It’s tricky to know how much food you should serve at a dinner party. You don’t want your guests to leave the table feeling hungry but you also don’t want a heap of leftovers. Thankfully there are some general guidelines you can follow when planning your next party.

One – look at the division of men and women on your guest list. On average, women usually eat less than men. I usually serve men a larger portion size for the main meal if I know they tend to eat a more.

Two – when you’re planning the menu and making your shopping list, buy a little more than the recipe calls for. As an example, one pork tenderloin usually serves three to four people. If I have 8 people coming to dinner, I’ll buy three tenderloins especially if there are four or more men sitting down to dinner. That way you won’t run out of food.

Three – the more items you’re serving, the smaller the portion sizes should be. For your main course if you’re serving meat, a starch (such as potatoes or rice), and a vegetable, portion sizes can be smaller. This is especially true if your guests have already eaten an appetizer or salad, and dessert is still to come.

Four – try to space out the courses in your dinner party. Once your guests are done with one course, don’t feel like you have to serve the next dish immediately. Give them a bit of time to digest and enjoy the conversation. This way they won’t feel as full when the meal is finished.

Five – if you do have lots of leftovers, send your guests home with take home containers. I do this all the time especially when I’ve made too much food. Most people I’ve talked to like having a little something to reheat the next day, so pick up some extra to go containers at the store when shopping for dinner.

Since this episode focuses on appetizers, don’t overdo it. Keep your before-dinner bites simple and refreshing. Plan on serving two or three bites per person. It’s okay to serve a couple different appetizers with your cocktails, but don’t put out too much food. If there’s a lot of food available, people will tend to eat accordingly. You want to jump start their appetites for what’s to come, but don’t fill them up.

Happy eating!

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