How Much Food Do You Need for Christmas? A Portion Guide by Guest Count

Take the Guesswork Out of Christmas Cooking

Coming up with Christmas dinner ideas can feel like a juggling act when you're trying to please everyone’s tastes, manage dietary preferences, and figure out how much food you'll actually need. One minute you’re worried there won’t be enough roast potatoes to go around, and the next you’re staring at leftovers that could feed the neighbourhood for a week!

This Christmas meal planning guide takes all the guesswork out of your Christmas menu. Whether you’re hosting an intimate Christmas lunch for four, or a Christmas dinner for sixteen, we’ll help you work out exactly how much food to prepare, from mains and sides to desserts and drinks.

We’ll also explore how Christmas catering and ready made Christmas meals from FoodSt can make hosting simpler, handmade by local cooks and delivered frozen, ready to heat and serve. We offer Christmas food delivery across NSW, VIC, QLD, SA & ACT so you can focus on celebrating, not cooking.

 

How to Estimate Food Portions for Christmas

Before you start writing shopping lists or placing Christmas catering orders, it helps to have a sense of how much people actually eat at Christmas.Unlike a standard dinner, Christmas usually includes multiple mains, sides, and desserts, and everyone tends to eat a little more than usual.

The trick is finding that balance between an abundant table and over-catering. The aim is a generous table that doesn’t leave you eating ham sandwiches well into the New Year!

However, serving a wide array of food comes with extensive preparation and pressure that can amplify the stress of Christmas day. Ordering Christmas dinner withFoodSt’s Christmas catering menus removes this issue, as each dish is designed with balanced servings in mind, so you can relax knowing there’s plenty to go around, with no spreadsheets or stress required. However if you are planning your Christmas table the following gives a general overview of how to go about it.

Start with the Main Course (Protein)

Protein is the foundation of a satisfying Christmas lunch or dinner. Because roasts shrink by ~25–30% when cooked, plan portions by raw weight: 300–400 g raw protein per adult (yields ~200–250 g cooked across all mains).

Example: A 1.6 kg lamb shoulder comfortably serves six once cooked — especially with sides and starters.

So, for a regular dinner, you’d usually allow around 150–200g of cooked protein per person, but Christmas is not a regular dinner! Guests often want to try a bit of everything on the table. So it's a good rule of thumb to aim for about 200–250g of cooked protein per guest, spread across all your mains. That’s about 300–400g of raw meat as a serving size guide per guest (to allow for shrinkage).

Here’s a quick reference:

Example Dish	Serves	Weight (raw)	Approx. cooked weight per person
Gavin’s 12-Hour Lamb Shoulder	6	1.6 kg	~265 g
Gavin's Salmon Fillet with a Macadamia Crust and Lemon Myrtle Velouté   Davide's Prosciutto-Wrapped Stuffed Turkey Breast	6	1.5–1.8 kg	~250 g
Davide's Grapefruit & Gin Glazed Ham	8–10	3.5–4.0 kg	~250–300 g

Serving two or more mains? You can slightly reduce each, as guests take smaller portions of each option.

Davide's Grapefruit & Gin Glazed Ham serves 8-10 people on the FoodSt menu

Plan Your Sides by Weight

Sides bring balance, texture and colour to the table, and they're essential to building a table that is bright and interesting. It's also where portions often fall short because everyone wants to try a bit of everything. Here is our guide to how to calculate sides for your feast. Again, we suggest using raw weights for accuracy:

• Hearty sides (potatoes, pumpkin, grains): 150–200 g per person

• Vegetables/salads: 100–150 g per person

• Bread/rolls: 40–60 g per person (about one small roll or slice)

Together, this lands at roughly 350–400 g of sides per guest which makes a generous, well-balanced plate.

Handy rule for 6 guests:

Type of Side	Portion per Person	Example for 6 Guests
Hearty sides (potatoes, pumpkin, grains)	150–200g	1–1.2kg total
Vegetables or salads	100–150g	600–900g total
Bread	40–60g	250–350g (½ focaccia or 1 slice per person)

💡 Balance tip: Aim for one hearty, one fresh/green, and one bread/grain to soak up sauces.

Dessert Portions

Dessert is the grand finale, and everyone loves a little extra. Allow 120–150 g of dessert per person, or one full dessert serve per guest plus an extra for every four people.

A 1 L tub of gelatoserves 8 generously, or up to 10 after a big meal. Mix one rich dessert (like trifle or cheesecake) with one lighter, refreshing option (like gelato or pavlova).

Drinks

Plan for half a bottle of wine per adult, or around 1 L of non-alcoholic drinks per person. Include sparkling water, mocktails or chilled juices to keep things refreshing between courses.

👉 Explore our Christmas catering menus — ready made Christmas meals handmade by local cooks, delivered frozen, ready to heat and serve.

Michelle's Baked Berry Cheesecake with a Spiced Ginger Base

 

Christmas Portion Guide by Guest Count

Every table looks a little different at Christmas. Whether you’re keeping it small and relaxed or hosting a big family affair, this simple portion guide will help you plan confidently and serve just the right amount.

