Holiday Party for 20 guests
A grazing-style holiday party for 20: 6 dishes, about 320 g of food a guest (14.25 lb in all), 44 lines on the shopping list and around 118 drinks. 40% of the cooking can happen before the day.
- Dishes
- 6
- Food
- 14.25 lb
- Drinks
- 118
- Shopping lines
- 44
Sized by the planning engine
The menu, amounts and kitchen check
- · We set food for 7 PM — change it if your timing is different.
Menu for 20
To start
- Crispy polenta bites with mushroom ragout1 batch · 8 servingson the day
- Mini chicken pot-pie puffs with tarragon gravy1 batch · 8 servingson the day
Starters
- Gougères1.5 batches · 15 servingsday before
Sides
- Crisp creamy coleslaw with celery seed and pickle brine1 batch · 8 servingson the day
- Caponata1 batch · 8 servingson the day
Dessert
- Kardemummabullar1.5 batches · 18 servingsday before
About 320 g of food a guest. 40% of the cooking can be done before the day.
Shopping highlights
- Cooked chicken2 cup
- Carrot2 ea
- Celery3 ea
- Citrus for garnish6 ea
- Eggplant2 ea
- Fresh tarragon2 tbsp
- Garlic2 clove
- Green cabbage2 lb
- Herb for garnish — mint or rosemary2 bunch
- Leek2 ea
10 of 44 lines. The full list comes with the plan.
Kitchen check
Over capacity
Checked against a starting kitchen of 1 oven and 4 burners — not yours yet. Seats are not counted here: the planner asks for your real number rather than guessing it.
Drinks and cost
- Drinks, all kinds
- 118
- Ice
- 50 lb
- Food, estimated
- $402
About $20 a guest — a planning estimate from typical supermarket costs, not a price.
Countdown
The holiday party timeline, condensed
5 weeks before
- · Pick a date early; December weekends fill fast.
- · Send a save-the-date to the whole list.
3 weeks before
- · Send invitations with arrival window and a reply-by date.
- · Rent or borrow glasses; you need more than you think.
1 week before
- · Make and freeze gougères, sausage rolls and pot-pie puffs unbaked.
- · Buy wine, spirits and mixers.
Day before
- · Buy cheese, fruit, bread and ice.
- · Make chocolate pots and polenta; set up boards covered in the fridge.
Day of
- · Warm mulled wine and a punch an hour before the start.
- · Set drinks at the far end of the room and food in the middle.
Day after
- · Return rented glasses and recycle bottles.
- · Send a quick thank-you note and share photos.
Other sizes
Holiday party for more or fewer
Questions hosts ask
How much food for a holiday party for 20?
About 14.25 lb of finished food, or 320 g a guest across 6 dishes. The amounts are sized by the planning engine and include a small margin.
Should a holiday party for 20 be a buffet or a sit-down meal?
It usually runs grazing-style: guests help themselves, so not everyone needs a chair at once. Still count the seats you have; the planner never assumes them.
How many drinks for a holiday party for 20?
About 118 drinks across the party, including alcohol-free ones, and 50 lb of ice.
How far ahead should I start planning?
Start 5 weeks before: pick a date early; December weekends fill fast, and send a save-the-date to the whole list.
What does a holiday party for 20 cost?
The food in this plan comes to roughly $402, about $20 a guest. That is a planning estimate from typical US supermarket costs, not a price for your shop.
Plan my holiday party for 20
Tell us about your kitchen, your seats and anyone's food needs, and the menu, shopping list and timeline redraw around them.
Start planning