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We work with a lot of restaurant clients and often help them customize salad bowls.The two most common sizes I see ordered are 16oz and 32oz.
In this post, I’ll walk you through what each bowl size can actually hold — using real examples from what people usually pack inside.
- What Bowl Size Is Right for Side Salads? (12–16 oz)
- What’s the Best Bowl Size for Takeaway Salads? (24–32 oz)
- What Size Works for Family-Style or Sharing Salads? (32–48 oz)
- If You Only Stock 2 Sizes, Which Two Cover 80% of Orders?
- How Much Each Salad Bowl Material Costs?
- Choosing a Salad Bowl? PackJing’s Got You Covered
- FAQ
What Bowl Size Is Right for Side Salads? (12–16 oz)
This is the go-to small bowl size you’ll find in most restaurants — perfect for side salads, cold dishes, or light meals.
12 oz (around 350 ml) :
- Simple green salads with lettuce, tomato, and cucumber
- A fresh side salad to pair with a main course
- Fruit cups like pineapple or melon chunks
- Single-serve yogurt with granola or cereal
- Small desserts
16 oz (around 500 ml) :
- Heartier side salads with eggs, corn, beans, or olives
- Coleslaw, mashed potatoes, or cabbage salads
- Small pasta salads or cold noodles
- A bowl of soup, or a small portion of fried rice
- Chips with dip — when you need a little extra room
💡 Tip: 4 oz and 8 oz containers are better for desserts or sauces, not for side salads.
What’s the Best Bowl Size for Single-Serve or Takeaway Salads? (24–32 oz)
This size range is ideal for a full meal — it’s what most restaurants and salad bars use for dine-in or takeaway orders.
24 oz (around 700 ml) :
- One-person veggie salads like Caesar, garden, or Greek
- Small poke bowls
- Single-serve pasta or noodle salads
- Stews or curries with a small portion of rice
- Medium-size fruit salads
32 oz (around 950 ml) works for:
- Main-course salads with chicken breast, beef, or shrimp
- Filling bowls with quinoa, brown rice, pasta, or potatoes
- Large poke bowls with extra toppings or fish
- Fried rice, lo mein, or saucy rice bowls
- Cold noodle or chilled salad dishes that need mixing space
Most takeaway salads use 24 to 32 oz bowls. The 24-oz is perfect for a single meal and easy to carry. The 32-oz gives a little extra room on top — great for tossing with dressing or keeping ingredients intact under the lid.
What Size Works for Family-Style or Sharing Salads? (32–48 oz)
These larger bowls are perfect for family-sized portions, party trays, or sharing-style takeout.
The most common sizes are 32 oz, 42 oz, and 48 oz — with 48 oz being the biggest, often used for salad platters, fruit bowls, cold noodles, or combo appetizers.
40 oz (around 1.1 L) works great for:
- A big mixed salad for 2–3 people to share
- A generous fruit salad portion
- Large servings of pasta salad, potato salad, or coleslaw
- Cold dish combos with a mix of proteins and veggies
42–48 oz (around 1.2–1.4 L) fits:
- Big salads for 3–4 people
- Protein-and-carb-packed meals with chicken, shrimp, quinoa, corn, and veggies
- Large fruit salads or cold noodle dishes that need extra mixing space
- Family-size vegetable or appetizer salads for set meals
If You Only Stock 2 Sizes, Which Two Cover 80% of Orders?
If you can only keep two bowl sizes in stock, go with 16 oz and 32 oz.
The 16 oz bowl is perfect for side salads, cold dishes, fruit cups, small pasta portions, or soups — all the small servings you sell every day.
The 32 oz bowl, on the other hand, fits a hearty main salad with protein or grains. It’s roomy enough for dressings and toppings, and even two people can share it if needed.
How Much Each Salad Bowl Material Costs?
Plastic Bowls (PP / PET)
Best for showing off fresh salads — you can see every color and layer. PET is usually a bit pricier than PP of the same size, but it looks clearer. If you need heat resistance, go with PP.
💰 Unit cost: about $0.017–$0.042 each.
Paper Bowls (PE / PLA / Water-based Coating)
Versatile and print-friendly — good for most salads, cold dishes, and light meals. Solid balance between function and cost.
💰 Unit cost (plain bowl): about $0.035–$0.084 each.
Plant Fiber Pulp Bowls (Bagasse)
Eco-friendly and sturdy, but not ideal for oily soups or very hot meals. Handles up to around 100°C. Usually decorated with stamping or labeling instead of full printing.
💰 Unit cost (plain bowl): about $0.056–$0.133 each.
When the material, coating, and lid style are the same, the price gap between 12–48 oz sizes is actually very small.
What Salad Bowl Materials Are Most Popular with Our Clients?
From what we’ve seen in our export orders, paper salad bowls now make up most of what we ship, while plastic is used less than before.
Paper and bagasse bowls have grown fast as their coating quality improves — they handle heat, oil, and transport well, and the cost stays reasonable.
A setup many of our clients prefer is paper or bagasse bowls with a clear PET lids — it keeps the food looking fresh while cutting down on total plastic use.
Choosing a Salad Bowl?
At PackJing, we help restaurants and food brands find the right packaging — from salad bowls and lids to custom prints and full packaging sets. Our team has years of experience in food packaging sourcing, offering factory-direct prices, flexible MOQs, and quick support for both stock and custom orders.
If you already have an idea for your custom salad bowl or just want to see some samples, our design team would love to chat and help you bring it to life.
FAQ
What is a salad bowl?
A salad bowl is a container designed specifically for holding and mixing salads.