Good food and full stomachs are essential in setting the tone for a meeting or event. Whether you're hosting a party or ordering lunch catering for the office, you don’t want to run out of food before everyone is satisfied. When you call a caterer, they'll help you decide how much food you need. However, it's also essential to have an estimate in advance.

Counting Heads for Your Caterer

The most important piece of information you need is how many people you're feeding. If possible, get a full count of adults and children—or at least estimate as closely as possible. Also, check whether there are any medical needs or special dietary restrictions like peanut or gluten allergies you should keep in mind.

Deciding How Much Food to Order

If you're only serving light appetizers or passing around finger foods before the meal, estimate that each person will want about two pieces of each dish. You should order more of each dish if you're only serving one or two appetizers, and if you have a wide selection, you may only need one piece of each per person.

As a rule of thumb, if you're serving lunch or dinner, you should aim for about one and a half pounds of food per adult guest. This should be spread between the different dishes being served. For instance, if your main course is chicken or pork, each guest should get about a half-pound, plus about a pound of side dishes like roasted potatoes, garden salad, and steamed vegetables.

For help ordering the right amount of food from your local catering company, contact Corporate Caterers in Dublin, OH. Serving Franklin, Delaware, and Union counties, they offer a variety of mouthwatering buffet-style dishes, including Asian, Tex-Mex, Italian, and classic barbecue options. This full-service caterer focuses on providing food for meetings, conferences, employee training, and other business events. To order a meal, call (614) 336-3222, or visit them online to view their menu.