So I am confused

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Michael Cowley

Knows what a fatty is.
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I want to get a good stable calculation on food portions and I thought I was doing everything right but I had so much food left over after this party I catered it was rediculous

We had 160 people

I had
70lbs pulled pork cooked
15lbs shredded beef
5 Hotel Pans baked beans --5 117oz cans
5 Hotel Pans mac and cheese--15 lbs dry mac
2 Hotel Pans of slaw--18 lbs slaw

I came home with

about 50lbs pulled pork
3 Hotel Pans of Beans
3 Hotel Pans mac and Cheese
1 Hotel Pan of slaw
 
Can't really help you with those numbers, but I do know if you do a search for "catering spreadsheet" here, you'll come up with a couple of xls files that will calculate everything for you. They're real handy.
 
I calculate based on a few factors

1. When two meats 1/4 lb. per person
2. A hotel pan serves 50

When you get over two meats and three side dishes you need to decrease the amounts for each item 10% at least. Keep records, the more you do the more tuned in you get. I've taken my share of stuff home, given it to my helpers and called the kids to come over and 'shop'. Hate overages but you will tune in as time goes along.
 
What was the make up of the 160 ( men, women, children )? Sometimes you are just surprized at how much they will eat or how little they will eat. Your never going to find a perfect formula.
 
Michael Cowley said:
I want to get a good stable calculation on food portions and I thought I was doing everything right but I had so much food left over after this party I catered it was rediculous

We had 160 people

I had
70lbs pulled pork cooked
15lbs shredded beef
5 Hotel Pans baked beans --5 117oz cans
5 Hotel Pans mac and cheese--15 lbs dry mac
2 Hotel Pans of slaw--18 lbs slaw

I came home with

about 50lbs pulled pork
3 Hotel Pans of Beans
3 Hotel Pans mac and Cheese
1 Hotel Pan of slaw
Click to expand...

You had enough meat for 260 good sized sandwiches.
I figure three sandwiches per pound when catering.
 
I would have had the below and would have had leftovers


40lbs cooked pork
30lbs beef
3 pans bean
4 pan mac n cheese
4 1/2 gallons slaw
 
I use the "If 1 meat, estimate 1/2lb per person, if multiple meats, estimate 1/4lb per person." Use the same calculation for my sides as well and it works quite well. Hotel pan size would also depend on how many it would feed, if I'm not mistaking (2" deep, 4", etc) We typically use 4" full hotel pans and get 25-30 servings out of a pan.

Hope that helps. Remember as well, as my Mother taught me "It's always better to have too much, than not enough!"

Cheers!
 
70lbs pulled pork cooked = 224 5oz sand.
15lbs shredded beef = 48 5oz sand.
5 Hotel Pans baked beans --5 117oz cans = 146 4oz serv.
5 Hotel Pans mac and cheese--15 lbs dry mac
2 Hotel Pans of slaw--18 lbs slaw = 72 4 oz serv.

How big were your buns? On your sides 4 oz is a lot for a serving if they have a choice of 3. People will not take 4 oz of each. They may take a total of 6 oz.
 
Pyle's BBQ said:
70lbs pulled pork cooked = 224 5oz sand.
15lbs shredded beef = 48 5oz sand.
5 Hotel Pans baked beans --5 117oz cans = 146 4oz serv.
5 Hotel Pans mac and cheese--15 lbs dry mac
2 Hotel Pans of slaw--18 lbs slaw = 72 4 oz serv.

How big were your buns? On your sides 4 oz is a lot for a serving if they have a choice of 3. People will not take 4 oz of each. They may take a total of 6 oz.
Click to expand...

You got it going on, bro! Thanks!
 
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