Taco Bar Calculator

The Taco Bar Calculator approximates the amount of ingredients you need to serve a given number of guests. It includes tortillas or shells, meat, and a variety of toppings.Photo by Paul Keller

INSTRUCTIONS: Enter the following:

• (n) Number of Guests
• (MO) Meat Option (Choose beef or chicken)
• (DT) MEAT or DETAILS (Choose to see needed amount of meat or full details listed below)

Taco Bar Ingredient Amount:  The function returns the amount of meat needed for the number of guests.  If DETAILS are chosen, the following ingredients needed to serve tacos to the given number of guests are  also provide:

• number of tortillas/taco shells Old El Paso Taco Shells
• cooked beef in pounds (lb)
• raw beef in pounds (lb)
• chicken in pounds (lb)
• cheese in pounds (lb)
• tomatoes in pounds (lb)
• onions in pounds( lb)
• salsa in ounces (oz)
• lettuce  in pounds (lb)
• hot sauce in ounces (oz) Cholula Original Hot Sauce
• black beans in pounds (lb)
• sour cream in cups
• taco seasoning in table spoons (tbsp) Old El Paso Taco Seasoning

The amount of taco seasoning is calculated by finding the amount of raw beef for the number of guests and using that to find the taco seasoning needed. Approximately 2 tablespoons per pound of beef.

Amount of meat per number of guests is assuming one meat selection. The calculator shows amounts of both beef and chicken but you only need one. If you are having more than one meat adjust the proportions accordingly.

To get an estimate of what your taco bar party will cost for the number of guests you will have see our Taco Bar Cost Calculator

General Information

Tacos are one of the absolute best foods for feeding a large number of guests, partly because they're delicious, and partly because they're easy. Essentially you set up the ingredients and your guests finish making them themselves so you don't have to! The calculator has options for the amount of both cooked and raw beef. The raw estimate is higher because it cooks down. If you are estimating by the cooked amount you can assume the returned amount of cooked beef for your guests is approximately the same amount you would need for chicken, pork, chorizo, or any other main taco ingredient you wanted to use.

The average serving size for a meal of tacos is about 4 ounces for the average person. This would probably be 3 tacos if they were assembled traditionally but generally when people make their own tacos they go overboard on the toppings in each tortilla so 2 per person is a better estimate for a taco bar. All the estimates are increased by five to ten percent to give a little margin for error. It is better to have left overs than to run out so if you prefer you can increase the amounts more to give yourself more margin.

In addition to the meat the calculator has options for cheese, chopped onions, chopped lettuce, black beans, hot sauce, salsa, tomatoes, and sour cream.

The Math / Science

• Salsa: according the USDA, 2 tablespoons of salsa weighs approximately 35.7 grams.  Therefore, the mean density of salsa is 1.207 g/cm³.

Food Calculators

• Taco Bar Calculator: Approximates the amount of ingredients you need to serve a given number of guests including tortillas or shells, meat, and a variety of toppings.
• Taco Bar Cost Calculator: Approximates the total cost of all ingredients you need to serve a given number of guests
• Taco Salad Calculator: Approximates the amount of ingredients you need to serve taco salad to a given number of guests. It includes chips, meat, lettuce, and a variety of toppings.
• Tortilla Ingredients to Feed a Group: Compute the volume of ingredients needed to make tortillas for a group of people.
• Baked Potato Bar Calculator: Approximates the number of baked potatoes and the amount of ingredients you need to serve a given number of guests with a baked potato bar.
• Pulled Pork Calculator: Computes amount of pork you need to cook in order to feed a certain number of people.  Calculator now also includes the amount of ADDITIONS that can be added to enhance the pulled pork.
• Pulled Pork Calculator (Precooked): Computes amount of pre-cooked pork you need to cook in order to feed a certain number of people.  
• Hot Dog Calculator: Calculates the number of hot dogs or similar sized sausages and buns needed to feed a certain amount of people and includes a cost estimate.
• Pork Rib Calculator: Calculates the number of racks of ribs you need to cook in order to feed a certain amount of people.
• Hamburger Calculator: Calculates the number of burgers and amount of raw hamburger needed in order to feed a number of people
• Baked Beans Calculator: Computes amount of baked beans you need to cook in order to feed a number of people.
• Baked Beans from Scratch: Computes the amount of ingredients needed to make baked beans from scratch for a number of people.
• Potato Salad Calculator: Computes the pounds of potatoes and amount of extra ingredients to feed potato salad to a number of people.
• How much Pizza To Order: Estimates the number of pizzas needed for a group based on the number of men, women, teen boys, teen girls and boys and girls.
• How much Coffee to Serve a Group: Computes how much ground coffee (grounds) needed to brew a large volume of coffee based on the serving size and number of servings.
• How much Lemonade to Serve a Group: Computes how much powdered lemonade mix needed based on the serving size and number of servings.
• White Rice-to-Water Cooking Ratio: Computes the amount of water in which one cooks white rice.
• Wild Rice-to-Water Cooking Ratio: Computes the amount of water in which to cook wild rice.
• Grilling Calculator: Functions and data on how quantities of food items needed when grilling.
• How many Bottles of Wine for a Party: Computes number of bottles of wine are needed for a group based on the number of people and the duration of the event (dinner party, get together).
• How many Bottle of Beer for a Party: Computes number of bottle of beer are needed for a group based on the number of people and the duration of the event (party, get together).
• How many Bottles for a Champagne Toast: Computes the number of bottles of champagne you'll need for a toast and the cost based on the number of people, ounces per glass, and ounces per bottle and price per bottle.