Make it yours
Cookout portions and shopping list
Children count as half an adult serving for mains and sides; every guest counts for drinks. Change the assumptions and buffer to match your event. This tool runs in your browser.
Shopping estimate for 12 guests
Adjust the fields to update this estimate.
Safety references: USDA safe temperature chart · USDA July Fourth food safety.
Your entries are used only in this browser. Nothing you type into this tool is uploaded or saved by us. Download what you need before closing the page. For paper output, open Print and choose your printer or “Save as PDF.” Try a single test sheet at actual size before preparing a batch.
The studio notebook
A useful place to begin.
Clear steps, considered details, and ideas you can put to use.
Estimate cookout portions without guessing silently
How to adjust the assumptions behind a shopping list.
Turn a portion estimate into a usable shopping trip
Separate quantities, packages, and nonfood supplies.
Set up an outdoor food table with safety in mind
A practical layout for serving, cooling, and cleanup.
Build a cookout timeline without relying on invented cook times
Work backward from guest arrival and serving.
Plan cookout options for a mixed group
Ask, label, and keep choices distinct.
Use the estimate to reduce cookout waste
Adjust a simple forecast before buying.