How many potatoes are needed to make potato salad for 500 people?

It's impossible to say exactly how many potatoes you need for 500 people without more information! Here's why:

* Potato Salad Recipe: The amount of potatoes varies greatly depending on the recipe. Some recipes are potato-heavy, while others use more other ingredients.

* Serving Size: How much potato salad do you anticipate each person eating? A small side serving is different from a large portion.

* Potato Size: The size of the potatoes will impact how many you need. Smaller potatoes yield less usable potato than larger ones.

Here's how to figure it out:

1. Choose your recipe: Find a potato salad recipe that you like.

2. Calculate the serving size: Decide on a reasonable serving size per person (e.g., ½ cup).

3. Scale the recipe: Multiply the amount of potatoes in the recipe by the number of servings you need (500 servings in your case).

4. Adjust for potato size: If you're using smaller potatoes, you might need to increase the number slightly.

Example:

* Recipe: Calls for 5 pounds of potatoes for 10 servings.

* Serving size: You want to serve ½ cup per person.

* Scaling: 500 people x ½ cup/person = 250 servings needed.

* Potato Calculation: 250 servings / 10 servings/recipe = 25 recipes needed.

* Total Potatoes: 25 recipes x 5 pounds/recipe = 125 pounds of potatoes.

Remember: It's always a good idea to overestimate a bit, especially for a large gathering. It's better to have extra than to run out!