Harvest festival shopping list

A harvest festival needs more than fresh produce and autumn decorations. This shopping list covers the practical items that are easy to miss, from soup bowls and serving utensils to coolers, coffee equipment and weather protection. Use your guest count to scale food, drinks and tableware, then check what can be borrowed before you shop. Buy non-perishable supplies first and chill fresh ingredients and drinks the day before the event.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Party tentqty 2
Tablesqty 8
Chairsqty 70
Buffet tablesqty 3
Folding benchesqty 4
Clothes hangersqty 2

Tableware

Reusable platesqty 80
Soup bowlsqty 70
Glassesqty 100
Coffee cupsqty 60
Knivesqty 80
Forksqty 80
Spoonsqty 80
Serving spoonsqty 12
Serving utensilsqty 12
Pitcherqty 4
Thermosqty 4

Kitchen

Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef's knifeqty 4
Mixing bowlsqty 6
Soup kettlesqty 2
Food warmersqty 4
Coolersqty 4
Ice packsqty 16
Serving plattersqty 12
Serving plattersqty 8
Measuring cupsqty 2
Kitchen tongsqty 6

Equipment

Kettleqty 2
Coffee makerqty 2
Portable speaker
Extension cordsqty 4
Power stripsqty 4
Rechargeable batteriesqty 2

Decorations

Hay balesqty 8
Pumpkinsqty 20
Pumpkinsqty 15
Jute table runnersqty 8
Wooden cratesqty 12
Artificial leavesqty 10
Buntingqty 6
Chalkboardsqty 6
Chalk markersqty 6
Glass candle lanternsqty 12
Table lanternsqty 8

Lighting

String lightsqty 4
LED lampsqty 12
Battery lampsqty 6

Sports equipment

Wooden wrestling ringsqty 6
Wooden conesqty 10
Jute bagsqty 8
Tug of war rope
Wooden spoonsqty 12
Plastic eggsqty 24

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 6
Bucketsqty 4
Spongesqty 6
Dish brushesqty 3
Microfiber clothsqty 12
Broomqty 2
Dustpan and brushqty 2
Mopqty 2
Hand broomqty 2
Glovesqty 6

Catering

Groceries
- Pumpkins for soup - 8 kilograms
- Onions - 2 kilograms
- Garlic - 4 bulbs
- Carrots - 2 kilogram
- Leek - 1 kilogram
- Potatoes - 3 kg
- Vegetable stock cubes - 12 tablets
- Cooking cream - 2 liters
- Olive oil - 1 liter
- Butter - 500 grams
- Salt - 500 grams
- Black pepper - 100 grams
- Curry powder - 100 gram
- Paprika powder - 100 grams
- Cumin powder - 100 grams
- Cinnamon - 50 grams
- Fresh parsley - 4 bunches
- Fresh cilantro - 2 bunches
- Mixed salad - 2 kilogram
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Tomatoes - 3 kilograms
- Bell peppers - 12 pieces
- Corn - 12 cans
- Kidney beans - 8 cans
- Chickpeas - 6 cans
- Feta - 1 kilogram
- Shredded cheese - 1 kilogram
- Pine nuts - 500 grams
- Raisins - 500 grams
- Balsamic vinegar - 1 bottle
- Honey mustard dressing - 2 bottles
- Yogurt-garlic dressing - 2 bottles
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Whole wheat loaves - 6 pieces
- Mini bake-off rolls - 100 pieces
- Hummus - 1 kilogram
- Herb butter - 8 tubs
- Cream cheese - 6 tubs
- Young cheese - 2 kilograms
- Paprika hummus - 6 tubs
- Cucumber for Toppings - 4 pieces
- Grapes - 4 kilograms
- Apples - 5 kilograms
- Pears - 4 kilograms
- Mandarins - 3 kilograms
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Snack mix - 6 bags
- Popcorn - 2 kilograms
- Cookies - 8 packs
- Apple pies - 6 pieces
- Whipping cream - 8 spray cans
- Vanilla custard - 6 liters
- Applesauce - 4 jars
- Coffee - 2 kilograms
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 1 kilogram
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Cola - 8 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Sinas - 6 bottles
- Bitter lemon - 4 bottles
- Apple juice - 8 liters
- Orange juice - 8 liters
- Sparkling mineral water - 12 bottles
- Still mineral water - 12 bottles
- Ginger beer - 4 bottles
- Non-alcoholic beer - 24 bottles
- Beer - 72 bottles
- Red wine - 8 bottles
- White wine - 8 bottles
- Alcohol-free wine - 4 bottles
- Ice cubes - 12 kilograms
- Lemons - 3 kilogram
- Limes - 2 kilograms
- Mint - 6 bunches
- Straws - 100 pieces
- Wooden cocktail picks - 2 boxes
- Napkins - 300 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Coffee filters - 2 packs
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Paper towels - 8 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Trash bags - 3 rolls
- Paper snack bags - 100 pieces
- Frozen vegetables - 3 kilograms
- Vegetarian meatballs - 3 kilograms
- Chicken skewers - 4 kilograms
- Satay sauce - 2 kilograms
- Mayonnaise - 2 jars
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Chili sauce - 2 bottles

Tips

Plan 2–3 drinks per guest for the first hour, then allow 1–2 more for each additional hour. Keep extra water available, especially if guests will be outdoors.
Count one plate, bowl, glass, fork, knife and spoon per guest, plus 10% spare. Soup, shared dishes and dessert quickly use more tableware than expected.
For a soup-based harvest menu, provide one bowl per person and at least one serving ladle per soup kettle. Add separate serving utensils for salads, bread and other shared food.
Chill drinks in coolers with enough ice or reusable ice packs at least 4 hours before guests arrive. Keep fresh food refrigerated until it is ready to serve.
Reserve party tents, tables and seating at least 2–3 weeks ahead. Check that paths, buffet areas and tent spaces still work if rain changes the layout.

Frequently asked questions

How much food do I need for a harvest festival?: Allow about 500–700 g of food per adult for a meal-style festival, including soup, bread, salads and sides. Add 10% extra if guests are arriving without fixed meal times or if children are included in the headcount.
How many plates, bowls and glasses do I need?: Buy or borrow one of each item per guest, plus 10% spare. For 50 guests, that means 55 plates, bowls and glasses, with at least 55 sets of cutlery.
How much coffee should I buy for a harvest festival?: Plan 1–2 cups per guest if coffee is served after the meal, or 2–3 cups for a longer afternoon event. For 50 guests, prepare roughly 75–100 cups and check that your coffee maker and thermos can handle that volume.
When should I do the harvest festival shopping?: Buy non-perishable groceries, disposable backup supplies and decorations 3–7 days ahead. Shop for fresh produce, dairy and chilled drinks 1 day before, then chill drinks and prepare serving equipment on the event day.

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