Tips: Portion Chart and Quantity Cooking Tips

Before you can decide on the quantity of meat, you must decide on the quantity of each item that you will provide for the guests. With such a wide variety of food, it may suffice to have 100 servings of each item. I am afraid that if you have 200 servings of each, you may end up with a lot of leftovers.

This may be time sonsuming, but it will save you a lot of guess work in the long run: Prepare the chicken for one cup and the beef for one serving, weigh them and make a note of it; take the weight times the number of items you wish to make plus a 10% overage, and you'll know the correct amount of meat you need. The one factor you must not overlook is the amount of yield per pound of raw, unprepared meat item. For example: a chicken may weigh 4 pounds, but after you cook it and debone it for your cup mix, the yield will differ.

FYI: The standard servings per person are:

Chicken cups: 1.5
Korean Beef: 2.5
Chicken Wings: 4-6
Meatballs: 3-4
Cktl Weiners: 4-6
Egg Rolls 1.5
Bologna Rolls 2.5

Sounds like you will have your hands full, as appetizers are very time consuming and labor intense. Consider taking shortcuts by purchasing prepared fresh frozen items wherever possible. i.e., meatballs, chicken wings. You can add a special touch to the wedding reception by frying the egg rolls on site, over portable burners--you won't believe the impression it will make.

Another labor and money saving suggestion is to purchase restaurant quality foods that are already portioned cut and 100% usable. These are the same items that restaurants and caterers use to serve large groups of people. Depending on your location, you can place an order with either SYSCO or RYKOFF and have it delivered right to your door.

Lastly, please use safe handling methods with all your meat products. Make sure you have enough refrigeration space to store those items that you must make ahead of time.

Good luck!

Gabby