How Much Food Should I Buy for a Party With 60 Guests?

Each guest you invite will eat approximately 1 to 1 ½ lbs. of food--approximately ½ lb. of meat per person, ¼ lb. of starches such as bread or pasta and ¼ lb. of vegetables such as salad. For a party of 60 this will be approximately 60 to 90 lbs. of food.

The type of party you're throwing plays a big factor into how much food you will serve. A party of 60 children will eat much less than a party of 60 Marines. Other factors that you should consider are the time of day the party will be held and the focus of the party--whether the party about food, or food is only a formality.

Most experts agree that for a party of 60 guests you should provide each guest with at least 1 lb. of food. This is a good rule of thumb as some guests will only nibble as others will take much more than 1 lb. You should also take beverages into account--approximately two beverages per person, or 120 beverages.