When serving honey baked ham sandwiches at a party or event, it can be tricky to figure out how much ham to buy per person. The amount needed can vary quite a bit depending on the size of the sandwiches, how many will be eaten, and other menu items being served. Here is a guide to help determine how much honey baked ham to buy per person for sandwiches.
Sandwich Size
The first factor to consider is how large you want the sandwiches to be. A standard deli or slider sandwich will need 2-3 ounces of ham per sandwich. A larger sandwich, like a 6-inch sub or hoagie roll, will need 4-6 ounces of ham per sandwich. Jumbo party sandwiches may need even more. As a general rule of thumb:
- Slider or deli sandwiches: 2-3 oz ham per sandwich
- 6-inch sub or hoagie: 4-6 oz ham per sandwich
- Jumbo party sandwiches: 6-8 oz ham per sandwich
Number of Sandwiches
The next consideration is how many sandwiches each person will likely eat. Offering sandwiches as the main entrée, plan for each guest to eat 2-3 sandwiches on average. If sandwiches are an appetizer or side item, plan for each person to eat 1-2. Here are some estimates:
- Main sandwich entrée: 2-3 per person
- Side sandwich item: 1-2 per person
Other Menu Items
Keep in mind what else you will be serving alongside the sandwiches. If the sandwiches are the primary focus, guests will tend to eat more of them. If there are also lots of sides, salads, and other entrées, sandwich consumption may be lower.
Recommendations
Taking these factors into account, here are some recommendations for how much ham to buy per person:
| Sandwich Size | Number per Person | Ham per Person |
|---|---|---|
| Deli/Slider | 2 sandwiches | 4-6 oz |
| Deli/Slider | 3 sandwiches | 6-9 oz |
| 6-inch Sub/Hoagie | 2 sandwiches | 8-12 oz |
| 6-inch Sub/Hoagie | 3 sandwiches | 12-18 oz |
Based on this:
- For deli or slider sandwiches as a main course, buy 6-9 oz ham per person.
- For 6-inch sub sandwiches as a main course, buy 12-18 oz ham per person.
- For sandwiches as a side or appetizer, cut these amounts in half.
Buying Your Ham
When purchasing your honey baked ham, here are some more tips:
- Honey baked hams are often sold in whole sizes like 7 lbs or 10 lbs. Estimate your total number of servings needed and buy a whole ham size to match.
- Plan for some extra ham – people may go back for seconds or you want leftovers. Add 10-20% extra to your total.
- Chilled, sliced honey baked ham tends to have about 4-5 oz per slice.
- You can also often order deli honey baked ham sliced to your specific number of servings. This prevents waste.
- Or slice and weigh deli ham yourself to pre-portion exact amounts.
Serving Suggestions
To make your honey baked ham sandwiches even more enticing, consider these serving suggestions:
- Offer an assortment of breads like ciabatta rolls, croissants, pretzel buns.
- Set out sandwich toppings like cheese slices, lettuce, tomato, mustard, mayo.
- Make some sandwiches with ham and cheese only for simpler option.
- Add condiments on the side so guests can build their own.
- Slice some of the ham thicker for heartier sandwiches.
- Cut sandwiches in halves or triangles for easier serving.
Leftover Ham
Chances are you’ll have leftover honey baked ham even after making sandwiches. Here are some delicious ways to use up those leftovers:
- Ham omelets or stratas for brunch
- Ham, cheese and veggie scrambled eggs
- Ham and potato hash
- Ham pasta salad
- Ham and bean soup
- Ham fried rice
- Ham quesadillas
- Ham and pineapple pizza
Conclusion
Planning honey baked ham sandwiches for a party is easy and delicious when you know how much you need. Figure about 6-9 ounces of ham per person for main course deli sandwiches, and 12-18 ounces for heartier sub sandwiches. Add some extra for second helpings and leftovers. Serve the ham on assorted breads with tasty toppings and sides for a sandwich bar folks will love. And enjoy those leftovers in eggs, soups, salads and more.