Mastering Meal Portions: A Simple Guide

Recently, my husband has started attending a monthly breakfast our church hosts for men. It offers an opportunity for fathers and sons to engage in uplifting activities together, inviting men in our congregation to connect, fellowship, and share a meal. Each month, one or two of the men provide the food. This month, my husband made and brought a delicious batch of cinnamon rolls, for which he's well known, and asked if I would graciously make quiche for all the men.

Providing food for a crowd and knowing how many your dish will serve can be a challenge. A lot of us improvise and "guesstimate" how much a meal will serve, but there are times when knowing exactly how many is helpful. To help you determine how many people your meal will serve based on the size of the baking dish you are using, I've created a chart!

All serving sizes mentioned are my suggested amounts based on the size of each pan. Serving sizes can vary based on factors such as the type of food, the number of guests, their ages, and the time of day. If you're preparing a meal for adults, you can expect them to take larger portions. Generally, people tend to take smaller servings of dessert, so you can anticipate that your pan will yield more servings than other dishes.

Another extremely helpful resource to assist you in knowing how many portions to bring is our Potluck Calculator! Simply select the number of guests you are anticipating, and it will create a suggested menu! Last, if you are looking to alter your recipe to fit a different size baking dish, this article provides great information on converting any recipe.

I hope the Potluck Calculator, along with the chart and article above, will be helpful tools as you prepare to bless large groups with delicious meals!

1. Did you know your schedule can help organize more than just dinner? Click here to see how to make it even more helpful for those you support, with this tip from Nadia!

2. Check out these easy recipes you can make with just 1lb of ground beef! They’re easy, kid-friendly, and perfect for busy weeknights, or even when bringing a meal to someone else!

Don’t have Instagram? Click here to explore recipes!

3. We recently shared Courtney’s story about how she used our site to send a meal to a dear friend a few states away. It’s a beautiful reminder that love and care can travel any distance.

4. This delicious birthday loaf cake is the perfect treat to include with a meal if you are looking for a simple birthday treat! It transports easily and tastes amazing! With sprinkles inside and out, it makes for such a fun and special treat!  

Don’t have Instagram? Click here for the recipe!

5. Food doesn't have to be boring. Here are some clever ways to brighten someone's day with the food you take that we found on Pinterest!

Take Them A Meal is an easy (and free!) online tool for coordinating the delivery of meals to loved ones. If a friend is ill, elderly, or welcoming a child, you can rally their community to take them meals. We also offer delicious, fully-prepared meals that can be shipped directly to their door!

Surprise your loved ones with a delicious, chef-made meal delivered straight to their door. Explore Shipped Meals

Our culinary team has tested each of these recipes to make sure we can heartily recommend them. Explore Our Recipes

Check out these thoughtful and practical gifts including engraved spoons, meal carriers and more!

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