How Much Ice for a Party?

The catering rule is 1 lb of ice per person for drinks in cups — 2 lb per person outdoors in warm weather or when you're chilling cans and bottles in coolers.

Chilling drinks eats far more ice than serving them: a full cooler is ⅓ drinks, ⅔ ice. Buy the extra bag; unopened ice is basically free insurance.

Adjusting for your crowd: kids eat about two-thirds of adult portions; knock 25% off any single item when several mains share the table; add 25% for teenagers and big appetites. When in doubt, round up on the cheap items (buns, chips, ice) and stay exact on the expensive ones.