Meat Portion Per Person Calculator
Plan how much raw meat to buy for a gathering by cut type and appetite, in grams, kilograms and pounds.
How it works
Total raw meat = people × grams per person · 1 lb = 453.6 g
A common rule is about 225 g (half a pound) of boneless meat per adult as a main, rising for bone-in cuts because part of the weight is bone you do not eat. Big centrepiece roasts and whole poultry are figured higher still, both for generous helpings and because they lose weight as they cook. Buying by head count keeps you from over- or under-catering a crowd.
Worked example
Feeding 8 people boneless main portions at 225 g each needs 8 × 225 = 1,800 g of raw meat — about 3.97 lb or 1.8 kg.
Frequently asked questions
How much meat per person for a dinner?
Roughly 225 g (half a pound) of boneless meat per adult as the main, or about 340 g for bone-in cuts where some of the weight is bone. Scale up for hearty eaters and centrepiece roasts.
Why buy more for bone-in cuts?
Bone is inedible weight, so a bone-in cut yields less meat per pound than a boneless one. Allowing extra grams per person makes up for the bone you are paying for but not eating.
Does cooking shrink the amount?
Yes. Meat loses moisture and fat as it cooks — often 15–30% of its raw weight — so these figures are for raw meat before it hits the heat. Buying by raw weight already accounts for that shrink.
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This calculator is for educational purposes. Double-check important results before acting on them.