Today, you hear these menu items used interchangeably but there truly is a difference between the two. Hors d’oeuvres are small bite-sized foods served before a meal. They can be hot or cold and are typically a more savory offering. These should be something to eat before the dinner is served, but not be so filling that guests won’t eat the actual dinner. Fruits, cheeses, dips, nuts and vegetables offer a light bite for your hungry guests without filling them up too much.
Appetizers on the other hand, technically are served at the table prior to the meal. They are also small in portion size and should complement the actual meal being served. Items like soups, salads and shrimp co*cktails would all be appropriate as a meal starter, or appetizer. Today, since both names are used to imply small bite sized food served prior to or as a meal, we’ll consider them as being in the same category. So, how much do you need? That all depends on a few factors:
1. What time of day is the party?
If you’re hosting an afternoon get together, the amount of food you need to offer would be less than if you were having your event at dinner time.
If you’re hosting a co*cktail party first, then the amount of food you need to offer would increase depending on how soon dinner will be served. For a one hour party, typically 4 – 5 bites per person would be appropriate. For a two hour party, because people will eat more the first hour than the second, you’ll still need the 4-5 bites and also about 2-3 more per person for the second hour so a total of 6-8 bites per person.
2. How many types of appetizers?
The number of people you’re expecting will determine how many different types of appetizers you should offer. A common mistake people make planning their menu is offering too many options with too small an amount of each. If 25 guests are attending, don’t plan on 15 different appetizers with only 10 bites each. Limit the number of actual appetizers and make sure you have enough of each type for each of your guests. To help balance out your appetizer menu, plan on using one meat, cheese, vegetable or fruit, and a fish or shellfish item.
3. How many bites per person?
If you’re hosing 25 -35 guests, plan 3-4 bites per person if a full dinner is to be served afterwards, or 5-7 bites per person if a lighter meal will be served. If you’re hosting a party of 50, then you can offer 6 to 9 different items. Parties with over 60-75 guests can easily have 9 or more items without over doing it.
4. How long will the party be?
The length of the party will also be a determining factor in how much food to plan. The longer the party, the more food you’ll need. People will eat more the first hour and about half as much for the following hour so depending on when dinner is served, about 4-7 bites per person should be sufficient, depending on the how large the dinner is. For a lighter dinner, plan more appetizers, for a full meal, plan fewer appetizers. For example, for a co*cktail hour for 25 people, you’ll need at least 100 total appetizer “pieces” or bites if a full meal follows.
5. Will alcohol be served?
Alcohol will always influence how much food should be served and always increases the quantity, almost doubling how much food you’ll need. Again, the time of day and any dinner that might follow will determine how much to offer your guests so plan on more rather than less.
6. Are they being served before a meal, or as the meal?
Appetizers for dinner is becoming more common with action stations, carving stations and more hearty hors d’oeuvres allowing guests to mingle and mix and match their menu item choices. If appetizers are replacing an actual dinner, then for a two hour party, the amount of appetizers needed to “replace” the amount of food a dinner would be requires about 18- 20 bites per person or 4 to 5 times as many if a meal were to be served.
FAQs
For 10-25 people: 6-8 different appetizers with 3-4 pieces per person. For example, if you plan to make Surprise-Inside Pimento Cheese Tartlets for 20 people, plan to make 60-80 tartlets to serve everyone. For 25-50 people: plan 8-10 different appetizers with 2-3 pieces per person, per appetizer.
How do you calculate hors d oeuvres for a party? ›
As a rule of thumb, most guests will consume 8 to 10 bite-size pieces for every 60 to 90 minutes of a party. However, the larger the variety of offerings, the more hors doeuvres that will be consumed because everyone will want to try at least one of each item.
How many hors d oeuvres per person should you plan on for a co*cktail reception before dinner? ›
If you're hosting a co*cktail party first, then the amount of food you need to offer would increase depending on how soon dinner will be served. For a one hour party, typically 4 – 5 bites per person would be appropriate.
