How Much Salad Do You Really Need Per Person for Dinner?

Strawberry and Feta Salad

Whether you're hosting a big BBQ or just a light family dinner, you might be wondering just how many ounces of salad per person you'll need to feed your entire group. Follow our guidelines below to make sure you have enough greens for everyone this summer!

How much salad greens per person for salad

For the salad greens, you can figure that each person will eat about 2.5 ounces (1 cup). Based on that guideline, here's how much you will need:

4 people – 10 ounces (4 cups)
6 people – 15 ounces (6 cups)
12 people – 30 ounces (12 cups)
20 people – 50 ounces (20 cups)

Related: How Much Fish Should I Buy For Dinner?

How much chopped vegetables per person for salad

For the chopped vegetables, figure each person will eat 4 ounces (1/2 cup). Here's how much you will need, based on everyone eating that amount:

4 people – 16 ounces (2 cups)
6 people – 24 ounces (3 cups)
12 people – 48 ounces (6 cups)
20 people – 80 ounces (10 cups)

How much salad dressing per person for salad

For the salad dressing, each person will eat about 2 tablespoons. Here's how much salad dressing you'll need, if each person eats 2 Tbsp:

4 people – 8 Tbsp (1/2 cup)
6 people – 12 Tbsp(3/4 cup)
12 people – 24 Tbsp (1 1/2 cup)
20 people – 40 Tbsp (2 1/2 cups)

If you're planning to serve your salad buffet-style, your sturdiest choices would be Romaine and iceberg lettuce. A medium-to-large head of iceberg should be enough to serve 4-6 people. And if you're serving outdoors, remember to put all your salad greens, chopped vegetables and salad dressings over bowls of ice!

Great Dinner Salad Recipes

Up next: How Much Pasta Do You Need for Dinner?