Summertime Meals to Feed a Crowd food large groups

Written By: Catherine Boeckmann Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

August 19, 2025

Whether you’re having a family reunion or a backyard gathering, it can be tricky to figure out how much food to feed a crowd.

You don’t want to run short, and yet you’d rather not blow your food budget on one meal. Here’s a look at the most commonly-served summer foods, and an estimate for what you’ll need to feed a large (and often ever-growing) group!

FOOD/DRINK	TO SERVE 12	TO SERVE 20	TO SERVE 35	TO SERVE 50	TO SERVE 65
Cold Cuts	2 pounds	3–3/4 pounds	6 pounds	9 pounds	12 pounds
Sliced Cheese	1–1/8 pounds	2 pounds	3 pounds	4–3/4 pounds	6 pounds
Bread	2 loaves	3 loaves	5 loaves	7 loaves	9–3/4 loaves
Chips/Snacks	1 pound	2 pounds	3 pounds	4 pounds	6 pounds
Dip	2 cups	3–3/4 cups	6 cups	9 cups	12 cups
Hot Dogs	2 pounds	3 pounds	5 pounds	7 pounds	9 pounds
Rolls or Buns	1 dozen	2 dozen	3 dozen	5 dozen	6 dozen
Baked Ham	3 pounds	5 pounds	8–3/4 pounds	12 pounds	16 pounds
Salads (potato salad and coleslaw, also baked beans; 3/4 cup per person)	2 quarts	3–3/4 quarts	1–3/4 gallons	2 gallons	3 gallons
Ice Cream	2 quarts	3–3/4 quarts	1–3/4 gallons	2 gallons	3 gallons
Cookies	2 dozen	3 dozen	5 dozen	8 dozen	11 dozen
Cold Drinks	6–3/4 quarts	3 gallons	5 gallons	7 gallons	9 gallons
Hot Drinks - Ground Coffee	1/2 pound	3/4 pound	2 pounds	2 pounds	3 pounds
Hot Drinks - Brewed Tea or Coffee	1 gallon	2 gallons	4 gallons	6 gallons	8 gallons

–courtesy University of Illinois, College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, Cooperative Extension Service

Cooking & Recipes

About The Author

Catherine Boeckmann

Executive Digital Editor and Master Gardener

Catherine Boeckmann is the Executive Digital Editor of Almanac.com, the website companion of The Old Farmer's Almanac. She covers gardening, plants, pest control, soil composition, seasonal and moon c...