Sausage sizzle catering - how much to order guide

Sausage sizzles can be tricky things to cater. Especially when you’re working on an unknown number of expected attendees at your event. But fear not! We’re here to help and have put together a guide based on recommendations from the sausage sizzle masters, Bunnings, as well as our fabulous readers and their experiences.

Keep in mind that the more you can get donated, or the better the deal you can negotiate, the more money goes into your bank account at the end of the day. 

Some things to consider when ordering or purchasing will be:

• Time of day – daytime event vs nighttime event
• Length of event – just a few hours or an all-day event
• Number of students at your school or club – smaller schools and clubs should err on the low end of our suggestions
• Will there be other food stalls?
• Predicted weather for your event – sales can be lower on rainy/overcast days. Although your coffee and hot chocolate sales will be up! 😉
• Time of year – drinks sales are like to be higher in the warmer months
• Try to have someone on standby in case an emergency run to the shops for additional supplies is needed

We have devised a handy interactive calculator (we totally got our spreadsheet nerd on!) which can help you figure out how much of everything to order! It's in our Fundraising Whisperer's Toolbox which is free to access.

Hot tip -  Where ever you get your onions from, ask for them to be sliced!!! You might have to pay a little extra, but trust me, it’s worth it. I speak from experience, having sliced 10kgs of onion for a sausage sizzle once. Goggles do nothing. Nothing I tell you!!! 

Hopefully, our calculator will provide a good starting point, particularly if you don’t have previous event info. 

And don't forget these ‘other things to remember’. You won't be surprised to learn that we have a proper, more comprehensive, checklist (and organiser guide) in our Toolbox :-)

• BBQ
• Gas bottles (make sure they’re full!)
• Napkins
• Garbage bags
• Bin
• Alfoil
• Foil trays that you can keep cooked food in on the BBQ
• Aprons
• Disposable gloves
• Float and a cash tin
• Price list
• Paper towels
• Tables
• Tablecloths
• Separate eskies for drinks and uncooked food (or easy access to a fridge)
• Ice
• Cooking Utensils: tongs, spatulas, knives
• Oil
• Hand sanitiser