Would you like to plan a taco bar for a lot of people? Our taco bar calculator can help you!
Are you trying to figure out how many pounds of taco meat each person needs? Are you looking for the most complete list of taco bar ingredients you can find online? You’ve come to the right place!
Read on to quickly finish your taco bar shopping list and learn how to serve tacos to a large group, no matter the event! Also, if you cook or bake a lot, check out our cooking measurement converter to get the exact amount of each ingredient you need.
Tacos make for an easy crowd-pleasing meal that can feed a group quickly and satisfy even the pickiest eaters. When hosting a large taco dinner party or event for 50 people it’s important to have an accurate estimate of how much meat and other ingredients you’ll need to purchase.
In this article I’ll provide a simple guide to help you determine exactly how many pounds of ground beef to buy when making tacos for a group of 50. You’ll also find tips on how to setup an amazing DIY taco bar everyone will love!
Figuring Out How Many Tacos Per Person
The first step in taco planning for 50 is estimating how many tacos each individual will consume Here are some general taco consumption guidelines
- Men – 3-4 tacos
- Women – 2-3 tacos
- Teens – 2-3 tacos
- Kids (ages 4-12) – 1-2 tacos
- Toddlers – 1 taco
These numbers are averages, so adjust up or down for extra hungry or light eaters. It’s always better to have leftovers than run out of food when hosting!
Using these estimates, you can expect 150-200 total tacos will be eaten for a group of 50 people.
Calculating How Much Ground Beef You Need
The next step is determining how much meat goes into each taco. On average, most tacos contain around 1-1.5 ounces of cooked ground beef.
That equals approximately 1/4 pound of raw meat per 2-3 tacos.
For 150-200 estimated tacos for 50 people, you’ll need about 25-30 pounds of ground beef to be safe. Always round up!
Here’s a simple chart for ground beef needs:
- Tacos for 10 people – 3-5 lbs
- Tacos for 25 people – 8-12 lbs
- Tacos for 50 people – 25-30 lbs
- Tacos for 75 people – 35-45 lbs
- Tacos for 100 people – 45-55 lbs
When feeding 50, shooting for 30 pounds of meat allows for 3-4 tacos per guest with a little extra.
Tips For Cooking All That Taco Meat
Preparing 25-30 pounds of ground beef is no small feat! Here are some tips:
- Cook 5 lb batches to avoid steaming the meat. Browning = better flavor!
- Use the largest skillet or pot you have, divide between two if needed.
- Drain excess grease as each batch browns.
- Let meat cool slightly before adding taco seasoning.
- Make the meat 1-2 days in advance to allow plenty of time.
I recommend a 90/10 or 93/7 extra lean ground beef to limit grease.
Seasoning 25+ Pounds of Taco Meat
To properly season 25-30 lbs of ground beef, you will need:
- 1 1⁄4 cups homemade taco seasoning or 2-3 packets of store-bought seasoning
- 12-15 cups of water to rehydrate the beef after cooking
For homemade, use 1 TBSP seasoning and 1⁄2 cup water per pound of meat.
For packaged seasoning, follow label instructions based on total weight.
Combine the spices and water after browning and let sit 30 minutes for best flavor blending before serving.
Topping Off Your Taco Bar
Once you’ve got the protein ready, here are some essential taco bar toppings and sides to include:
- Taco shells – flour, corn, soft, crunchy
- Refried beans and/or black beans
- Diced onions and peppers
- Shredded lettuce
- Diced tomatoes
- Guacamole
- Salsa – mild and spicy
- Sour cream
- Grated cheese (cheddar, pepper jack, etc.)
- Jalapeños and other sliced peppers
- Limes and cilantro
Provide an array of salsas and hot sauces so guests can amp up the heat to their personal tastes.
Crunchy toppings like lettuce and shells should be added right before eating to prevent sogginess.
Serving Tacos to a Crowd
When serving a large taco crowd, a few supplies can make your life much easier:
- Chafing dishes to keep ingredients hot and food safety standards met.
- Large serving utensils like tongs for easy self-serving.
- Squeeze bottles for quick customization of salsas and sauces.
- Taco holders for easy transporting from bar to table.
- Extra plates, napkins and cups.
With the right tools, you’ll keep the taco bar running smoothly all night!
Throwing an Epic Taco Fiesta!
Hosting a taco dinner for 50 calls for organization and preparation, but the payoff of happy guests is worth it!
Use this guide to determine exactly how much meat and toppings to buy. Cook the beef in batches and spice it perfectly. Keep ingredients fresh and accessible with chafing dishes and serving utensils.
Add festive decorations and upbeat music, and your taco bar bash for 50 will be an unforgettable fiesta! ¡Olé!
What vegetables go with tacos?
For tacos, the classic choices are lettuce, onions, and tomatoes. You can add other things, like beans, refried beans, olives, and bell peppers, in addition to these traditional choices.
Making tacos for a crowd — taco bar set up
Tips & recommendations
- A long, thin table is what you should set up. Everything you need for a taco bar should be easy for everyone to get to, especially if you’re planning a bar for 50 people.
- There should be some space between all the ingredients.
- Avoid overfilling the food bowls!
- Set up food sections; meat, sauces, and vegetables should always be near each other.
- When you have close to or more than 100 guests, you’ll need to split up the food and set up a few smaller, separate taco bars.
- Set up the plates and napkins in different places around the room.
- Remember that your guests will want a lot of drinks, so put them close by.
- Make sure to cut your meat into pieces, serve them separately, and label (!) them correctly if you like spicy food. ️ .
- How much meat do I need for each person at a taco bar? Think about how many people will be vegetarian and how many will be meat eaters. You won’t need to make any changes if the number is the same.
How To Make: Ground Meat for Tacos with Old El Paso Taco Seasoning
FAQ
How many pounds of taco meat do I need for 50 people?
How much ground beef for 50 people?
How many tacos will 10 pounds of ground beef make?
How many pounds of meat for 50 guests?
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FOOD
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SERVE 25
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SERVE 50
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Meats
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Hamburgers
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6-1/2–9-1/2 pounds
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13–15 pounds
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Ham or roast beef
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10 pounds
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20 pounds
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Hot dogs
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4 pounds
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7 pounds
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How much ground beef per Taco?
Our calculator simplifies the process of determining how much ground beef you need. The general rule of thumb is 1/8th of a pound (about 2 ounces) of taco meat per taco. This estimation considers the shrinkage of meat during cooking and the addition of seasonings and other ingredients.
How much ground beef do you cook for 50 people?
Time to roll up your sleeves and get taco-ing. But really, cooking for 50 people is no walk in the park. Be sure to prepare at least 25 pounds of raw ground beef. This will yield about 18.75 pounds of cooked ground beef. This will be enough for a total of 150 tacos, 3 per person, filled will roughly 2 ounces of cooked ground beef each taco.
How many tacos for 20 people?
Yup, you’ve got to make 60 tacos for 20 people. 10 pounds of raw ground beef, yielding 7.5 pounds of cooked ground beef in total. This will be enough to stuff each taco with 2 ounces of ground beef each, serving three tacos to each person.
How much taco meat to prepare per person?
To determine how much taco meat to prepare per person, consider that the average guest will consume about 2 tacos. Each taco typically requires 2 ounces of cooked meat, totaling 4 ounces per person. Since raw meat reduces in weight when cooked, start with approximately 5.33 ounces of raw meat per person.