Three things to help you determine how much popcorn you need?

Popcorn is a great addition to any party. But, have you ever wondered how much popcorn you need per person? Many years of owning a popcorn store has taught me a few tricks to help you.

A typical popcorn serving size is usually between 2-4 cups, depending on the kind of event and what else will be served with the popcorn. There are a few clues that will help you narrow down that range.

First, the kind of event you are hosting.  For events involving watching a movie or sports program you will likely need a lot of popcorn.  People love snacking while being entertained.  However, if you are serving the popcorn for a reception you will likely need less because people will have additional food to choose from and typically do not just eat one thing.  

The next thing to think about is the type of popcorn you're serving. People tend to eat more savory popcorn than sweet, so keep that in mind when deciding how much to serve. If you're serving a 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 the popcorn, and what type of popcorn you're serving. But the best part about popcorn is 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!