The amount of meat per person depends on whether it is bone-in and what else is served with the meal. Rough guidelines are 150–200 g of raw boneless meat per person, 250–350 g for bone-in cuts, 400–500 g for a whole chicken, and 120–150 g for meatballs. For grilling and meals where meat is the main dish, use the higher end of these ranges. These are ranges and should be adjusted to the meal.
The reason there is no single number is that it depends on what else is on the plate alongside the meat. If the meal includes rice, bulgur, potatoes, bread, and plenty of salad, the amount of meat per person goes down; if meat is the only main dish, it goes up. The second factor is cooking loss: meat loses roughly one-quarter of its weight as it cooks, so the raw amount you buy does not all end up on the plate. The third factor is bone: a significant portion of bone-in weight is not eaten, and that needs to be accounted for from the start.
For boneless red meat, 150–200 g raw weight per person is enough for most meals. The lower end of the range is for meals where the meat is part of a saucy dish and rice is served alongside. The upper end is for meals where steak is the main dish and only salad is served with it. For cubed meat added to a dish, 150 g is plenty. The same range applies to boneless chicken breast; a large breast is usually one and a half servings and is split in two.
For bone-in meat, account for the bone as part of the weight. For cuts such as chops, ribs, and bone-in leg, plan on 250–350 g per person; for lamb ribs with a high proportion of bone, this can reach 400 g. For a whole chicken, plan on 400–500 g per person, so a 2-kilo chicken is comfortably enough for four people. Portions are generous for bone-in cuts because bone weight is deceptive and nearly impossible to estimate by eye.
The amount of ground meat depends on the dish. For meatballs, 120–150 g per person, or three to four medium-sized meatballs, works well. For stuffed vegetables and stuffed grape leaves, where ground meat is one component of the filling, 60–80 g is enough; rice and vegetables make up the rest. The same range applies to pasta sauce. Grilling calls for a separate estimate: because the meal lasts a long time and meat is served continuously, plan on 250–300 g of boneless meat per person, or 350 g for a mixed grill. For shish kebab, you can also count pieces; two skewers per person are enough for most meals.
A few adjustments make the estimate more precise. Reduce the total amount for a meal with children; roughly, count two children as one adult. If you want leftovers, add 20% to the total, since leftover meat can go into a sandwich or salad the next day. If unexpected guests might join, add a side dish rather than more meat; sides cost less and make the meal more filling. Do not leave cooked meat at room temperature for more than two hours. A short shopping list that separately records bone-in and boneless amounts eliminates guesswork at the butcher counter.