How Many Appetizers and Drinks Should I Plan On For My Holiday Party? (2024)

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Do the Food Math Plan How Much Booze to Buy Factor in the Type of Party References

Our test kitchen manager shares her tips to keep you prepared and ready for whatever party you are having.

Breana Lai Killeen, M.P.H, RD, is a Chinese and Jewish chef and dietitian who has worked in all facets of the food world. She is a recipe developer, culinary nutritionist and marketing specialist with more than 15 years of experience creating editorial and digital content for top food and kitchen brands.

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Published on November 19, 2021

It can be a guessing game trying to figure out how many starters and drinks your guests will help themselves to. You don't want to spend your time making a ton of apps that don't get eaten, or buying way too many bottles of wine — and you definitely don't want to run out, either! Here are a few things to keep in mind.

How Many Appetizers and Drinks Should I Plan On For My Holiday Party? (2)

Pictured recipe: Cranberry-Prosecco co*cktail

Do the Food Math

I like to serve two or three different types of small bites, plus a cheese board and dips. Plan on offering two of each app per person for individual nibbles like crab cakes or mini quiches. In addition, serve two to three styles of cheese—to have a good assortment—and plan on an ounce of cheese per person, knowing you'll likely have extras. Serve 1/2 cup crackers per person. For dips, aim for around 1⁄4 cup for each guest.

Plan How Much Booze to Buy

As a general rule, count on one drink per person per hour to ensure the bar doesn't go dry. When shopping, remember: There are five glasses of wine per bottle. I recommend offering at least one type of red and one white wine, as well as a couple styles of beer, plus a few nonalcoholic options.

Factor in the Type of Party

If you're just going to be serving appetizers and co*cktails—and skipping the mains—be sure there is plenty of variety. You can still count on making two servings of each appetizer per person, but plan to make five to seven different types of apps.