The question of party food quantities to prepare for your guests is as old as hospitality itself. Party food planning is only a little tricky, though. As you will see, there are several different ways to look at it, but the bare-bones answer is:
1 Pound Of Food Per Person For Snacks
1 1/2 Pounds Of Food Per Person For A Meal
Those are average figures to toggle between the linebackers and the little dainties. Let’s break them down into averages for particular kinds of parties and party foods.
Appetizers: On average, your guests will consume 5 hors d’oeuvres per person per hour for the first 2 hours and 3 per person per hour for each additional hour. So for a 3-hour long party of 10 people, you will need to prepare about 130 appetizers, a little less if the party is to be followed by a meal.