Party food calculator (snacks, sweets, cake)

The calculator sizes savory snacks, sweets and cake by the number of guests, using party averages:

• Savory snacks: ~10 per adult (~6 per child)
• Sweets: ~5 per adult (~4 per child)
• Cake: ~100 g per person

Step-by-step example

A party with 20 adults and 10 children:

• Savory: 20×10 + 10×6 = 260
• Sweets: 140
• Cake: 30 × 100 g = 3 kg

What moves the numbers most

Guest count is the obvious variable, but two others matter more than people expect:

• Duration. Consumption is far from linear over time — the first hour accounts for a disproportionate share, and a party running past four hours needs a second wave of food rather than simply more of the first.
• Whether a meal is served. Events with a sit-down meal consume markedly fewer appetisers; cocktail-only events need considerably more, because the finger food is dinner.

Where to round up and where to stay tight

Round up on bread, ice and soft drinks — leftovers cost little and running out is visible. Stay tight on hot food and anything perishable, where surplus is expensive and cannot be returned. And count children at roughly half a portion of food but close to a full portion of drinks; juice and soda run out first at every party.