Serving size calculator
Fill in two of the three values and we solve the third.
Your inputs
Your inputs are processed on your device and are not sent to a server.
Example loaded. You can change any value.
There is no figure yet: nothing is calculated until you ask for it.
- Enter your measurements.
- Check the units and the assumptions.
- Press Calculate, or load the example.
Rather see a worked case? Press “Load example” and change any value afterwards.
Next step
You know the total amount; now split it ingredient by ingredient.
Where each number comes from Conversion constants are exact; densities and coverage rates come from cited sources; everything else is an assumption you can change. Methodology · Sources and updates
How to use it
- Fill in two of the three fields: total, servings or amount per serving.
- Leave the one you want to work out empty.
- Choose the unit you are using.
- The result shows all three figures, consistent with each other.
How it is calculated
Three quantities tied by one relationship, so any two give the third:
The real use is not the division but having all three figures at once when shopping: if you want 150 g of rice per person and there are 7 of you, you need 1.05 kg, which means two 500 g packs or one kilo plus a bit.
When working out servings from a fixed amount, the result also shows whole servings rounded down, which is what you can actually plate.
Worked example
You have 1 kg of pasta and want to know how many it serves at 100 g per person:
- Total: 1,000 g
- Per serving: 100 g
- Servings: 1,000 / 100 = 10 servings
And the other way round: for 6 people at 100 g you need 600 g, a pack and a bit.
Good to know
- Typical amounts per person. 75-100 g of dry pasta or rice; 150-200 g of raw meat for a main course; 200-250 g of potato.
- These are starting points. Appetite, side dishes and the occasion move these figures a long way.
- Raw or cooked. Rice roughly triples in weight when cooked and pasta doubles. Be sure which one the amount refers to.
- For large groups, round up. Leftovers at a gathering are a smaller problem than the alternative.
Frequently asked questions
How much pasta per person?
75 to 100 g dry for a main course, about 60 g as a starter or side. Pasta roughly doubles in weight when cooked.
How much rice per person?
70 to 100 g uncooked depending on the dish. For a rice-forward dish like paella, count 100-120 g per person.
How much meat per person?
150 to 200 g raw and boneless for a main course. With bone in, go considerably higher, since a fair share of the weight is not eaten.
Can I work out the total amount?
Yes. Fill in the servings and the amount per person and leave the total empty: it is calculated for you.