Feeding 60 people breakfast - how much food?

October 6, 2023 3:51 AM

I'm cooking oatmeal, sausage, and hash browns for 60 people on a group camping trip soon. I'll have plenty of people to help cook when we're there and plenty of equipment, but buying the right amount of food is up to me. How much of each do I buy?
posted by Tehhund to Food & Drink (23 answers total)

1 breakfast each? And I guess the oatmeal is the vegetarian option? Will it have anything in it except oats?

I would do the maths on the sausages as such: everyone of the 60 people get 2 or 3 (depending on size) sausages each. This means that all those people choosing oatmeal will free up 2/3 sausages, to feed those who are inevitably extra hungry.

Hash browns I would probably do a similar maths, maybe stocking enough for 50 people instead.

As for oatmeal, I would figure out what a 'recommended' portion size is, and add at least an extra third to that. Multiply that by 25 people, plus the fruits or extra stuff you are giving for each bowl.

None of this is scientific, but it's how I would start my maths. I guess you are not responsible for coffee? Tea? Orange juice? Milk? and the all important choice of at least 2 different condiments (tomato sauce and brown sauce?)? I would also throw some beans in with the hash browns and sausages.

Good luck :)
posted by 0bvious at 4:18 AM on October 6, 2023

Is it more important to have enough food, or not to have leftovers?
I would guess the former.
If so, assuming these are hungry adult active people, I would just bring what you'd make for 2 people times 30. And for me that would be allowing for the possibility that everyone potentially wants all three components.
Some people won't eat all 3 items, some might have seconds.
posted by little striped mule at 4:39 AM on October 6, 2023 [10 favorites]

For three adults I'd do 1.5 cup old fashioned oats (the type changed the volumes a bit), 6 sausage links, 3 hash brown patties. Take that times 22-23 and you'll have leftovers but everyone should have enough. If you have a lot of kids, you can back off the multiplier, big hungry people should increase it. I would also throw in bonus hashbrowns bc everyone loves those and it seems people (me) can always will eat more than they (I) think.
posted by SaltySalticid at 4:54 AM on October 6, 2023

O.O Tell me I'm not the only one who thinks OP should budget for two standard hashbrown patties per person? I would personally eat four or five, if they were available, IME there's just as many potato-loving weirdos like me as there are those who would want to eat none or just one. The modal number tends to be two.

OP, if you are serving pan-style hashbrowns, i.e. great big rosti-like thunks of shredded potatoes, then you might get away with doing maybe 1 serving per person as defined by the package. People tend to eat less of those. On the other hand, if you plan to serve those tiny round hashbrown nuggets (a la Dunkin Donuts or "potato crowns" from Ore Ida) you should buy 1.5 BAJILLION of them.
posted by MiraK at 5:05 AM on October 6, 2023 [10 favorites]

(Oops yeah I meant to say two each!)
posted by SaltySalticid at 5:09 AM on October 6, 2023 [1 favorite]

The modal number tends to be two.

Yes. 100% Hashbrowns come in pairs. Always.
Being as this is a camping trip budget on the high side.
You can always turn spare sausages into lunchtime sandwiches.
posted by Just this guy, y'know at 5:37 AM on October 6, 2023

I would go hard on the oats (assuming good water supply) and make sure you have a lot of brown sugar. The other things, I would test how much grease is generated since that is the part I would not want to deal with.

Can you set up a google form and ask people what they might consume in advance?
posted by drowsy at 5:53 AM on October 6, 2023 [2 favorites]

Something else to figure into your calculations - is this a camping/tailgating trip, or a camping/we're-going-on-a-15-mile-hike-after-breakfast trip? I like 0bvious' calculations, but figure 2 extra hash browns and sausage if strenuous physical activity is anticipated.
posted by Dotty at 5:54 AM on October 6, 2023 [3 favorites]

Here's a trick for the oatmeal: The amount of water needed equals the number of people. So, for 8 people, you'd use 8 cups of liquid and 4 cups of oats, for 11 it'd be 11 cups of liquid and 5 1/2 cups of oats, and so on. As far as liquid goes, I prefer half milk and half water, and make sure to add salt, too, about 1/2 teaspoon per cup of oats.

I'd bring 2 lbs of brown sugar, plus 18 bananas to top it with and a big box of raisens. Grab a bottle of cinnamon as well, and a big bottle of ketchup for the has browns. I'd also do 150 each of sausages and hash browns, especially if they are the small kind. It's better to have leftovers than have some folks go hungry. Leftovers get wrapped in tinfoil and taken on hikes.

If you end up with a lot of leftover oats, mix in lots of sugar and raisens, plus enough eggs to make it more of a batter, and pan fry to make cookie-like objects. Very popular with the little ones!
posted by ananci at 6:50 AM on October 6, 2023 [6 favorites]

Going against the tide here. In my experience just multiplying a normal breakfast up to 60 will give a lot of leftover food. For some reason, many people eat a little less when they are in a large group (maybe because they are talking?), and when the group is quite large, even if some eat more than usual, there will still be a lot of leftover food. And I wouldn't like to have a lot of breakfast leftovers on a camping trip. This rule starts already at about 12 people.

I would calculate on the low side for the oats and sausages, because some will eat oats and not sausage and vice versa. Two hash browns per person (as others have noted hash browns are exempt from normal rules). How low is low? That depends on the group: are there children? teenagers? how is the gender mix? Are there elder people?
Children under 9-10 eat less than adults, 10-13 as adults, teenagers are completely unpredictable, some eat a lot.
Men eat more than women.
People over 60 tend to eat less.
Some people eat a lot more when they are hung over, if that is relevant. My daughter regularly does all the food for group camping trips, and in her planning it is a major issue.
Someone better than me at it should make a formula, or maybe they already exist out there.

