🐟 Tilapia Per Person Calculator
Calculate exactly how much tilapia you need for any group size or event
| Event Type | Raw Per Person (oz) | Raw Per Person (g) | Cooked Yield (oz) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Casual Meal (Main) | 6 – 8 | 170 – 227 | 5 – 6 |
| Sit-Down Dinner | 7 – 8 | 198 – 227 | 5.5 – 6.5 |
| Formal / Fine Dining | 8 – 10 | 227 – 283 | 6 – 8 |
| Buffet (Main Protein) | 5 – 6 | 142 – 170 | 4 – 5 |
| Buffet (One of Two Proteins) | 3 – 4 | 85 – 113 | 2.5 – 3 |
| Appetizer Portion | 3 – 4 | 85 – 113 | 2.5 – 3 |
| Side Dish / Tacos | 3 – 4 | 85 – 113 | 2.5 – 3 |
| Children (Under 12) | 3 – 4 | 85 – 113 | 2.5 – 3 |
| Fish Form | Edible Yield % | Cooking Yield % | Overall Yield % |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skinless Fillet | 95 – 100% | 75 – 80% | 72 – 80% |
| Skin-On Fillet | 85 – 90% | 75 – 80% | 64 – 72% |
| Whole Fish (Gutted) | 45 – 55% | 75 – 80% | 34 – 44% |
| Whole Fish (Head-On) | 35 – 45% | 75 – 80% | 26 – 36% |
| Guests | Raw Fillet (lbs) | Raw Fillet (kg) | Approx. Fillets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | 2.2 – 2.5 | 1.0 – 1.1 | 6 – 8 |
| 10 | 4.4 – 5.0 | 2.0 – 2.3 | 12 – 15 |
| 15 | 6.6 – 7.5 | 3.0 – 3.4 | 18 – 22 |
| 20 | 8.8 – 10.0 | 4.0 – 4.5 | 24 – 30 |
| 25 | 11.0 – 12.5 | 5.0 – 5.7 | 30 – 38 |
| 50 | 22.0 – 25.0 | 10.0 – 11.3 | 60 – 75 |
| 100 | 44.0 – 50.0 | 20.0 – 22.7 | 120 – 150 |
| Imperial | Metric | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 oz | 28.35 g | Small piece |
| 4 oz (¼ lb) | 113 g | Small fillet / appetizer |
| 6 oz | 170 g | Average fillet |
| 8 oz (½ lb) | 227 g | Large fillet serving |
| 1 lb | 454 g (0.45 kg) | ~2–3 fillets |
| 5 lbs | 2.27 kg | ~10–15 fillets |
| 10 lbs | 4.54 kg | ~20–30 fillets |
For a typical main meal, one counts in 6, 8 ounces (170. 227 g) of raw skinless tilapia fillet for one person. After cooking it shrinks to around 4.5, 6.4 ounces (128, 181 g) because of the loss of 20. 25 % of moisture and weight during the process. According to the dietary guidelines of USDA, the smallest advised serving of cooked fish for adults is 4 ounces (113 g) but restaurants commonly give between 5, 8 ounces (142, 227 g) of cooked fillet for one dish.
Tilapia fillets lose around 20, 25 % of their weight during cooking, so 6 ounces of raw fillet result in around 4.5, 4.8 ounces after cooking. If you take one pound of packed raw skinless fillet, it will give around 12, 12.8 ounces of cooked fish, quite a lot for two normal main servings for adults.
How Much Tilapia to Serve Per Person
When dealing with whole tilapia, only 35, 55 % of the fish becomes edible meet after filleting. So one 1.5-pound (680 g) whole tilapia gives somewhere between 8, 12 ounces (227, 340 g) of raw fillet. If you plan to serve whole fish, plan 0.75. 1.0 pound (340, 454 g) of whole tilapia each guest.
Fillets with skin have extra 10, 15 % of weight just in skin. For instance, a 7-ounce fillet with skin holds only around 6… 6.3 ounces of real meat below.
In stores, frozen tilapia fillets at retailers usually weigh 3, 7 ounces (85 (198 g) each piece), with the average at 4, 5 ounces per fillet in most packages from grocerystores.
During buffet events where tilapia is the only protein, suppliers usually plan 5, 6 ounces (142; 170 g) of raw fillet each guest. Those amounts drop to 3, 4 ounces (85, 113 g) per person when tilapia shares with other protein options, because around half to 60 % of guests choose each option. For appetizer servings, 2…
3 ounces (57; 85 g) of cooked tilapia each person works well.
For bigger groups the math simply scales: multiply the per-person amount by your guest count. Professional suppliers commonly add 10, 15 % of extra buffer above those numbers to be safe.
For children under 12 years, plan 3… 4 ounces (85, 113 g) of raw fillet. Teenagers need close to adult portions at 5; 7 ounces (142…
198 g) of raw.
A 4-ounce (113 g) serving of cooked tilapia carries around 109 calories with 26 g of protein, 2.3 g of total fat, 0.8 g of packed fat, 56 mg of cholesterol, 56 mg of sodium and 380 mg of potassium. There are also around 240 mg of omega-3 fatty acids, together with zero carbohydrates. With protein density at about 23 g per 100 g of cooked weight and only 2 % of fat by weight, tilapia is one of the leanest fish easily available.
Fish tacos are a whole other thing; each taco uses 2; 3 ounces (57… 85 g) of cooked tilapia, and folks usually eat 2, 3 tacos, what totals 4; 9 ounces (113, 255 g) of cooked fish each person. Converted to raw fillet that results in 5.3, 12 ounces each guest for a meal centered on tacos.
One pound of raw tilapia fillets normally holds 2 to 4 individual pieces, depending on their size. A normal 10-pound bag of frozen fillets holds around 25, 35 pieces.
