Portion & Household Meal-Planning Guide

A little planning makes dinner effortless. For households in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Northern Virginia, start with the number of people dining and the number of dinners you want covered, then check what each dish includes.

How many servings are in an entrée?

Check the individual product description and selected option before ordering. Our entrée descriptions identify the dish and its accompaniments, but do not consistently state a serving count or portion weight. A rice or vegetable choice changes the accompaniment; it does not specify extra servings. If a listing does not state how many people it serves, ask us to confirm the portion before planning to share it. Nutrition listed “per serving” is not, by itself, a count of servings in the order.

Plan for one, two, or four people

Use this simple calculation: people dining × dinners to cover = individual meal servings needed. These are planning quantities, not a promise about appetite or the serving count of every product.

  • One person: plan 1 individual meal serving for one dinner, or 3 for three dinners.
  • Two people: plan 2 individual meal servings for one dinner, or 6 for three dinners.
  • Four people: plan 4 individual meal servings for one dinner, or 12 for three dinners.

For an entrée confirmed to serve one, those totals mean 1, 2, or 4 entrée units for one dinner, and 3, 6, or 12 for three dinners. If a dish is confirmed to serve more than one, divide the servings you need by that count and round up. Choose different dishes for each person or increase the quantity of a shared favorite. Add any planned lunches or leftovers as extra servings rather than assuming they will remain.

Count included sides before adding extras

Many dishes already include accompaniments. Sesame Ginger Roasted Tilapia lists a choice of rice and green beans, with rice and vegetable options available. Mozzarella Stuffed Turkey Meatloaf includes mashed potatoes and broccoli. Mushroom Stroganoff is served over egg noodle pasta. Read your selected dish and options first so you do not order a second side unintentionally.

For extra accompaniments, check the selling unit. The Mac & Cheese listing priced per pound is a different planning unit from an individual entrée. Choose the amount you want to share; do not treat one pound as a stated number of dinner servings. Similarly, Chicken Noodle Soup is listed as 32 oz, and Classic Shrimp Cocktail offers 9 pieces. These quantities describe the item, not how many complete dinners it replaces.

Plan dessert separately

Cheesecake, Chocolate Layered Cake, and Carrot Cake are each priced for two slices. If you want one slice per person, order one two-slice item for two people or two for four people. For one person, one item provides two slices to share or enjoy on separate occasions.

Oversized Chocolate Chip Cookies come in a four-pack. At one cookie per person, one pack covers four people. Dessert is an optional addition, not a substitute for the entrée servings in your dinner plan.

A final check before ordering

Confirm entrée serving counts where unstated, review your side selections, and count dessert slices or pieces separately. Appetite and preferences vary, so choose extras to suit your household rather than relying on a universal calorie or fullness rule.

Meal quantities do not replace delivery eligibility or order minimums. Review how our meal delivery works and check your address before ordering. Need help putting together your first order? Contact us for dish-specific portion guidance.