What you need for a Mother’s Day dinner
Use this shopping list to prepare a Mother’s Day dinner without running short on tableware, drinks or serving equipment. Start with the confirmed guest count, then add enough plates, glasses and cutlery for every course, plus a small reserve for breakages or unexpected guests. Buy non-perishable items first and schedule fresh groceries close to the dinner. Check dietary requirements before finalising the menu, and clear fridge and freezer space before the main shop.
What to bring
Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.
Furniture
- Dining tablesqty 5
- Chairsqty 32
- Buffet tablesqty 2
- Side tablesqty 2
- Clothes racksqty 2
Tableware
- Dinner platesqty 36
- Deep platesqty 36
- Dessert platesqty 36
- Coffee cupsqty 36
- Water glassesqty 40
- Wine glassesqty 40
- Coffee spoonsqty 36
- Cutlery setsqty 36
- Serving plattersqty 10
- Serving spoonsqty 8
Decorations
- Table runnersqty 5
- Cloth napkinsqty 36
- Flower arrangementsqty 5
- Vasesqty 5
- Table décorqty 10
- Menusqty 32
- Name badgesqty 32
Equipment
- Food warmersqty 4
- Coffee machinesqty 2
- Kettlesqty 2
- Coolersqty 4
- Ice spoonsqty 2
- Kitchen thermometersqty 2
Kitchen
- Cutting boardsqty 4
- Chef’s knives and bread knivesqty 6
- Mixing bowlsqty 6
- Measuring cupsqty 3
- Baking dishesqty 5
- Frying pansqty 3
- Aluminum foilqty 2
Cleaning
- Washing-up bowlsqty 2
- Dish brushesqty 3
- Microfiber clothsqty 12
- Trash binsqty 3
Lighting
- String lightsqty 3
- LED candlesqty 24
Catering
- Groceries
- Baguettes - 8 pieces
- Ciabatta - 6 pieces
- Unsalted butter - 750 grams
- Olive oil - 2 bottles
- Balsamic vinegar - 1 bottle
- Garlic - 6 bulbs
- Basil - 8 bunches
- Cherry tomatoes - 3 kilos
- Parmesan cheese - 750 grams
- Mozzarella - 1,5 kilo
- Mixed salad - 2.5 kilos
- Cucumbers - 8 pieces
- Red onions - 2 kilos
- Bell peppers - 3 kilos
- Zucchini - 3 kilo
- Carrots - 2 kilo
- Broccoli - 2.5 kilos
- Asparagus - 2 kilos
- Potatoes - 6 kilos
- Baby potatoes - 4 kilos
- Chicken thighs - 6 kilos
- Vegetarian chicken pieces - 2 kilos
- Vegetable stock - 6 liters
- Chicken broth - 6 liters
- Cooking cream - 3 liters
- Crème fraîche - 1.5 kilos
- Eggs - 30 pieces
- Puff pastry - 6 rolls
- Flour - 2 kilos
- Granulated sugar - 2 kilos
- Powdered sugar - 500 grams
- Vanilla sugar - 6 sachets
- Vanilla extract - 1 bottle
- Cream cheese - 2 kilo
- Cookie bases - 5 pieces
- Strawberries - 3 kilos
- Raspberries - 1 kilo
- Grapes - 2 kilos
- Lemons - 12 pieces
- Fresh mint - 5 bunches
- Salt - 1 pack
- Black pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Italian herbs - 2 jars
- Rosemary - 4 bunches
- Thyme - 4 bunches
- Mayonnaise - 1 jar
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Honey - 1 jar
- Ketchup - 1 bottle
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 6 bottles
- Lemonade - 4 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 12 bottles
- Still mineral water - 12 bottles
- Orange juice - 6 liters
- Apple juice - 4 liter
- Prosecco - 6 bottles
- White wine - 6 bottles
- Red wine - 5 bottles
- Non-alcoholic beer - 24 bottles
- Beer - 36 bottles
- Coffee - 3 packs
- Black tea - 2 boxes
- Herbal tea - 2 boxes
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 4 liters
- Sugar cubes - 1 kilo
- Stirrers - 100 pieces
- Ice cubes - 12 kilo
- Paper napkins - 100 pieces
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Baking paper - 2 rolls
- Freezer bags - 2 boxes
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- Dishwasher tablets - 1 package
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Glass cleaner - 1 bottle
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Garbage bags - 30 pieces
Tips
- Plan one complete place setting per guest: a dinner plate, deep plate if needed, dessert plate, cutlery set, water glass, wine glass and napkin. Add two or three spare settings so a dropped plate or late guest does not disrupt dinner.
- Allow two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then about one drink per person for each additional hour. Chill bottles in coolers with ice and keep extra water available throughout the meal.
- Buy fresh vegetables, herbs, bread and other chilled ingredients one day before dinner where possible. Keep shelf-stable ingredients and drinks separate from the final fresh-grocery pickup so the fridge is not overloaded.
- Match serving equipment to the menu before shopping: use serving platters and serving spoons for shared dishes, food warmers for food that must stay hot, and a kitchen thermometer for temperature-sensitive dishes.
- Do not leave coffee service and dessert until the end of the plan. Check that you have enough dessert plates, coffee cups, teaspoons, coffee, milk and sugar, and test the coffee machine or kettle at least one day beforehand.
Frequently asked questions
- How many plates and glasses do I need for a Mother’s Day dinner?
- Plan one dinner plate, deep plate if required, dessert plate, water glass and wine glass per guest. Buy or borrow two to three extra place settings, especially if children or last-minute guests may attend.
- How much wine and other drinks should I buy for a Mother’s Day dinner?
- For the first hour, allow two to three drinks per person, then about one drink per person per hour. Include water, non-alcoholic options and extra ice; chill the drinks several hours before guests arrive.
- When should I buy the fresh food for a Mother’s Day dinner?
- Order or buy fresh groceries one day before the dinner, then collect highly perishable items on the day itself if possible. Confirm the final guest count and dietary requirements before placing the order.
- How much extra tableware should I have for dinner guests?
- Keep two to three complete spare place settings for a small dinner, or about 10% extra for a larger group. Also check serving platters, serving spoons, coffee cups and teaspoons separately, because these are often forgotten.
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