Soup Portions?

[Joe]

My environmental group had its monthly meeting last night, which includes dinner. I was planning on cooking but my schedule got screwed up, so I ended up buying soup at a local vegan restaurant (take out).
I bought a quart and a half, i.e., 48 fluid ounces. We had four people, and after dinner just a very little soup was left in the bottom of the crock pot.

The soup was intended to be a side dish, not a main course.

Karen prepared most of the rest of the food. She and I were discussing what appropriate portions of soup were--where the soup is not meant as a main course. I brought my own bowls, which hold 9 to 10 fluid ounces each.

What is your feeling about how much soup is appropriate for such a dinner--in terms of fluid ounces per person? I guessed that about 10 ounces per person is about right. Karen seemed to think that that might be overly generous.

This is not a big deal or controversy. I was just wondering what you all use as a rule of thumb in such situations.

 

[beancounter]

6 oz seems to be the standard. Although, that seems small to me.
Portion Pointers | Harvard University Dining Services

 

[Joe]

6 oz seems to be the standard. Although, that seems small to me.
Portion Pointers | Harvard University Dining Services

Very interesting webpage. I think it indicates that 6 oz. is about the amount of soup that would fit in a soup cup at the Harvard dining halls.

 

[KLS52]

Six definitely seems small. I would think eight is a safe middle ground for a side dish. Ten is not outrageous, though.

I guess it depends on how much other food there was. Restaurants offer soup and salad or soup and half a sandwich. I'm a pretty big eater so I would expect 8-10 oz of soup in that case.

 

[shyvas]

I never weigh soup and the portion depends on a few factors; on the type of soup (some soups are thin others contain protein and pulses) and the dish that follows.

I tend to only serve huge bowls for my-self as a main course.

 

[beancounter]

Very interesting webpage. I think it indicates that 6 oz. is about the amount of soup that would fit in a soup cup at the Harvard dining halls.

Hey, if it's enough for a hungy 20 year old, it should be enough for you.

 

[Joe]

Six definitely seems small. I would think eight is a safe middle ground for a side dish. Ten is not outrageous, though.

I guess it depends on how much other food there was. Restaurants offer soup and salad or soup and half a sandwich. I'm a pretty big eater so I would expect 8-10 oz of soup in that case.

Just so you know, I measured the amount of liquid that goes into the soup bowls that I used (mainly) since childhood. I measured 12 fluid ounces. So that is what I consider a "normal" bowl of soup, based on my family background. But I like soup, generally.

Since each member of my environmental group is supposed to bring some sort of food, I did not want to come across as cheap or stingy or not doing my share. No one was forced to take more soup than they wanted (it was serve yourself, with a ladle in the crockpot). And people could get second helpings if they wanted. As I mentioned, there was only a small amount of soup left in the bottom of the crockpot at the end of the dinner. No one complained about there being too much soup.

 

[shyvas]

Just so you know, I measured the amount of liquid that goes into the soup bowls that I used (mainly) since childhood. I measured 12 fluid ounces. So that is what I consider a "normal" bowl of soup, based on my family background. But I like soup, generally.

Since each member of my environmental group is supposed to bring some sort of food, I did not want to come across as cheap or stingy or not doing my share. No one was forced to take more soup than they wanted (it was serve yourself, with a ladle in the crockpot). And people could get second helpings if they wanted. As I mentioned, there was only a small amount of soup left in the bottom of the crockpot at the end of the dinner. No one complained about there being too much soup.

I just wanted to add that I love soup.

 

[KLS52]

I love soup, too, and can eat it at any time of the day for any meal.

 

[PTree15]

I would consider 8 ounces or so as a side dish serving, depending on the soup. The creamier soups seem to fill me up more, so maybe 6 ounces for a side serving.