Per-person portion rules of thumb
For a 3–4 hour party with dinner, plan per adult: 400–500 g meat (bone-in) or 250–300 g (boneless) for BBQ; 150–200 g each of sides; 100 g uncooked rice per person; dessert ~1 slice. Kids under 12 count as half an adult. Vegetarians shift meat to extra sides and mains.
Menu style differences
- BBQ: bone-in meat shrinks ~25% — buy heavier; factor burgers + sausages + a whole cut.
- Buffet: people graze more — sides go up, mains slightly down; expect more leftovers.
- Hotpot: meat thin-sliced cooks fast and disappears — 400–500 g/person of assorted meat is normal; veggies 200 g; noodles/rice cakes extra.
- Italian: 100–125 g dry pasta per adult; sauce ~150 ml; garlic bread one slice each.
Shopping tips
- Round up to package sizes — meat usually comes in 500 g trays.
- Drinks are separate: ~500 ml per person per hour (see the party drink calculator).
- Leftovers are fine: meat keeps 3–4 days cooked; but buying 2× "just in case" wastes money — aim for 10% over.
- Ask guests with dietary restrictions before buying — one vegan guest changes the meat math entirely.