This calculator works out how much ice cream to buy for a party. Enter the number of guests, scoops per guest, the size of one scoop and the size of the cartons you will buy; you get the total in quarts, gallons and litres and the number of cartons to buy.
Formula
Total (fl oz) = guests × scoops per guest × scoop size. Quarts = fl oz ÷ 32, gallons = fl oz ÷ 128, litres = fl oz × 0.0295735. Cartons = total ÷ carton size, rounded up.
- A ½ cup serving is 4 US fl oz; a small #16 scoop holds about 2 fl oz (¼ cup).
- Carton size: read it from the label (1.5 qt = 48 fl oz, 1 pint = 16 fl oz).
Worked Example
24 guests, 2 scoops each, 4 fl oz per scoop, 48 fl oz cartons.
- Total = 24 × 2 × 4 = 192 fl oz
- Quarts = 192 ÷ 32 = 6.00 qt
- Gallons = 192 ÷ 128 = 1.50 gal
- Cartons = 192 ÷ 48 = 4 cartons
- Litres = 192 × 0.0295735 = 5.68 L
How to read the result
With cake or pie, one scoop per guest is usually enough; for an ice cream bar or sundaes allow two or three. Offer two or three flavours and split the cartons between them.
Limits and common mistakes
- Ice cream is sold by volume, but scoops vary; a heaped scoop can be twice a level one.
- Soft or hard-frozen ice cream scoops differently; keep cartons in the freezer until serving.
- Carton sizes differ by brand and country; use your label.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much ice cream for 50 people?
With one 4 fl oz scoop each: 200 fl oz, about 6.25 qt or 1.56 gal.
How many scoops are in a gallon?
About 32 scoops of 4 fl oz, or 64 small 2 fl oz scoops.
How many servings in a 1.5 quart carton?
About 12 half-cup servings.
Is a pint enough for four people?
A pint is 16 fl oz: four ½ cup servings.
Formula used
in g | Guests | guests | 24 | 0 | 100000 in s | Scoops per guest | scoops | 2 | 0 | 10 in sz | Size of one scoop | fl oz | 4 | 0.5 | 16 in ct | Carton size | fl oz | 48 | 1 | 1000 out qt | Ice cream needed | qt | g * s * sz / 32 | 2 out gal | Ice cream needed | gal | g * s * sz / 128 | 2 out cartons | Cartons to buy | cartons | ceil(round(g * s * sz / ct, 6)) | 0 out lit | Ice cream needed | L | g * s * sz * 0.0295735295625 | 2
Each line is one input (in, sel, list) or one result (out: label, unit, formula, decimals). How the calculators work
Method: the standard formula for this calculation, rounded as each result states. See how the calculators work or report an error.