Why pans and quarts
Recipes measure in servings; parties measure in containers. The half/full steam-table pan is the lingua franca of potlucks, church halls, and rental counters, and a quart is what deli tubs and slow cookers hold. This tool turns "½ cup per person" straight into those units so you can text someone "bring a half pan of mac" and mean something exact.
The smoker owes you a side
If the pit is running anyway, put a pan of beans under the meat for the last two hours — the drippings season them better than any recipe. It costs nothing and it’s the side people ask about.
Frequently asked questions
How much of each side per person?
When three or four sides share the table, plan about ½ cup of each scoopable side per adult (beans, slaw, mac, potato salad), one ear of corn, and 1–2 pieces of bread. Kids count half. Serving only one or two sides? The tool bumps portions up automatically.
How big is a hotel pan, really?
A full-size steam-table pan (2½ inches deep) serves about 8 quarts at a practical fill; a half pan holds 4 quarts. Those are the borrowing-and-buffet units this tool speaks, because "6 quarts of beans" means nothing at a potluck but "a half pan and a bit" does.
How many different sides should I make?
Three, plus bread — one creamy (mac or potato salad), one sharp (slaw or pickles), one from the smoker (beans that sat under the brisket). More variety than that doesn’t make anyone happier, it just makes more dishes.
Which sides can I make the day before?
Potato salad and slaw dressing genuinely improve overnight (dress the slaw itself near serving). Beans reheat perfectly. Cornbread bakes fine the morning of. Save the day-of oven for the meat’s resting window.