How Much Pasta for 20 People?

Plan 4 oz of dry pasta per person as a main course (a 1 lb box feeds 4) and 2 oz as a side. A 24 oz jar of sauce covers about 5 main-course servings.

Baked pasta (ziti, lasagna) holds and serves far better at parties than sauced-to-order noodles — a full steam tray of ziti feeds ~30 as a main.

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.