How many lbs of carrots for side dish 12?

It's impossible to say exactly how many pounds of carrots you'll need for a side dish for 12 people without more information. Here's why:

* Carrot Size: Are you using baby carrots, large carrots, or something in between? Smaller carrots will take more to fill a dish than larger ones.

* Appetite: Are your guests heavy eaters? Do you plan to serve the carrots as a main side dish or just a small accompaniment?

* Other Dishes: What else is being served? If there are other substantial vegetable side dishes, you'll need less carrots.

General Guidelines:

* Small Side: For a small side dish (like a small salad or a side to a big meal), you can likely get away with 1-2 pounds of carrots.

* Main Side: If carrots are a key part of the meal, aim for 2-3 pounds.

To get a more accurate estimate:

* Consider serving size: A typical serving of carrots is about 1/2 cup cooked.

* Calculate based on your guests: If you're serving 12 people and want a full 1/2 cup per person, you'll need 6 cups cooked carrots.

* Factor in shrinkage: Carrots shrink during cooking. Plan for a bit extra to account for this.

Here's a rough calculation:

* 12 people x 1/2 cup per person = 6 cups cooked carrots

* Allowing for shrinkage, you might need 7-8 cups of raw carrots.

* This roughly translates to about 2-3 pounds of carrots.

It's always better to overestimate slightly than to run out!