Have you ever wondered how much popcorn you need per person? Countless years of owning a popcorn shop have taught me three important tips to help.
Popcorn Serving Sizes: The Basics
A typical serving size of popcorn usually ranges between 2 and 4 cups, depending on the type of event and what else will be served alongside the popcorn. There are several clues that can help you narrow down this range.
How Event Type Affects Popcorn Amounts
For events like watching a movie or sports, lots of popcorn is needed. People enjoy snacking while entertained. For a reception, less popcorn is likely necessary if guests have other food choices.
Savory vs. Sweet Popcorn: What to Know
People tend to eat more savory popcorn than sweet, so keep that in mind when deciding how much to serve. If you're serving buttery or cheesy popcorn, people might eat more than they would a caramel with chocolate and sea salt.
After that, it comes down to a little math.
Let's say you're hosting a party for 10 people, and you want to serve popcorn as a snack. If you go with the minimum serving size of 2 cups per person, you will need a total of 20 cups of popcorn. If you go with the maximum serving size of 4 cups per person, you will need a total of 40 cups of popcorn.
When it comes to how much popcorn you need per person for a party, the answer is not set in stone.
It depends on the number of people you're hosting, what else will be served with it, and what type of popcorn you're serving. The best part about popcorn is that as long as you keep the extra popcorn sealed in a closed bag, the popcorn will not go bad. So instead of trying to avoid having extra, embrace the leftovers. Happy hosting!