Is someone else bringing snacks for elevensies? Otherwise bring fruits and/or nut bars that people can eat and/or take for their pockets/backpacks at breakfast, because after eating less than usual, they will get hungry before lunch.
posted by mumimor at 7:01 AM on October 6, 2023 [3 favorites]

how-to-estimate-party-portions
food-portion-calculator-your-guide-perfect-portion-sizes
cooking-for-a-crowd

Is somebody else making other options? That would affect my planning. Campers can be pretty hungry, potatoes are pretty cheap, oatmeal even cheaper. I sometimes go to a dance camp; after everyone was served, it would be announced that seconds were available. The amount of time to cook potatoes and oatmeal for 60 is really a lot more than you think, and I base that on cooking for 12 - 15. Holding cooked potatoes is okay; they'll retain some heat, esp. indoors. Get the water going for oatmeal way ahead. Regular (not instant or quick) oatmeal will need some stirring, will retain heat. Large quantities of food are much harder to handle, so be super cautious and make sure there's cool water and a 1st aid kit available.

I'd plan 1/2 c dry oatmeal, 2/3 c potatoes, 2 sausages, depending on size.
Some leftover oatmeal can be added to the next morning's oatmeal if stirred very well. Leftover hashbrowns can be reheated and/or made into frittata with any leftover sausage. Have fun!
posted by theora55 at 8:11 AM on October 6, 2023 [1 favorite]

Can you add bread and peanut butter along with butter knives as an option because that can easily fill up anyone who is still hungry, does not add to the cooking / hot work, easily put away afterward for another meal.

To be cute, add bread, pb, jelly for a diy pbj station.

To be fancy, add white bread, seeded bread, fancy pb, favorite pb (Jif regular), almond butter, favorite jelly (cheap grape), fancy jelly (bonne maman), and whipped butter.

I'd love to see a pbj station at a hot breakfast!
posted by RoadScholar at 8:22 AM on October 6, 2023 [3 favorites]

Your friendly neighborhood vegan is popping in to say that omnivores will often decide they're going to be vegetarian/vegan for an event, leaving not enough food for the people who don't normally eat meat, so please make sure to have enough oatmeal and hash browns.

Also, if you're providing milk for the oatmeal, be sure to include some that isn't dairy. With that many people, you will almost certainly have at least some who avoid dairy.
posted by FencingGal at 8:27 AM on October 6, 2023 [5 favorites]

Response by poster: Thanks all, this helped me think it through. I think I'm going with:

60 dry cups of oatmeal (almost certainly too much but I'll cook in batches and take the uncooked home)
* lots and lots of brown sugar, raisins, and chocolate chips for fixings
16 lbs shredded hash browns (a little more than a cup per person) (w ketchup available)
120 small sausage links
30 bananas (again, I can take these home)
5 lbs oranges
gallon jug each of apple and orange juice
posted by Tehhund at 8:28 AM on October 6, 2023 [4 favorites]

Get more sausage and hash browns.
posted by grog at 8:47 AM on October 6, 2023 [3 favorites]

Concur - you need more hash browns, sausage (4-6 links pp if they are small), and like 3 gals of OJ
posted by foodmapper at 9:16 AM on October 6, 2023 [2 favorites]

I think you've gotten some good advice here but would also add two other factors - what's the activity level of the trip? Is everyone going hiking after so some might want to eat more?

Also, what is the meal plan for the rest of the day/the night before? People will likely alter their habits based on what else is available food-wise.

Have fun!
posted by Twicketface at 9:33 AM on October 6, 2023

Do you have a head count of vegetarians?

1/2 cup of dry oatmeal is a generous bowl. 30 cups ought to be more than enough, not 60.
posted by Pallas Athena at 9:34 AM on October 6, 2023 [2 favorites]

Agree with foodmapper and grog - that's not enough. 2 gallons of juice is nowhere near enough. You'll need at least 6 total gallons for 60 people. Extra hash browns will get eaten, trust me. Not everyone likes oatmeal.
posted by mygothlaundry at 12:35 PM on October 6, 2023 [1 favorite]

A thought regarding the sausage grease produced by that volume of sausage cooking - can you pre-cook them and rewarm them at the site? A little water (like a quarter inch) in a wide pan, covered (you can use a sheet pan if there's no lid), can steam a lot of sausages, and then you can take off the lid, allow any residual water to evaporate, and let them saute, restoring the delicious crispy skin but reducing the grease left behind.

I also think most people will take a piece of fruit "for later" Your totals seem low.
posted by citygirl at 1:39 PM on October 6, 2023

Response by poster: Thanks all. I grabbed a fair amount more sausage and doubled the amount of juice, but the other attendees who are cooking other meals encouraged me not to get any more because this is the last meal of the campout, which means there are usually leftovers from other meals and also not everyone is going to eat much because they are trying to get home.
posted by Tehhund at 1:54 PM on October 6, 2023 [5 favorites]

60 cups of oatmeal seems very high indeed, but if you start with a batch of 10-15 cups max, that should help you bring plenty of leftovers home. Good luck Tehhund, have a lovely trip!
posted by MiraK at 4:41 AM on October 7, 2023 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: It went well, everyone god fed and seemed happy. I bought 20 lbs of hash browns and 180 sausages... and had twice as much of everything as we actually needed. Going to rein in the quantities next time.
posted by Tehhund at 12:18 PM on October 8, 2023 [5 favorites]