When you are organizing an event or throwing a party, one very important part to take care of is always food! Even when getting professional food catering in Singapore it is still important for you to know how much food would be enough for your guests. It would be quite embarrassing if food runs out and guests are left hungry, right? Another important thing of course is that the food must be within your budget.

Where to begin?

Whether you are a first-time party planner or a seasoned one, here are some basic questions you must start with:

• What type of event is it? Is it a BBQ party?
• How many guests are going to attend the event?
• How long is the event going to last?

As you get answers to these questions, you will have a ballpark figure of the food you need.  For example, if it is a corporate cocktail party and it is going to last for 2-3 hours only, then you will of course need less food. This is just the beginning, there is a lot more to plan for before passing the order over to the caterer.

Some guests will eat less and some will eat more. Your goal as a host is to balance everything in the end. Some drink or food items that are popular will disappear quickly. Have a look at the catering guide for each type of event:

Appetizers

Generally if you are not serving mains at an event then you should portion about 10 to 15 pieces of appetizers per person. If mains are to be served then around 3 to 5 pieces per person will do.

Drinks

Plan to have at least 3 portions of drinks per person for any event. If it is an event that only serves tea and coffee, go for 3 cups per person. For reference, a portion of beverage here is around 350ml.

Breakfast

• Whether it is tea, coffee or juice, plan for 2 beverages per person
• The main entrée must be a single serving of 150 grams per person
• In case you are serving pastries, have 2 pastries per person
• Are your guests foreigners? If they are, would they be interested to feast on a list yummy Southeast Asia food for breakfast?

Lunch

• Start with 2 to 3 appetizers per person
• The main entrée again must be a single serving of about 150 grams per person
• For sides, have 2 to 3 side dishes per person and make sure contains vegetables and the other is starch
• 2 beverages per person will be good
• List down a few local food ideas that are popular – from laksa, mee soto, chicken rice and chili crab!

Dinner

• Have 3 to 5 appetizers per person
• In case you are serving a starter, choose either a soup or salad.
• The main meal should be 200 grams per person
• The side dish must have 3 options at least per person
• For beverages, portion for about 2 – 3 per person. Feel free to over-prepare when it comes to drinks.
• For dessert, have 2 servings per guests. The guests usually like to come back for the sweet second time.