For 4–6 Guests (Small Gathering)

A smaller Christmas doesn’t mean less magic, in many ways, it often feels even more special. With fewer people around the table, there’s more space for meaningful conversation, more time to slow down, and more attention to the details that make a meal memorable. 

This kind of celebration is perfect for a relaxed family lunch or an intimate gathering of close friends, the kind where you can actually sit back, share stories, and enjoy all the traditions of Christmas, in a way that feels more personal. For a smaller gathering, you don’t need an overflowing table to make it feel festive, instead you only need a few beautifully chosen dishes that complement one another and leave everyone satisfied.

Recommended portions

• Mains: One generous centrepiece (glazed ham, roast chicken, seafood platter) — 1.5–2.5 kg raw total

• Sides: Two or three sides — ~1 kg raw total

• Dessert: One dessert serving6–8 (cheesecake or pavlova)

• Drinks: 1–2 bottles of wine plus sparkling water and juice

Hosting tip: Skip the cooking with A Little Christmas Feast (serves 4–6, $44pp) — includes Gavin's 12 hour slow roasted lamb shoulder with salsa verde, Rebecca's turducken sausage rolls, Lou's maple pumpkin, Lou's steamed greens with tarragon dressing, Simone's artisan focaccia and Davide's Sicilian cassata gelato. 
Order A Little Christmas Feast → [here]

The FoodSt Promise

Every FoodSt Christmas Feast is designed around these portion principles - generous, balanced and realistic. Our cooks have done the hard work, so your meal looks abundant and satisfying without unnecessary waste.

Just thaw, heat, serve and celebrate.

Davide's Proscuitto Wrapped Stuffed Turkey

For 8–10 Guests (Medium Celebration)

This is where the celebration really comes to life, met with a table filled with family and friends. For a medium-sized Christmas feast, the goal is to strike that perfect balance between variety and simplicity but not so over the top that you spend the whole day in the kitchen. 

Recommended portions

• Mains: Two mains —3–4 kg raw total (e.g., roast turkey + baked salmon or glazed ham)

• Sides: 3–4 dishes combining hearty and fresh (~2–3 kg raw total)

• Desserts: Two options (one rich + one light)

• Drinks: 4–5 bottles of wine + ~6 L non-alcoholic drinks

 

Make hosting easy:

For an easy - already planned for you solution, FoodSt’s‘Festive Christmas Ham Feast’ removes the stress of preparing multiple dishes for bigger groups of 8-10 people. At $44pp this Christmas menu includes Davide’s Grapefruit & Gin Glazed Ham striking an elegant mix between sweet and savoury, accompanied bygolden duck-fat potatoes, Lou’s Cypriot Grain Salad, Steamed Greens and Simone’s artisan focaccia. To end on a festive note you can enjoyDavide’s Panettone Trifle and Pistachio & Sour Cherry Gelato. Order The Festive Christmas Ham Feast → [here]

Or for those wanting to embrace the essence of an Australian summer, FoodSt's also provides a ‘Summery Seafood Feast’ including Gavin’s salmon fillet with macadamia crust and lemon-myrtle velouté along with a variety of bright salads and summer-inspired desserts. Order A Summery Seafood Feast → [here]

For 12+ Guests (Large Gathering)

A big Christmas table is where the true spirit of the season shines, the kind of gathering filled with laughter, clinking glasses, and the happy chaos of people reaching across the table to share another helping. For gatherings of twelve or more, the best approach is to keep things relaxed and communal. Buffet-style or shared platters tend to work the best, inviting everyone to help themselves, mix and match their favourites, and go back for seconds without hesitation.

Recommended portions

• Mains: 2–3 mains —5–6 kg raw total (turkey, ham, seafood)

• Sides: 4–5 dishes (roast veg, grains, greens, salads)

• Desserts: 2–3 choices with different textures

• Drinks: 1 bottle of wine per 2 adults, plus plenty of chilled non-alcoholic options

   

With a guest list this size, even the most organised host can find themselves stretched thin, which is why FoodSt’s‘Grand Christmas Feast’ serving 12-16 people at $52pp is an ideal choice. This lets you celebrate Christmas in style with our most abundant spread featuringDavide’s stuffed turkey and rolled fig & macadamia porchetta, followed by golden duck-fat potatoes, maple-roasted pumpkin, steamed greens and Cypriot salad. While you can start with our Cranberry, Brie & Pistachio Wreath and Turducken Sausage Rolls, and finish with cheesecake, gelato and fruit mince pies. Order The Grand Christmas Feast → [here]

Quick Guide: How Much to Buy (Raw Weights)

So, now you're across all the portion sizes, it's time to start your Christmas shopping list, or consider outsourcing with FoodSt ready made Christmas meals. Here we have provided a raw weight table to help with deciding how much food to buy for Christmas.

Table: Raw weight shopping guide for Christmas meal delivery (Australia).

