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Summer Party Planner

By Betty Crocker Kitchens
Created January 10, 2017
How much food do you need for an appetizer party? We'll show you how to plan your most successful summer get together!


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Enough to feed an army or just a group of friends? How much food do you need for an appetizer party? 

  • Plan on an average of 3 to 4 appetizers per person per hour of your party. (Of course, this depends on the ratio of men/women/teens.) 
  • For a general guide to purchasing food, use the chart below.

Summer Parties

Party Tips 

  • Do as much prep ahead of time as possible. 
  • Gather serving dishes a couple of days ahead, and look for fun ways to present the food. 
  • Use a pedestal cake plate for serving roll-ups, small bites or cheese balls.
  • Use marble or granite tiles purchased from a floor company for fun party platters, or create your own.
  • Use cocktail glasses to serve dips and sauces for appetizers.
  • Take some help from the grocery or specialty store. 
  • Purchase already cleaned and cut up vegetables for a vegetable platter. 
  • Look for a variety of canape bases packages of toasted crostini slices, crackers, pita chips or cocktail breads, and pair them with purchased toppings, such as eggplant spread, olive or roasted pepper tepenade. 
  • Offer a variety of hot and cold appetizers, with lots of variety of colors and textures. 
  • Serve food that is easy to eat, especially if guests will be standing or holding plates in their laps.