Portion Planner: Cooking for a Crowd Without Running Short
Scaling a recipe in your head is where dinner parties go wrong. Multiplying portion by guests, plus a buffer, removes the guess.
What is the Portion Planner Calculator?
Cooking for a group fails most often on quantities, not technique. This planner multiplies a per-person portion by the guest count for a main dish, so you buy and cook the right total weight. Add a small buffer if guests are likely to take seconds.
How to use it
- Enter the number of guests.
- Enter the main dish portion per person in grams.
- Set a buffer and click Plan Portions.
Worked example
10 guests at 200 g each need 2000 g before buffer, and 2200 g (2.2 kg) with a 10 percent buffer.
How much main dish do 10 guests need at 200 g each?
2000 g before buffer, or 2200 g with a 10 percent buffer for seconds.
Frequently asked questions
What portion suits a main dish?
Around 150 to 250 g per person for a main protein or dish, depending on sides and appetite.
Should the buffer be bigger for teenagers?
Yes. Hungry groups and long events deserve 15 to 20 percent rather than 10.