Pounds per person? We know very few people who eat even a single pound of mashed potatoes at one sitting. Of course it depends on what else you're serving, but as a general rule, one-third to one-half pound of raw potatoes will generate enough mashed potato for one person.

Gravy is a matter of personal preference, and here people will surprise you. Some wish to make their plates swim in gravy, while others just want a taste. The one sure rule, however, is that that your precious gravy boat, with a capacity of 3.76 teaspoons, is totally inadequate. A quarter-cup of gravy per person should be adequate