How much ham for 25 people????

me.

I keep finding conflicting advice on this.  I have 25 people for Christmas eve dinner.  The menu will be:

 Appetizers:

Little smokies

Peperoni dip

veggie tray

cheese and crackers

dinner:

ham

mashed potatoes

pineapple stuffing

green bean casserole

baked corn

rolls and butter

desserts:

"dirt" pudding

tiny eclairs

tiny puffs

pumpkin dessert (my sister is making it, I'm not totally sure what it is)

assorted cookies

 I want to have a decent amount of leftovers.  Right now I have two hams at about 8.5 pounds each.  That allows 1/2 pound of ham per person with some leftovers.  Does that seem right?

TIA!

TarHeels&Rebels

1/3 lb is plenty.  Especially since it's Christmas and there'll be a million other things to eat, you really don't need 1/2 lb per plus extra.  People will have snacked all day on good stuff and want to try some of each side, so that meat will practically be an afterthought.

ETA - I didn't read the last bit.  Since you've already bought the hams, I'd only cook one.  My math says 7.5 lbs will feed your crowd.

6fsn

I assume this is the bone in spiral slice type ham?  If so I'd lean toward the 1/2 lb per person.  There seems to be more waste and then the bone.  You definitely need more than 1 ham, but 17 lbs seems a little excessive.  Since you've already bought them though I'd cook them.

I will say that ham freezes beautifully even after cooking.  I just freeze it in 1 cup freezer bags and use it to make casseroles, quiches, or in omelletes.

Catlawdy_____

6fsn:

I assume this is the bone in spiral slice type ham?  If so I'd lean toward the 1/2 lb per person.  There seems to be more waste and then the bone.  You definitely need more than 1 ham, but 17 lbs seems a little excessive.  Since you've already bought them though I'd cook them.

I will say that ham freezes beautifully even after cooking.  I just freeze it in 1 cup freezer bags and use it to make casseroles, quiches, or in omelletes.

I'd make both and freeze it.  As PP said, ham freezes well in smaller portions, and I like having the bone for soup or beans later.

I've hosted Thanksgiving for a large group the last two years and I tell people to bring a piece of tupperware for leftovers (I also have some cheap containers to give to people).  That took care of the leftover problem. 

vjcjenn1

I think 1 ham would have given you 3-4 oz per person and that does account for bone/waste. That is the right portion of meat, but let's face it, it's the holidays, people like to eat, so I would expect people will take more then just a serving, so you are spot on the with the extra ham. I think you'll have leftovers of everything, but that's okay, again it's the holidays. you'll eat some, you'll freeze some, you'll give some away, and you'll waste some.