How much meatballs for 50 people?

For 50 guests, order about 19.5 lb of raw meatball mix, which serves about 15.6 lb. That is roughly 2 full + 1 half trays.

How much meatballs for 100 people?

For 100 guests, order about 39.1 lb of raw meatball mix, which serves about 31.3 lb. That is roughly 5 full trays.

Catering portion guide

How much meatballs per person?

In short

Plan on about 5 oz of cooked meatballs per person as a main, which is roughly 4 meatballs at 1.25 oz each. Buy about 6 oz of raw mix per person: 50 guests needs about 16 lb cooked from about 20 lb raw.

Buy more meatballs than you serve

Meatballs lose roughly a fifth of their raw weight to rendered fat and moisture, less than loose ground meat because the shape holds moisture in.

Planning factor: 1.25x. For every 1 lb you want to serve, order about 1.25 lb of raw meatball mix.

How much meatballs for 10 to 100 people

Order is what to buy as raw meatball mix. Serves is what reaches the plate after trim and cooking.

Meatballs quantities by guest count, showing purchase weight and served weight
Guests	Order	Serves	Trays
10	3.9 lb	3.1 lb	1 half tray
15	5.9 lb	4.7 lb	1 full tray
20	7.8 lb	6.3 lb	1 full tray
25	9.8 lb	7.8 lb	1 full + 1 half trays
30	11.7 lb	9.4 lb	1 full + 1 half trays
40	15.6 lb	12.5 lb	2 full trays
50	19.5 lb	15.6 lb	2 full + 1 half trays
60	23.4 lb	18.8 lb	3 full trays
70	27.3 lb	21.9 lb	3 full + 1 half trays
75	29.3 lb	23.4 lb	4 full trays
80	31.3 lb	25 lb	4 full trays
100	39.1 lb	31.3 lb	5 full trays
150	58.6 lb	46.9 lb	7 full + 1 half trays

These are standard food-service planning figures, not fixed constants. Real yield moves with cut, trim level, cooking method, and how long the food is held. Weigh your own results once and adjust the factor to your kitchen.

Things that change the number

As an appetizer, count 3 meatballs per person rather than weighing.
Served over pasta, meatballs drop to about 3 per person because the pasta fills the plate.
Meatballs hold in sauce better than almost any other hot main, which makes them forgiving.

Common questions

How much meatballs per person?: Plan on about 5 oz of cooked meatballs per person as a main, which is roughly 4 meatballs at 1.25 oz each. Buy about 6 oz of raw mix per person: 50 guests needs about 16 lb cooked from about 20 lb raw.
How much meatballs for 50 people?: For 50 guests, order about 19.5 lb of raw meatball mix, which serves about 15.6 lb. That is roughly 2 full + 1 half trays.
How much meatballs for 100 people?: For 100 guests, order about 39.1 lb of raw meatball mix, which serves about 31.3 lb. That is roughly 5 full trays.

Working out a whole menu, not one dish?

The catering food calculator takes your actual dish list and guest count and returns quantities, tray counts, and a cost range for the whole event.

Open the catering food calculator