How much food for a kids' party
Quick amounts for pizza, snacks, drinks, cake, and ice, so you buy enough without a week of leftovers. Count kids and grown-ups separately: parents eat too.
The short version
| What | How much | For 15 kids and 10 adults |
|---|---|---|
| Pizza (large, 8 slices) | 2 slices per child, 3 per adult | 8 large pizzas |
| Drinks | 2 per guest in the first hour, then 1 per hour | About 75 for a 2-hour party |
| Ice | About 1 lb per guest (more on hot days) | 25 lb |
| Cake | 1 slice per guest, adults and siblings included | A cake that serves 25 to 30 |
| Plates, cups, napkins | Guests plus about 15% | 29 of each, more napkins |
| Fruit and veggie trays | A handful per person | One large tray of each |
| Favors | One per child | 15 |
Pizza and mains
Most kids ages 4 to 10 eat one or two slices; teenagers and adults eat about three. Order for the higher number and freeze what's left. If you'd rather skip pizza, plan the same way: about two small portions per child and three per adult, such as nuggets, sliders, or sandwich quarters.
Drinks and ice
Guests drink the most when they first arrive and after running around. Plan about two drinks per guest for the first hour and one per hour after that. Water in a big dispenser covers most of it; add one special drink that matches your theme. Buy more ice than you think, about a pound per guest, and keep one bag just for drinks.
Cake and dessert
Count every guest, including siblings and adults. As a rough guide, an 8-inch round cake gives 12 to 16 party slices, a quarter sheet about 20 to 25, and a half sheet about 40 to 50. Cupcakes are easy: one per guest plus a few extra. Custom bakers fill up on weekends, so order 2 to 3 weeks ahead.
Snacks
For a 2-hour party, a few bowls go a long way: popcorn or pretzels, a fruit tray, and a veggie tray with dip. Kids graze while they play, so small portions set out in two rounds stay fresher than one big spread.
Timing tips
- Serve food about 45 minutes in, after the first game, when everyone has arrived.
- Cake about 30 minutes before the end, so the party winds down naturally.
- Pick up pizza 15 minutes before you serve it, or order delivery for that time.
Let Festidi do the math
Tell us your guest count and Festidi works out pizzas, drinks, ice, and plates, then updates them as RSVPs come in.
Make your free planFestidi is a free party planner from McKinney, Texas. Questions or ideas: hello@festidi.com.