Course	Portion per person (raw)	Example for 10 guests	Tips & notes
Protein (meat, seafood, plant-based)	300–400 g per adult	3–4 kg total	Covers 25–30% cooking loss; variety works if serving multiple mains.
Starchy side (potatoes, pumpkin, grains)	150–200 g	1.5–2.0 kg total	Always include a hearty side — roast potatoes go fast.
Vegetables/salads	100–150 g	1.0–1.5 kg total	Add a lighter option like greens or a summer salad.
Bread/rolls	~50 g	~500 g total	One small roll or slice per guest.
Dessert	120–150 g	1.2–1.5 kg total	Or 1 large dessert + 1 lighter option (e.g., 1 L gelato + one cake).
Drinks	Wine ~375 mL/adult; NA ~1 L per person	~5 bottles wine + 10 L drinks	Include sparkling water or mocktails for balance.

FoodSt Tip: Our curated Christmas menus are built around these ratios. If a feast says it serves 6, it truly feeds 6 generously.

 

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🎄 Free Download: Christmas Portion Planner

Prefer a simple printable version? Download our FoodSt Christmas Portion Planner — your quick reference guide for how much food to buy for Christmas.

📎 Download the free Christmas Portion Guide (PDF)

This one-page guide includes easy portion tables, chef’s tips, and hosting advice — perfect to print or keep on your phone while shopping.

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Hosting Tips from the Kitchen

• Children: Count 1 child = ½ adult portion (teens = adults).

• Leftovers: Aim for 5–10% extra overall — enough to relax without waste.

Balancing Variety and Portions

A great Christmas spread is all about balance, but achieving the right mix of flavours, colours, and traditions that makes every guest feel included can be difficult especially with the holiday pressure. Variety doesn’t have to mean extra work, but it does require choosing dishes that complement each other and create a sense of choice without overwhelming the table.

Think of your menu as a trio:the stars, the sides, and the sweets. Your mains are the stars which are the centrepiece of the meal, so two or three is plenty. The sides add texture and colour, bringing the table to life with a mix of something rich, like baked potatoes, and something fresh, like a bright summer salad. The sweets are the final note, where you may want to include one showstopper dessert and one simple crowd-pleaser will always be enough.

If you’re catering for guests with different dietary needs like gluten-free, vegetarian, or dairy-free, variety is your greatest strength. A few thoughtful options make everyone feel considered and welcome, as seen in FoodSt’s‘Vegetarian Christmas Feast’, and if you’re serving buffet-style, a few simple labels can make things even easier for your guests.

 

Why Australians Love to Outsource Christmas Catering

Each year, more households choose Christmas meal delivery Australia-wide to bring calm back to the day.

• Less stress, more connection: No chopping, no mess — just heat and serve.

• Quality & consistency: Handmade by local cooks, not mass-produced.

• More time to celebrate: Be present at your own table.

• Support local cooks: Orders support independent cooks across NSW, VIC, QLD, ACT & SA.

• A menu for every table: Pick a curated feast or build your own.

👉 FoodSt offers Christmas meal delivery australia. Browse our full range of [ready made Christmas meals] — handmade, freshly frozen and delivered Australia-wide.

 

Celebrate Generously, Eat Joyfully

Christmas isn’t about how much you cook — it’s about connection. With FoodSt’s handcrafted Christmas catering menus, you can bring warmth, flavour and tradition to the table without the stress. Pour a glass, share a laugh, and serve a meal that feels made for you.

Because when the food is good and the company’s even better, that’s when Christmas really shines.

FAQs: Christmas Catering & Portion Planning

Q: How much food should I buy per person at Christmas?
A: Plan 300–400 g raw protein per adult, 150–200 g hearty sides, 100–150 g salads/veg, ~50 g bread, and 120–150 g dessert per person.

Q: How do I convert raw to cooked weight?
A: Roasts lose ~25–30% in the oven. A 2.5 kg raw roast becomes ~1.8 kg cooked, serving 8–10 at 200–250 g each.

Q: What’s the easiest way to plan Christmas catering?
A: Choose a curated Christmas menu from FoodSt (serves are generous and balanced), or build your own from mains, sides and desserts. Everything arrives frozen for freshness, ready to heat and serve.

Q: Do I need more food for a buffet?
A: Yes. Add 10–15% because guests love to try everything.

Q: How should I count kids?
A: Countchildren as half portions (teens as adults).

Q: How much dessert is enough?
A: Allow120–150 g per person, or one serve each plus one extra per four guests.

Q: Can I order for Christmas lunch and dinner?
A: Absolutely. Meals are delivered frozen, so you can serve them for Christmas lunch or dinner when it suits.

Q: When should I order Christmas catering?
A: To secure your preferred delivery window, order 1–2 weeks in advance. Exact cut-off dates appear at checkout.

Q: How many sides do I need for Christmas?
A: Plan 150–200 g of hearty sides and 100–150 g of veg/salad per person, plus ~50 g bread.

Q: Is Christmas catering worth it?
A: If you value time, consistency and less stress, Christmas catering is a smart choice — especially for medium and large groups.

Q: Do you deliver Christmas food in my area?
A: We offer Christmas food delivery across NSW, VIC, QLD, SA & ACT. 

📎 Planning your menu? Download our free Christmas Portion Planner PDF and browse our Christmas catering menus — all handmade, ready to heat, and delivered across NSW, VIC, QLD, SA & ACT.