With summer approaching, many of us are filling our calendars with get-together plans, from casual barbecues to more elaborate graduation parties or weddings. There’s no greater joy than bringing together family and friends to celebrate occasions big or small, but we can all agree there are also few bigger stressors, right? That doesn’t have to be the case when you’re prepared, and that comes down to knowing you have enough of everything. If you’ve already figured out how much caviar you need and how many appetizers to serve, there is another party-planning factor you should consider. After first determining the number of drinks you’ll need, ask yourself: How much ice is required for this event?
As a basic starting rule, figure that you need about one to two pounds of ice per guest. From there, you have a few questions to answer. How long is the party? Is it indoors or outdoors? What is the temperature going to be like? Do you need ice just for chilling drinks (and maybe even other items like shrimp) or for both chilling and serving? The higher the temperatures and the more uses you have for your ice, the more you will ultimately need. Begin with that one to two pounds as a foundation, then do some additional math from there.
Factoring in time, temperature, and ice uses
If you’re just chilling drinks, that one to two pounds per guest may work. However, if your party is outside in the summer heat — or even in an indoor space where it might get warm — it’s wise to double that so you can change ice out as it melts. If you are also serving food items that require ice, add another pound per guest. If food that isn’t getting cooked, such as seafood, drops below 40 degrees Fahrenheit, it can become a breeding ground for bacteria. On the other hand, to avoid wasting ice, plan ahead of time what containers you’re keeping things in, how much space they have, and how much ice they can fit. As with the beverages, assume you’ll change out the ice at least once during a longer event in warmer temperatures.
For serving, reference your drinks calculator. The general rule of thumb is two drinks per guest for the first hour and one drink per hour after that. For 20 guests at a four-hour event, that’s 100 beverages. On average, you will use about three ice cubes per drink, equalling 300 total. Since one cube weighs about one ounce, that comes out to 300 ounces, which then translates to approximately 19 pounds. One to two pounds of ice per guest for chilling purposes comes out to 40 pounds. Doubled for hot weather, that’s 80, and when you add 19 pounds for serving, that equals about 100 pounds total. With a little light math, you can throw a party where everyone feels refreshed.