How many hors d'oeuvres do I need for 50 guests? ›
Quantity. A good rule of thumb when working with your caterer on just how many hors d'oeuvres to choose is as follows: for 10 – 12 guests a minimum of 5 selections, 25 guests a minimum of 9 selections and for 50 guests, a minimum of 13 selections.
What is the basic rule in hors d oeuvres? ›
Hors d'oeuvres are defined as "apart from the main work" and served before sitting down to meal service. They may be hot or cold items. Because they are usually eaten while standing, hors d'oeuvres should be finger food that can be eaten without the use of utensils.
What are the 4 types of hors d oeuvres? ›
Types of Hors d'oeuvre
- Hot- sausages, smoked fish or meat, Potato Napoleon with caviar and sour cream etc.
- Cold- Pates, oysters, cheeses, crudités etc.
- Finger food- empanadas, wontons, deviled quail eggs, tea sandwiches.
- Canapés- 1 or 2 bites- always consists of four parts. Base. Spread. Primary ingredient. Garniture.
Type of Event:
co*cktail Party: For a stand-up co*cktail party where finger foods are the main focus and no other substantial meal is served, plan for 10-12 pieces per person per hour. Mixed Event: If your event includes finger foods as appetisers before a meal, aim for 3-5 pieces per person.
How many trays of appetizers for 100 guests? ›
If you're offering catered appetizers, plan for about six portions per guest. For a party of 100 guests, this adds up to roughly 600 appetizer portions.
What's the difference between appetizers and hors d'oeuvres? ›
You're supposed to eat hors d'oeuvres before a meal begins, versus appetizers, which are considered part of the meal. Then there is the quantity served, with appetizers being served once to a table, versus hors d'oeuvres being served several at a time.
What is the standard rule of serving appetizers? ›
Caterers often plan a minimum of 4 different choices for groups of 25-100 or more, adding an additional choice for each 25 people. A good rule of thumb for a dinner party, allow for 6 appetizers per person.
If the guest list has fewer than 45 people, plan on using roughly 6 different appetizers. For more than 45 guests, approximately 8 different appetizers. The rule of thumb for smaller gatherings is that 3 types of appetizers are suitable for 8 to 10 guests; 4 or 5 types of appetizers for 14 to 16 people.
How much food do I need for 50 guests? ›
How Much Food to Serve at a Party
| FOOD | SERVE 25 | SERVE 50 |
|---|
| Meats |
|---|
| Chicken or turkey breast | 8–9 pounds | 16–18 pounds |
| Fish (fillets or steaks) | 7-1/2 pounds | 15 pounds |
| Hamburgers | 6-1/2–9-1/2 pounds | 13–15 pounds |
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Generally, you will need enough for each guest to eat 2 of each type of appetizer you serve. For very large parties, you can lower this to 1.5 servings per person per appetizer. However, for high-protein appetizers such as mini sliders, deviled eggs, or bacon-wrapped shrimp, you can plan for 1.5 servings per person.
How do I calculate enough food for my party? ›
Each adult will consume 1 pound of food total; children, about 1/2 pound. The more options you have, the less you need of each; decrease the main course portion sizes by 1 to 2 ounces if served on a buffet. Guests will always eat — and drink — more at night than during the day.
What is a typical finger buffet? ›
A finger buffet meal consists of food which may be picked up with the fingers (finger food), such as small (finger) sandwiches, canapés and vol-au-vents.
How do you layout food for a party? ›
For a buffet, two to three dinner plates per person, plus one dessert place per person is a safe bet. For a full service meal, use one 10 1/4″ plate for the main course, a 9″ plate for salads or appetizers, and one 6-7″ plate each for bread and dessert.
How much finger food for 25 guests? ›
As your guest list increases, so should the appetizer selections. Here's a quick guide to how many appetizers you should serve at your party: 10-12 guests = 5 appetizer selections. 25 guests = 9 appetizer selections.
How many trays of food for 40 guests? ›
For 40 guests, you may need around 4-5 trays of food, depending on the dish and the serving size.
