How Much Food per Person for Christmas Dinner (Chart for 10)
For Christmas dinner, plan on 400 to 500 g (about 14 to 18 oz) of raw bone-in meat per adult, or 250 to 300 g (9 to 11 oz) of boneless meat, when there’s a single main dish. Add about 150 g (5 oz) of each prepared side and 150 to 200 g (5 to 7 oz) of dessert per person. Kids eat roughly half of that.
Anyone who has hosted Christmas dinner knows the feeling: you shop in fear of running out and then spend the week eating leftovers. The quick chart below ends the guesswork, with the math already done for 10 adults, followed by detailed tables, a full sample menu and how to adjust when you serve more than one meat. These are practical kitchen guidelines, so adapt them to your family’s appetite.
| Item | Per adult | For 10 adults |
|---|---|---|
| Bone-in meat (turkey, bone-in pork leg), single main | 400 to 500 g (14 to 18 oz) | 4 to 5 kg (9 to 11 lb) |
| Boneless meat (loin, tenderloin), single main | 250 to 300 g (9 to 11 oz) | 2.5 to 3 kg (5.5 to 6.5 lb) |
| Rice (uncooked) | 50 to 60 g (about 2 oz) | 500 to 600 g (about 3 cups) |
| Each prepared side | about 150 g (5 oz) | about 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) |
| Desserts, all combined | 150 to 200 g (5 to 7 oz) | 1.5 to 2 kg (3.3 to 4.4 lb) |
| Water | 500 ml to 1 liter (17 to 34 fl oz) | 5 to 10 liters (1.3 to 2.6 gal) |
Before you calculate: count kids as half and adjust for appetizers
The same table works for very different families, so it pays to adjust three things before you write your shopping list:
- Adults and kids: count children up to about age 10 as half a serving. Teenagers usually eat like adults.
- Timing and appetizers: a dinner served late, after plenty of starters, calls for less of the main course. If there’s a generous spread of appetizers, cut back a little on the meat.
- Leftovers for the next day: if you plan to stretch dinner into the next day’s lunch, round up only the meat and the rice, which reheat best.
If your guest list isn’t final yet, plan for the most likely number and keep a backup that won’t go to waste, like nuts, dried fruit or a dish that can go into the freezer if it isn’t needed.
Weather matters, too. If Christmas falls in summer where you live, as it does in Australia and New Zealand, or you celebrate in any warm climate, people tend to reach for cold dishes, salads and fruit, and the drinks and ice run out before the food does. In that case, shift a little of the budget from hot sides to cold ones and keep the ice estimate at the top of the range.
Meat per person: 400 to 500 g bone-in, 250 to 300 g boneless
The amounts below apply when the meat is the only main dish, and they refer to raw weight, the number you see on the label. With bone-in cuts, the portion looks large because part of the weight stays on the plate as bone and skin, and part of it cooks off in the oven as juices and fat.
| Meat | Per adult | For 10 adults |
|---|---|---|
| Whole turkey or other whole roast bird | 400 to 500 g (14 to 18 oz) | 4 to 5 kg (9 to 11 lb) |
| Bone-in pork leg (fresh ham) | 400 to 500 g (14 to 18 oz) | 4 to 5 kg (9 to 11 lb) |
| Pork loin, boneless pork leg or beef tenderloin | 250 to 300 g (9 to 11 oz) | 2.5 to 3 kg (5.5 to 6.5 lb) |
| Bone-in cured ham | 250 to 300 g (9 to 11 oz) | 2.5 to 3 kg (5.5 to 6.5 lb) |
| Salt cod (dry weight) | 200 to 250 g (7 to 9 oz) | 2 to 2.5 kg (4.5 to 5.5 lb) |
| Whole fish | 350 to 400 g (12 to 14 oz) | 3.5 to 4 kg (7.5 to 9 lb) |
| Fish steaks or fillets | 200 to 250 g (7 to 9 oz) | 2 to 2.5 kg (4.5 to 5.5 lb) |
Two meats? Plan two-thirds of a portion of each
With two meats on the table, nobody eats a full portion of each. A handy rule is to plan about two-thirds of the portion for each meat. With three, plan half of each. For example, for 10 adults with turkey and a bone-in pork leg, figure on about 3 kg (6.6 lb) of each.
Quick math for 4, 6, 8, 12 and 15 adults
For a single main meat, by number of adults:
| Adults | Bone-in meat | Boneless meat | Uncooked rice |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 1.6 to 2 kg (3.5 to 4.4 lb) | 1 to 1.2 kg (2.2 to 2.6 lb) | 200 to 240 g (7 to 8.5 oz) |
| 6 | 2.4 to 3 kg (5.3 to 6.6 lb) | 1.5 to 1.8 kg (3.3 to 4 lb) | 300 to 360 g (10.5 to 12.5 oz) |
| 8 | 3.2 to 4 kg (7 to 8.8 lb) | 2 to 2.4 kg (4.4 to 5.3 lb) | 400 to 480 g (14 to 17 oz) |
| 12 | 4.8 to 6 kg (10.6 to 13.2 lb) | 3 to 3.6 kg (6.6 to 7.9 lb) | 600 to 720 g (1.3 to 1.6 lb) |
| 15 | 6 to 7.5 kg (13.2 to 16.5 lb) | 3.75 to 4.5 kg (8.3 to 9.9 lb) | 750 to 900 g (1.7 to 2 lb) |
If you’re buying a whole bird or a large roast, use the bone-in column. For a boneless roast or tenderloin, use the boneless one.
