Wedding Cakes & Food Forum

How much food?

Hello! I'm still new here but i've been lurking around but i'm having trouble with amounts of food.

I'm on a tight budget and I think I found a 'caterer' that meets my budget. They offer buffet courses or I can just order a certain amount of certain foods. I will be having an afternoon reception, the food will be 'served' around 3pm and I'm inviting 130 people (May 2011 wedding so just in the early planning for food)

So say if all 130 people do come, here are my food choices I like and the amount a batch of each serves.

Bacon dogs: batch of 72 (was thinking of getting 3 batches)
Mac and Cheese: 1 batch serves 12-15 ppl (thinking of getting 6 batches)
Pasta Salad: 1 batch serves 12-15 ppl (thinking of getting 5 batches)
Potato Salad: 1 batch serves 20-25 ppl (thinking of getting 3 batches)
Chicken Tenders: by pound, about 32 per pound (thinking of getting 8 lbs)
Pulled Pork: 1 batch makes 20-25 sandwiches (thinking of getting 3 batches)

I also plan on setting out fruit, veggie and cheese and cracker trays for the cocktail hour and there will also be cake/cupcakes.

Do you think the amounts I have are good? give or take some? Too much food for 3pm reception?

TIA

Re: How much food?

  • hz80408hz80408 member
    5 Love Its First Comment Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    to me that sounds like a lot of food...but I think it's probably best to review with your caterer.  They should be able to give you suggestions
  • JenO24JenO24 member
    5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    my rule of thumb is its better to have too much then not enough so that being said i think you're #s are ok.  but you really should go over the #s your thinking w/ the caterer b/c they can give you a better idea of what would work best for a guest list that size with their food
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  • topchef33topchef33 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    what are bacon dogs?

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  • MesmrEweMesmrEwe member
    First Answer First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    edited December 2011
    My thought is that you're going to run short on food... As the PP pointed out, better to have more than enough than not enough when it comes to food!  I was to a reception of about 150 guests and the couple ordered this way and they had enough food for about the first 50 to go through the line..  Yea, guests were PO'd BIGTIME!!!  Of course, no one stuck around because they were hungry!

    Proteins alone you're going to run too short, and that's exactly the worst place to be short.  Figure if you've got 130 guests, you're going to need AT LEAST 130 sandwiches!  When it comes to chicken tenders, think about the portion size to get 32 out of a pound - That's less than 1/3oz. per tender..  Most guests will take at least 4-8 if they're that size..  People would rather run short on the salads than they would on the proteins.. 

    Leave the portioning to your caterer that way if THEY run short you have negotiating power, but if YOU run short, you don't get to blame it on the caterer! 
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