How Much Ground Beef to Buy for Tacos

When you are feeding a large crowd of family or hosting a big party, there is nothing easier and more popular than a delicious taco bar. Each person gets to fill their ground beef tacos with exactly what they want and everyone walks away happy and stuffed.

But then you are faced with the question….how much ground beef per person for tacos do I need to buy?

The worst scenario is running out of hamburger meat before your guests are full but no one wants 50 pounds of leftovers in your freezer either!

No worries my friend. Today, I am setting you up for taco bar success with the a simple calculator so you don't have to do any math, as well as some of the best side dishes and taco fillings so your party is a guaranteed success!

Planning tips for a Taco Bar

Servings per person

If you are new to feeding a large group of friends, here's a good way to estimate how much the average person will eat. This calculation will lean on the more generous side, but when you are the host, you always want to have a bit extra instead of not having enough.

• Plan for an adult to eat 1 1/2 servings
• Children ages 2-10 are between 1/2 – 3/4 servings
• Children over the age of 10 are a full serving

Prep ahead of time

So you aren't frantic before your big taco party, be sure to prep as much as you can in the days (or weeks) ahead of time. Here are some easy steps to take before the big day arrives.

• Cook and season all your hamburger meat, place it in freezer containers or bags, and freezer for up to 6 months! To thaw, place it in the fridge a couple days before the party, and heat it up in the microwave before serving.
• While you can purchase pre-shredded cheese, I suggest shredding your own fresh. Pre-shredded cheese is coated in wood pulp and other nasty ingredients to keep it from clumping. Use a food processor and you are done in a couple minutes, then store it in your fridge for up to a week.

Keeping the food fresh and proper temperature

If your guests are going to be making their own homemade tacos, let's keep all the ingredients on your taco bar safe so no one ends up getting sick!

• Keep your prepared taco meat warm in a crockpot or a disposable chafing buffet dish
• Keep your cheese and sour cream cold by placing the container in a bowl of ice
• Keep your corn and flour tortillas warm in a disposable chafing buffet dish to keep them soft the duration of your party.

Keep the supplies stocked

When hosting, not only is it polite to let your guests go through the line first, it also provides you the perfect opportunity to re-stock all the ingredients before you grab your own plate of food and joining your guests.

Doing this allows the taco bar to be filled with as much taco meat, shells, and toppings your guests will need for their second round without you having to get up again.

Taco Bar Ingredient Checklist

Since each of your guests will have different preferences for what they love in their own tacos, here is a suggested list for favorite toppings and must-haves. Be sure you have them all before heading to the grocery store:

• Taco shells – provide the three options: hard shell tacos, corn tortillas, and flour for soft tortillas.
• However much lean ground beef the Ground Beef Calculator says you need
• Refried beans
• Grated cheese
• Thinly shredded lettuce
• Pico de gallo or salsa, offering both a mild and medium heat option
• Sour cream
• Guacamole
• Black olives
• Slices of fresh lime to squeeze over top
• Tortilla chips

Calculator: How Much Ground Beef per Person for Tacos

This calculator will provide you the exact amount of raw ground beef you need to purchase based on the number of guests you will have at your party.

Simply enter the number of guests you are having, as well as how many tacos you expect each guest to eat. The calculator then provides you the exact pounds of ground beef you need to purchase from the store then cook at home.

How are the numbers for this calculator determined? It is based on a formula that uses the average serving of protein on the typical taco is an 1/8th of a pound of meat, which is about 2 ounces of beef before it is cooked. So, a pound of ground beef should nicely fill 8 tacos.

Of course, once the hamburger meat is cooked, it will weigh less than the raw and it will also shrink in size a bit.

How to season the hamburger meat for tacos

Of course, the easiest option for a taco meat recipe is to purchase the store bought packets, but I'm going to discourage that option pretty strongly. Most of those pre-mixed seasonings are much too heavy on sodium and leave a grainy texture. The only store-bought version I have used and would recommend is Spice Islands Premium Taco Seasoning from Costco.

Homemade taco seasoning is very simple to make and tastes so much better than the junk at the store. Plus, it uses common spices you probably already have on hand like chili powder, onion powder, cumin, and garlic powder. Click here for my favorite, and simple, homemade taco seasoning recipe.

What to do with leftover taco meat

If you do end up with a bit too much meat, that is always a better problem than not having enough for your party. Let's be honest….having extra food is the best part of hosting! Here are some options for your leftovers:

• Portion it into smaller servings and freeze them in containers or freezer bags for use later. It will last 6 months in your freezer.
• Turn those couple extra pounds of meat into other dinners like taco salad, quesadillas, taquitos, or taco pizza.
• Leftover taco meat will last one week in your fridge in an airtight container.

What to serve with a taco bar

Since the tacos are the main feature of the meal, think simple when it comes to side dishes to offer your guests. Of course, the obvious is tortilla chips but consider a few fresh options as well to balance out the meal.

• Fresh green salad with a southwest style dressing
• Fresh fruit salad
• Corn on the cob
• Lightly sautéed peppers and onions
• Southwest cole slaw
• Mexican rice
• Mexican black beans

No matter how many pounds of ground beef you have to cook up for your big taco shin-dig, a bit of planning and the proper Ground Beef Calculator will set you up for success every time!

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Source: https://www.mykitchenescapades.com/ground-beef-per-person-for-tacos/

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