BBQ Calculator — Meat, Sides & Buns

This calculator defaults to a generous 3-item spread of about 600-650g raw meat per adult: 2 burgers (≈300g), 2 sausages (≈140g), and 1 chicken piece (≈200g). That suits a hearty BBQ with leftovers. If you want a leaner single-protein menu, plan ½ lb (≈225g) raw per adult instead, and drop the per-person counts in Advanced Options. Children eat about 60% of an adult portion.

2 burgers and 2 sausages per adult is a generous UK BBQ serving. With chicken as well, you can reduce to 1-2 of each. Children usually eat 1 burger OR 1-2 sausages, not both. The defaults assume ≈150g butcher-grade burgers and ≈70g sausages; standard supermarket BBQ packs are lighter (≈113-130g burgers, ≈57g sausages), so adjust the cost per kg accordingly.

Coleslaw (80g per person, as one of several sides — bump toward 100g if it is a feature side with pulled pork), green salad (60g per person), bread rolls (1 per burger + 1 per sausage), corn on the cob (1 per person), and potato salad are BBQ essentials. Prepare sides in advance to reduce stress on the day.

2-3kg of charcoal per hour of cooking for a standard kettle BBQ. For 20 guests, cook in batches over 1-2 hours, needing 4-6kg. Light coals 30 minutes before cooking. Have extra charcoal as backup.