Cocktail Party

• Most people like a party with a lot of miniature foods they can graze on while they mill about the room with drinks in hand, talking to others. Finger foods are also great because partygoers can experience a greater variety of foods than they would with normal serving sizes. If your guests find something they particularly like, they can also come back and have more than just one portion and not feel as though they're being rude.
  
  If you plan on serving a variety of finger foods at your party, a safe bet is to figure on four to five portions of each menu item for each person attending. You may have leftovers---and you may not. If you know in advance that a particular food item (such as Aunt Suzanne's spinach mini-quiche) is particularly popular, you might want to have an extra tray at the ready. It's always better to have slightly too much food on hand than too little.
  
  

Dinner Party

• If your party is more of a formal dinner affair, your portion sizes will largely depend on how many courses you intend to serve. If you're serving a six-course meal, your portion sizes can be a lot smaller than if you're serving a simple three-course affair. Another benefit of this type of party is that it's easier to plan in advance; it's perfectly acceptable to create a menu ahead of time that's the same all the way around the table, instead of offering a vast array of choices that may ultimately confuse your guests. It might be advisable to offer a choice of protein (for instance, a 6-oz. beef tenderloin vs. a 6-oz. portion of wasabi-crusted tuna), but to keep all other menu items standard across the board.
  
  If you're serving a larger menu, figure on 4 oz. as your median protein size, with 1.5- to 2-oz. portions of everything else. It might also be advisable to think about serving a light dessert when serving a larger menu; your guests might be more inclined toward a fruity sorbet than a New York cheesecake after having previously indulged in five courses of your wonderful cooking. If serving a smaller menu, 6 oz. is the most standard protein weight; all other courses should be slightly smaller, with appetizers (if you're serving them) being the smallest of all.
  
  It's also important to think about making a variety of suitable accompaniments available at the table for a dinner party, such as freshly baked breads, olives, pickles and anything else that suits your menu. They're a small but important part of a well-prepared dinner party that's easy to overlook as you race to complete your other tasks.
  
  One final word of advice: Whatever you do, don't forget about dessert!