How Much Lunch Meat Should You Serve Per Person on a Party Tray?

By Staff WriterLast Updated March 24, 2020

It is recommended that about 4 ounces (or 1/4 pound) of meat be allocated for guests when serving lunch meat. Additionally, it is recommended that when also serving cheese, the ratio of meat to cheese should be about four parts meat to one part cheese.

In general, menu planning should include about 1 pound of food in total per guest. In addition to 4 ounces of meat, guests should also be offered 4 ounces of vegetables, 4 ounces of salad and 4 ounces of dessert. If the lunch meat is part of a sit-down meal, an additional 2 to 4 ounces of meat per person should be added.