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Before you go to the grocery store, before you decide your menu you
need to make some decisions concerning the serving of the food. Take some
time in your planning to think through how the food will be presented.
Decide how much food will be served per guest. Determine what serving dishes
will be needed. Make sure you take into account any special circumstances.
The secret of satisfied diners is portion
control. If you do not control the amount of food each person receives
then perhaps the last people in line may not get any food. If you do not
plan ahead concerning the portion size, then you might end up with expensive
leftovers. Believe me, the person paying the bill for the meal does not
want to pay any more than is needed.
Commercial establishments use scoops to control
the amount of food each customer receives. They do not use them just because
they make pretty mounds of mashed potatoes. Some scoops are numbered according
to the number of scoops per quart they yield. Other companies use different
numbers. Be sure you know what your are getting when you buy your scoops.
Below is a chart of approximate yields of scoops that you might find useful.
| #60 |
1 Tablespoon |
1/2 ounce |
| #40 |
1 1/2 Tablespoon |
3/4 ounce |
| #30 |
2 Tablespoons |
1 to 1 1/2 ounces |
| #20 |
3 Tablespoons |
1 3/4 to 2 ounces |
| #16 |
1/4 cup |
2 to 2 1/4 ounces |
| #12 |
5 Tablespoons |
2 1/2 to 3 ounces |
| #10 |
6 Tablespoons |
3 to 4 ounces |
| #8 |
1/2 cup |
4 to 5 ounces |
| #6 |
10 Tablespoons |
6 2/3 ounces |
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When you are considering portion size look
at the characteristics of the people you will be serving. Débutantes
will not eat as much as truck drivers. But here is another table that might
help you determine portion sizes for your crowd. |
|
| Soup |
Cup=2/3 cup
Bowl=1 cup (8 ounces) |
| Vegetables |
Asparagus, Green Beans, Peas, Carrots, Lima Beans, Corn,
Cauliflower, Broccoli, Beets -
1 serving spoon (3 ounces or 3/8 cup)
Cabbage - 1/6 head |
| Potatoes |
1/2 cup or 4 ounces
size 90 for Baked Potatoes |
| Gravies and Sauces |
1/4 cup or 2 ounce ladle |
| Salad and Salad Dressings |
Greens - 1 cup
Fruit or Gelatin - 1/2 cup
Dressing - 3/4 ounce |
| Fruit or Vegetable Juice |
1/2 cup or 4 ounces |
| ENTREES |
lunch - 3 ounces |
dinner - 4 ounces |
| Desserts |
9 inch pies cut into 7 pieces
9 inch cakes cut into 16 pieces
18" X 25" Sheet Cakes cut into 48 pieces
Puddings-1/2 cup
Ice Cream - 1/2 cup |
|
|
Check out this
site for a list of quantities to serve 100 people. You might find it
useful. |
