The SavvyMom Holiday Food and Beverage Quantity Guidelines

From how much alcohol to purchase to how many snacks to make for your party, we've got everything you need to know.

Stocking the Bar
The following list is a guideline for how much alcohol to purchase. We recommend 1.5 drinks per person per hour.

For a Full Bar:

½ – ‘ bottle of wine per person
1.5 bottles of beer per person
1L of sparkling water per 4 guests
½ can soda/mix per person (diet cola, cola, ginger ale, tonic, soda water)
2 oz vodka, scotch, gin per person
1 oz rum, rye, bourbon per person
Lemons and limes
Large green olives
Optional: juices, mineral water, specialty cocktail items

For Wine and Beer Bar:

½ – ‘ bottle of wine per person
1.5 bottles of beer per person
1L of sparkling water per 4 guests
Lemons and limes
Optional: juices, mineral water, specialty cocktail items

Bar Supplies:

Ice ‘ 1 lb per person for chilling and drinking
Cocktail napkins
Glasses (2 per person)
Wine opener
Optional: ice bucket and scoop, ice tub or cooler for chilling, swizzle sticks, specialty glassware, cocktail shaker, seasonal garnish (i.e., pomegranate seeds)

Tip: To keep your party simple, offer wine and beer, plus one signature drink. Ideally, serve something that can be premade in a pitcher, just leave out any fizzy ingredients and add them at the time of serving.

Food Quantities

This is a guideline for how much food you’ll need for your holiday parties and main meals:

Snacks and Starters:

4 ‘ 6 pieces/bites per person per hour (before a meal)
12 ‘ 14 pieces/bites per person (as a meal)
For hors d’oeuvres or appetizers not in pieces (cheese) estimate 1 oz per serving

Soups and Salads: