Nacho Bar for 100 People (2024)

We are planning to sell nachos at work as a fundraiser and estimate we’ll be feeding 100 people. The Ellen’s Kitchen site, especially the Tex Mex page, was extremely helpful in estimating quantities. I took a number of her suggestions and consolidated them into this list.

Recipes to try: The Tex Mex page on Ellen’s site has several great ideas: a “Walking Taco Salad” for 25 people, a recipe for making taco seasoning mix in bulk, and a Universal Salsa recipe that makes 1 quart. Chow.com had a Texas Queso Dip recipe to feed 8 to 10 people.

See also Build Your Own Nacho Bar.

Nacho Bar for 100: Shopping List

Ellen recommends the following items at a minimum to make nachos for 100 people. I created the shopping list below, assuming the shopping is done at a warehouse store, but regular grocery store sizes are also provided. A #10 can has 96 oz (3 quarts). If you can only find 15-oz cans of nacho cheese sauce, you’ll need about 18 to 26 cans (too many!). I say buy bigger cans or make a large batch of cheese sauce with Velveeta (serves 24) at that point.

8 lbs (128 oz) tortilla chips:

  • Warehouse: 4 x 2-lb bags or 8 x 26-oz bag
  • Grocery: 16 x 13-oz bag

2 to 3 gallons (256 to 384 oz) nacho cheese sauce

Heat several quarts at a time in a slow cooker on Low for about 30 minutes to an hour.

  • 2 x 1-gallon cans or
  • 3 x #10 size cans (288 oz total)

1 gallon (128 oz) salsa. That’s 4 quarts. Get a variety of flavors and heat ranges (mild to hot).

  • Warehouse: 3 x 48 oz jars
  • Grocery: 8 x 16 oz jar

1 gallon (128 oz) sliced jalapenos. That’s also 4 quarts.

  • 1 gallon jar or
  • 1 x #10 can (96 oz; 3 quarts)
  • 4 x 32 oz jar

Nacho Bar for 100: Deluxe Add-ons

Ellen recommends adding the following items to make your nacho bar special. You probably don’t need the full amount of shredded cheddar, if you have lots of melted cheese sauce. Picante sauce is also low priority (and a little redundant) if you already have salsa.

12 lbs ground beef or turkey (could use up to 20 lbs meat total)

  • Add 2 tablespoons/1 envelope taco seasoning mix per 1 pound of meat as it cooks

1 gallon (128 oz) sour cream

12 cans (15 oz each) ranch or chili beans (or 2 x #10-cans)

12 cans (4+ oz each) sliced olives (48 oz minimum)

12 cups (3 lbs) shredded cheddar cheese — there are 4 cups of shredded cheese in 1 lb.

12 cups chopped tomato or 10 pints (160 oz / 5 quarts) chunky picante sauce

8 cups chopped onion or scallion (8 to 10 sweet white onions)

4 cups (1 quart) guacamole

4 cans (4.5 oz each) mild green chiles (16 oz minimum)

Nacho Bar for 100 People (2024)

FAQs

How many cans of nacho cheese for 100 people? ›

If you can only find 15-oz cans of nacho cheese sauce, you'll need about 18 to 26 cans (too many!).

How much ground beef for nachos for 100 people? ›

100 Servings

Raw ground beef (no more than 20% fat) 4 lb 8 oz 9 lb 1. Brown ground beef. Drain.

How much taco meat per person for nacho bar? ›

We estimated that the average person would need 6.5 oz (184 g) of ground beef or shrimp, 5.0 oz (142 g) of hamburger meat, 5.5 oz (156 g) of chicken, or 7.0 oz (198 g) of pork (Carnitas). 🥩 Let's see exactly how many pounds of taco meat for 200 people we need: Pork (Carnitas) — 87.5 lb.

How much queso for 50 guests? ›

I plan on approx. 1/2 cup per person, give-or-take depending on how much other food will be served. If queso sits out uncovered for an extended period of time, it may become too thick.

How much food do I need for a taco bar for $100? ›

I figure about 15 pounds of meat per 100 people, but that may depend how hungry your guests are and what sides you serve at your party. You could think about steak too, but that could get pretty pricey depending on this size of your crowd! Taco meat ideas and recipes: ground beef taco meat.

How many pounds of taco meat to feed 100 people? ›

How much taco meat is needed for 100 people? A portion of meat for one person is considered to be about 1/4–1/3 of a pound. The high end of that is about 35 lbs. Since some people will eat more, especially at a large gathering, I would add another 10 lbs.

How many pounds of ground beef do I need for 100 people? ›

An average serving of meat per person is about 4-ounces, a generous serving would be about 6-ounces. If serving 100 people 6-ounces each, you would need 37.5 pounds of cooked meat.

How to make a taco bar for a crowd? ›

Start with a big basket of chips. Use two kinds if you can find them; I used corn and blue corn. Add sliced limes, cilantro, salsas, a hot Queso dip, creamy guacamole, pico de gallo, sliced jalapenos, lettuce, and cheese for the condiments. I like to warm the tortillas in a damp kitchen towel in the microwave.

How much salsa for 100 people? ›

3 ounces of dip or salsa (about 1/3 cup per person)

How much dip for 150 guests? ›

Dips and Chips- For every ten guests, plan on approximately one and a half cups of dip, roughly an ounce and a quarter per person.

How many chips for a nacho bar? ›

Bigger eaters might eat 20 to 30 chips. However, if you are serving other appetizers, or if the nachos are just a first course, plan on about 1 ounce of chips per person.

How to keep nacho cheese warm for parties? ›

if y'all don't know this life hack that I created, take this bowl. well, a bowl like this, any bowl that can go on the eye, fill it with a little bit of water. and then put your cheese sauce in there. and then it won't burn and it won't stick to anything, and it'll stay warm.

How many ounces of cheese do I need for 50 people? ›

Plan for about 1-2 ounces of cheese per person. As with your meat selections, have your cheese sliced thin (at a 1-2 thickness) to make layering easier. If you'd like to incorporate cheese cubes, or have guests cut their own pieces, have those sliced at an 8-10 thickness.

How much cheese do I need for 25 guests? ›

A good rule of thumb is 1 ounce of each cheese for every guest and about five types of cheese. For a party in which cheese is the main event, plan on buying 3 pounds for eight people, 6 pounds for 16 people, or 9 pounds for 24 people. If cheese is one of many items being served, plan on buying 3 to 4 ounces per person.

How many people does 1lb of cheese feed? ›

The USDA defines 1 ounce as a serving size in regards to deli cheese. That being said, one pound of product would equal 16 servings per pound.

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