Start from guests and the food’s role
Snacks alongside a meal need fewer pieces than food that replaces a meal. The calculator’s defaults — 5 finger-food pieces per adult and 3 per child — are a starting point to edit, not a rule.
Worked example
Ten adults and four children at the defaults need 62 pieces; a 10% allowance makes 68.2, or 4 packs of 20. For a 4-hour event, drinks at 1.2 servings per adult and 1 per child per hour come to about 70 servings of 250 ml, 17.6 L, or 12 bottles of 1.5 L.
Ice, seats and supplies
The same guest count drives ice (0.5 kg per guest by default gives 7.7 kg with the allowance), seating (14 seats at tables of 6 means 3 tables) and plates (2 per person, 31 with the allowance).
Plan storage and service
Refrigeration, hot holding and serving space limit what can be handled safely. Choose quantities you can keep at safe temperatures for the length of the event.
Practical checklist
- Label common allergens clearly.
- Keep a small shelf-stable reserve.
- Count helpers who will eat as guests.
