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Cooking for Parties/Help! I'm catering my own wedding for 150+ people!

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Expert: - 3/22/2009


Question
Can you PLEASE help me figure out how much of everything I need for 100 people and I can figure it out from there of how much more I need!  We are doing a salad bar, fruit bar and ice cream bar!
Here is a list of all the food:  
Grilled Chicken                
Salad Shrimp                  
Ham      
Parmesan Cheese
Turkey                      
Feta Cheese             
Mixed Lettuce                   
Croutons
Cherry Tomatoes                
Wonton or Tortilla Strips
Cucumbers                   
Almonds
Baby Carrots                         
Sunflower Seeds
Celery                            
Raisins
Broccoli
Cauliflower
Green Onions
Radishes
Black Olives
Green Olives
Bell Peppers
Kalamata Olives
Pepperoncinis
Ranch
Italian
Japanese- Soy, Ginger, Vinegar, Sesame
Caesar
Crackers
Rolls
Mandarin Oranges                
Watermelon                  
Honey Dew    
Cantaloupe                   
Pears                      
Strawberries                   
Blueberries                   
Pineapple                   
Peaches                                            
Grapes                     
Vanilla Ice Cream
Chocolate Syrup
Caramel
Sprinkles
Nuts
Maraschino Cherries
Whipped Cream
Champagne Punch
Coffee
Lemonade
Ice Tea
Sparkling Cider
Cherry Limeade
Cheddar Cheese
Cottage Cheese
Bleu Cheese


Answer
You need to cut back on your menu items in a big way because if you don't, you are going to have tons of leftovers and waste.  Here's the rule of catering as to how much you will need per person:
7 ounces of cooked meat entree
4 ounces of each side dish up to 3
3 ounces of salad greens
1 4 ounce dessert serving
6-8 appetizer bites per person
16 oz of non-alcoholic beverage (minimum)
2 oz of chips per person
1 oz of dip per person
Multiply the ounces times the number of guests and then divide by 16 to give you pounds of food and the beverage by 128 to give you the number of gallons of beverage you will need.

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Teri Davis Newman

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I am a wedding and party planner in St. Louis, Missouri and I do weddings and parties all over the country! My brides are my number one priority as I understand how important their wedding day is to them! Any questions about catering and cooking for large groups. This would include recipes, cooking techniques, what to serve, how to prevent food poisoning, food storage and food integrity. I have thousands of recipes that are scaled for large groups and gatherings and will be happy to share them! If you are in need of professional assistance for helping you to plan your wedding, party or corporate event, please feel free to contact me! I do a limited amount of weddings and parties every year in order to make sure that I have the best service for my clientele. Feel free to visit my business website at this address: WWW.EXQUISITEEVENTSUSA.COM for detailed information on what services I offer. I have price point weddings for every budget--no matter what size and I am very specific about what you get for your hard-earned money.

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Catering and parties are a large part of the restaurant business. I do a lot of catering for local parties and weddings.
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