How Much Food Does Ina Garten Cook To Feed A Crowd?

While cooking is certainly a creative endeavor, it is also often a mathematical one. Measuring cups are crucial for recipes, for example, and weighing out flour is key for baking. A math problem that can be particularly difficult to approach is how to calculate how much food is needed to feed a crowd. Luckily, Ina Garten, celebrity chef, author, and host extraordinaire, has done the math for us.

In an Instagram "ask me anything" video, Garten, who would be a hard dinner guest to impress, says she has calculated dinner servings for dozens of people and catered events for hundreds at a time. For the main course, she has found that about ½ pound of food per person is appropriate. For proteins, go for 4 to 8 ounce servings. Pasta mains can be 1 to 2 cups depending on the density, though pastas with a creamy sauce or that are heavy with a lot of cheese are better served as a smaller portion. Soup is an easy main to make a large volume of, planning for around a ladle or two per person served in a cereal-sized bowl. Just don't forget to consider the time of day when serving a group: Appetites are stronger around standard meal times and in the evening, while people don't eat as much during the morning or afternoon.

For the sides, Garten says ¼ pound per person is ideal. Vegetables and potato dishes would be around ½ to ¾ cup while lighter dishes such as salad could be portioned out more generously with 1 or more cups. Rice and pasta sides can be served with approximately 1 cup per guest.

Many appetizers — think olives and nuts, cheese and crackers, or sliced vegetables and dip — require little prep and are a low effort way to satisfy your guests before they reach the dinner table, but plan for only five or six bites per person to ensure they're not too full. For dinner rolls and other breads, go for one or two per person depending on how many courses there are, excluding dessert.

Speaking of dessert, one piece per person is the general rule of thumb. This could be a larger cookie or a thin slice of cake, but nothing like the thick pieces served at a family birthday party. Ice cream or pudding can be served in 5-ounce portions, which would be a little more than the average scoop of ice cream. Guests shouldn't feel stuffed after dessert, but rather balanced by a touch of sweetness after the meal. If you're not sure what to serve, consider one of our favorite Ina Garten desserts.