Plan food, drinks, supplies and seating from one guest list, with editable portions and whole-pack buying quantities.
What does a worked calculation look like?
For 10 adults at 5 pieces and 4 children at 3 pieces, the snack plan needs 62 pieces, or 68.2 with a 10% allowance. Sold in packs of 20, that is 4 packs (80 pieces), leaving 11.8 pieces spare.
Method and practical checks
Portions are editable examples. A meal replacement needs more pieces than a short drinks reception; plan the menu rather than applying one universal hourly rule.
Count each dish separately so you do not buy a full meal portion of every item.
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How the Party Planner works
Every calculation option
Snacks
Plan savoury pieces for the whole event. Increase portions for longer events or when snacks replace a meal.
Portions are editable examples. A meal replacement needs more pieces than a short drinks reception; plan the menu rather than applying one universal hourly rule.
Count each dish separately so you do not buy a full meal portion of every item.
Meat
Raw meat portions before cooking.
Use portions appropriate to the cut and appetite. Bone, trimming and cooking losses vary; this is not a BBQ-specific plan.
Potatoes
Choose a raw-potato portion appropriate to the serving style.
Previous planning examples were 180 g for a side, 250 g for roast or mash, and 350 g as a main ingredient, with child portions at 60%. These are editable examples, not universal portions.
Soup
Plan finished soup volume, including seconds if wanted.
The child example is 65% of the adult portion. Change both portions for a starter or a main meal; carton or batch size must use millilitres.
Pancake mix
Plan dry mix rather than the finished batter weight.
The child example is 65% of the adult portion. Follow the mix instructions for added liquid and yield; pancake size and appetite vary.
Drinks
Plan serving volume across the event. Change the rates to suit the people, menu and conditions.
Drink rates are editable planning assumptions, not alcohol recommendations. Include water and non-alcoholic choices.
Drinks by event phase
Set separate first-hour and later-hour serving rates for adults and children.
The retained example uses two adult servings in the first hour and one per later hour, with child volumes at 75%. These are editable event-planning assumptions, not alcohol recommendations.
Events shorter than one hour use that fraction of the first-hour rate. Include water and non-alcoholic choices.
Ice
Separate ice served in drinks from ice used to chill containers.
The default is an example, not a weather-proof rule. Storage, heat and duration change melt losses; adjust the allowance.
Tableware & napkins
Use actual people, never child food-equivalent headcounts.
Every adult and child is counted equally. Calculate each supply separately; include extra courses or replacements in pieces per person.
Tables & seating
Every seated person needs one seat. Add seats for helpers explicitly.
Table capacity must reflect the real layout and accessible seating. Children count as whole seated people.
Party bags
Count the actual recipients, not adult-equivalent guests.
Use recipients for the people receiving bags. Calculate each type of filler separately when its pack size differs.
Worked example
For 10 adults at 5 pieces and 4 children at 3 pieces, the snack plan needs 62 pieces, or 68.2 with a 10% allowance. Sold in packs of 20, that is 4 packs (80 pieces), leaving 11.8 pieces spare.
Pre-filled values: Snacks
Input
Value
Adults
10
Children
4
Pieces per adult for the whole event
5 pieces
Pieces per child for the whole event
3 pieces
Extra allowance
10 %
Pack size
20 pieces
Calculated result
Result
Value
Required quantity
68.2 pieces
Packs to buy
4
Purchase quantity
80 pieces
Left over
11.8 pieces
Reading the result
Plan each dish separately. Giving every guest a full portion of every item is the most common reason for over-buying.
For drinks, include water and non-alcoholic options; the serving rates are editable assumptions, not recommendations about alcohol.
Seats, tableware and party bags count every person equally, because a child needs a whole chair and plate.
Should every guest receive a full portion of every dish?
Usually that overstates the shopping list. Plan the menu first, then choose the food mode and edit the adult and child portions for that dish. The tool calculates each item independently; it does not know whether a starter, main course and buffet are being served together.
Why can an allowance produce a fractional food count?
The allowance is applied mathematically before rounding purchases to complete packs. For 10 adults at five pieces and four children at three pieces, the base count is 62; 10% gives 68.2. Packs of 20 require four packs, so the buying quantity is 80 pieces.
Are the serving rates official recommendations?
No. The portion and drink rates are editable planning assumptions. Select rates suitable for your menu and event, and include water and non-alcoholic options. The calculator does not assess food safety, nutrition or a recommended amount of alcohol. Adjust each assumption deliberately. Adjust each assumption deliberately.
Calculation/content reviewed 4 October 2026. Source: Babushka Market’s displayed formulas, units and labelled editable assumptions. How the estimates work
