie

3 9-inch pies

3 10" pies

 



Fruit Servings Serving Size Amount
Needed
Buy as
Canned 24 1/2 cup 6-1/2 to 8 pounds 1 #10 can



 Relishes Servings Serving Size Amount
Needed
Buy as
Carrot Sticks
Mini carrots
25 2 to 3 sticks
(2-3 inches)
1 to 1-1/4 pounds 
Cauliflower 25 1/2 cup 4 1-pound heads 
Broccoli Florets 25 1/2 cup 4 1-pound heads 
Celery 25 2 to 3 pieces
(2-3 inches)
2 to 3 bunches 
Olives 25 3 to 4 1-1/4 quarts (5 cups) 
Pickles, Sliced 25 3 to 4 slices 1 quart 
Pickles, Spears 25 1 spear 1 to 1-1/4 quarts 



Rice and Pasta Servings Serving Size Amount
Needed
Buy as
Elbow Macaroni 25 1 cup cooked 25 cups cooked 2-1/4 pounds, uncooked
Wide noodles 25 1 cup cooked 25 cups cooked 3 1/2 pounds, uncooked
Rice, Long-Grain 24 3/4 cup cooked 18 cups (4 1/2 qt) 2-3/4 pounds (6 cups) uncooked
Spaghetti 24 1 cup cooked 25 cups cooked 3 pounds, uncooked
Elbow Macaroni 25 1 cup cooked 25 cups cooked 2-1/4 pounds, uncooked



Salads and Side Dishes Servings Serving Size Amount
Needed
Buy as
Fruit, Fresh, Cut-Up 24 1/2 cup 3 quarts 
Gelatin 24 1/2 cup 3 6-ounce packages, flavored 
Lettuce 24 2 ounces
1 cup
50 ounces
6 quarts, torn (4 heads)
 
Potato 24 1/2 cup 3 quarts 
Pasta 24 1/2 cup 3 quarts 
Main Dish Salads 24 1-1/2 cups 9 quarts 



Soup Servings Serving Size Amount
Needed
Buy as
Soup 25 1-1/2 cup 10 quarts 3 50-ounce cans, condensed



Vegetables Servings Serving Size Amount
Needed
Buy as
Canned vegetable 25 1/2 cup 1 6-1/2 to 7-1/4-pound can 1 #10 can
Fresh Potatoes, for Mashed 25 1/2 cup 7 pounds 
Fresh Potatoes, for Scalloped 25 1/2 cup 8 pounds 
Frozen beans, peas, corn, or mixed 24 1/2 cup 3 16-ounce packages 



Miscellaneous Servings Serving Size Amount
Needed
Buy as
Butter or Margarine 32 1 pat (1 teaspoon) 1/2 pound 1/2 pound
Tub Margarine 32 1 tablespoon) 1 pound 1 pound



Snack Foods Servings Serving Size Amount
Needed
Buy as
Pizza 24 1/3 of a 12-inch pizza 8 12-inch pizzas 
Potato Chips 25 3/4 to 1 ounce (1 cup) 1-1/2 pounds 
Corn Chips 25 3/4 to 1 ounce (1 cup) 2 pounds 
Mixed Nuts 12 1/4 cup 12 ounces