How Many Ounces Of Salad Should You Have Per Person At Your Gathering?

Whether you're hosting a barbecue, holiday celebration or intimate dinner party, it's customary to provide a veggie dish alongside heartier dinner fare and treats. Most of the time, our go-to is a big bowl of salad (or a few big bowls, depending on party size), since it's easy to make and serve, adds much-needed freshness to the plate, and has so many tasty variants. It's never fun to run out of something before everyone is able to enjoy it, though, which is why we're always asking questions like how much wine we need for a dinner party, or how much meat we should buy for a backyard barbecue, and salad is no exception.

How much salad you'll need depends on a variety of factors — the kind of party you're hosting, the other dishes you're serving, and your guests' dietary preferences, among others. For help puzzling it out, Chowhound turned to expert home entertainer Jessie-Sierra Ross, author of the cookbook "Seasons Around the Table; Effortless Entertaining with Floral Tablescapes & Seasonal Recipes." For a general rule of thumb, Ross says, " ... most people will be satisfied with about one cup of soup and one cup of salad per guest for a plated meal." This is equal to roughly 4-5 ounces of salad for each guest. Since you're likely making one large salad before portioning it out, Ross advises, "Simply calculate the number of guests multiplied by the number of ounces to get your amounts."

Not all events follow the same etiquette rules, so make sure to take your party style into account. Jessie-Sierra Ross's estimations are great for a sit-down dinner party, but how should you figure out the right amount of salad for a larger, looser gathering? Ross says, "If I'm throwing a larger party or buffet style, I like to use an online 'Catering Calculator' to figure out how much of each course I'll need. This is a really handy tool!" A number of websites offer such a tool, including Save The Food and EventForte. A deep familiarity with hosting has also given Ross a general sense of how much she'll need. "Typically for a buffet, I prepare about 6 ounces of salad per guest (about 1 ½ cups), as people may go up for seconds," she says.

It's important to have enough salad, but you should be careful not to offer too much, especially when it's not the main event. "If you're serving multiple courses, it's important to keep an eye on portions and be sure your guests don't get too full to enjoy the rest of the dinner," Ross says. If you overestimate the amount of salad you need, you could end up with awkward party leftovers, which present their own etiquette challenges. And salad isn't known for keeping particularly well (especially once it's dressed), so it's best to finish it fresh whenever possible. If you do end up with leftover salad from a party, however, you could try repurposing it into a tasty flatbread the next day.