Sides and salads: about 150 g of each per person
| Item | Per adult | For 10 adults |
|---|---|---|
| Rice (uncooked) | 50 to 60 g (about 2 oz), roughly 1/4 to 1/3 cup | 500 to 600 g (1.1 to 1.3 lb), about 3 cups |
| Potato salad or creamy chicken salad | 120 to 150 g (4 to 5 oz) | 1.2 to 1.5 kg (2.6 to 3.3 lb) |
| Roasted vegetables | 100 to 150 g (3.5 to 5 oz) | 1 to 1.5 kg (2.2 to 3.3 lb) |
| Green salad | 40 to 50 g (1.5 to 1.75 oz) of greens | 400 to 500 g (14 to 18 oz) |
These amounts assume a table with three or four sides, which is typical for a holiday dinner. If you’re only serving one or two, increase each one a bit. For reference, 1 cup of uncooked rice makes about 3 cups of cooked rice. Mayonnaise-based salads should stay in the refrigerator until serving time and go back in as soon as dinner is over.
Desserts, fruit and nuts: 150 to 200 g of dessert per person
- Desserts: 150 to 200 g (5 to 7 oz) per person, all desserts combined. With two desserts, make half a portion of each, plus a little extra.
- Panettone (plain or chocolate): one of about 500 g (1.1 lb) yields around 8 medium slices.
- Fresh fruit: 150 to 200 g (5 to 7 oz) per person. In warm weather, grapes, mango, pineapple and watermelon go fast.
- Nuts: 30 to 50 g (1 to 1.75 oz) per person, for snacking throughout the evening.
- Dried fruit: about 30 g (1 oz) per person.
If you haven’t settled on the finale yet, choose desserts that can be made a day ahead, so the oven and your attention stay free for the main course.
Drinks and ice: up to 1 liter of water and 1 kg of ice per person
| Drink | Per person | For 10 people |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 500 ml to 1 liter (17 to 34 fl oz) | 5 to 10 liters (1.3 to 2.6 gal) |
| Soda or juice | 500 to 700 ml (17 to 24 fl oz) | 5 to 7 liters (1.3 to 1.8 gal) |
| Ice | about 1 kg (2.2 lb) on a hot night | about 10 kg (22 lb) |
For alcoholic drinks, count only the adults who drink, and always offer non-alcoholic options. Drink responsibly: never serve alcohol to anyone under the legal drinking age, and if you drink, don’t drive. Agree ahead of time on who’s driving home. A pitcher of something festive without alcohol, like a sparkling fruit punch, keeps everyone included.
Sample shopping list: Christmas dinner for 10 (8 adults, 2 kids)
Picture 8 adults and 2 children, which works out to 9 servings. With turkey and a bone-in pork leg as the mains, plus rice, a creamy salad and a green salad, one possible list looks like this:
- 1 turkey of about 3 kg (6.6 lb) and 1 bone-in pork leg of about 3 kg (6.6 lb)
- 500 g (1.1 lb) of uncooked rice
- 1 kg (2.2 lb) of potato salad or creamy chicken salad
- 400 g (14 oz) of salad greens
- 2 desserts of about 800 g (1.75 lb) each, plus 1 panettone
- 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) of fresh fruit and 400 g (14 oz) of nuts
- 8 liters (about 2 gal) of water, 6 liters (about 1.6 gal) of soda or juice and 9 to 10 kg (20 to 22 lb) of ice
With these numbers, there will be some meat left for the next day’s lunch, but not an excessive amount. If your budget is tight, the easiest savings come from serving one main meat instead of two and keeping the number of sides to three.
How to avoid food waste: smaller platters and the 2-hour rule
The simplest way to keep from throwing food away is to plan for leftovers from the moment you shop:
- Serve in smaller platters and refill from the kitchen. Whatever never made it to the table keeps longer.
- Respect the 2-hour limit outside the refrigerator. In warm weather, food left sitting on the table ends up in the trash.
- Set aside containers so guests can take a little home.
- Freeze the same day anything that won’t be eaten within 3 days, such as sliced meat.
If each guest is bringing a dish, share these numbers ahead of time so nobody shows up with a tray big enough for twenty.
Once the numbers are on paper, the shopping list stops being a guessing game. May your dinner come out of the kitchen calmly, and may there be time for you to sit down at the table too.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much meat do I need for 10 people at Christmas dinner?
With a single bone-in meat, such as turkey or a bone-in pork leg, plan on 4 to 5 kg (9 to 11 lb). For boneless meat, 2.5 to 3 kg (5.5 to 6.5 lb). With two meats, use about two-thirds of that amount for each.
How much rice per person for Christmas dinner?
Plan on 50 to 60 g (about 2 oz) of uncooked rice per adult, which is roughly 1/4 to 1/3 cup. For 10 adults, about 3 cups of uncooked rice is enough.
How much does a child eat at Christmas dinner?
As a rule of thumb, count children up to about age 10 as half an adult serving. Teenagers usually eat like adults, so count them as full servings.
How do I figure out drinks for Christmas dinner?
Plan on 500 ml to 1 liter (17 to 34 fl oz) of water and 500 to 700 ml (17 to 24 fl oz) of soda or juice per person, plus about 1 kg (2.2 lb) of ice per person on a hot night. Alcohol is for adults only, in moderation.