How Many Strips of Bacon Are in a Package? Planning the Perfect Family Breakfast

Have you ever reached into the fridge pulled out a package of bacon and wondered exactly how many slices are inside? If you’re trying to plan the perfect family breakfast, knowing the exact bacon count can be crucial. Undercooking leaves your crew hungry, while overcooking leads to wasted food and money.

So how many strips of bacon come in a standard supermarket package? The short answer is it depends. Bacon packaging and portion sizes can vary widely between brands styles, and retailers. Read on as we break down the typical bacon counts for different package types.

Factors That Impact Bacon Strip Counts

Several key factors impact the number of bacon slices per package:

• Bacon Style – Thick cut bacon contains fewer strips per pound than regular or thin cut bacon. Thick slices weigh more individually.

• Package Weight – Heavier packages contain more bacon. Most range from 12 ounces to 2 pounds.

• Brand – Bacon brands slice and package their products differently, leading to variation in strips per pack.

• Retailer – National supermarkets, local butchers, and big box stores may package bacon differently.

• Specialty or Flavored – Flavored bacon varieties tend to come in smaller packages with fewer slices.

So it’s impossible to give an universal answer for all bacon packages. But we can provide some helpful benchmarks based on the most common retail bacon styles and sizes.

Average Bacon Strip Counts

Here are some general guidelines for expecting strips per package based on style and weight:

• Regular sliced, 1 pound package: Approximately 20-28 strips

• Thick sliced, 1 pound package: Approximately 14-18 strips

• Regular sliced, 12 ounce package: Approximately 15-22 strips

• Thick sliced, 12 ounce package: Approximately 10-14 strips

• Regular sliced, 300 gram package: Approximately 12-16 strips

• Thick sliced, 300 gram package: Approximately 8-12 strips

Note: 300 grams is approximately 10.5 ounces

As you can see, the counts have a wide range depending on whether you buy regular or thick cut bacon. For example, a 1 pound package may contain 20 strips of regular bacon but only 14 strips of thick cut.

Bacon is most commonly sold in 12 ounce or 1 pound packages. But some brands offer larger packs like 16 ounces (1 lb) up to 2 pounds (32 ounces). Typically the more bacon in the packet, the cheaper the per-pound price.

Counting Bacon Slices for Meal Planning

When meal prepping for your crew, use these approximate strip counts per pound as a guideline:

• Regular sliced bacon: 25 slices per pound

• Thick sliced bacon: 16 slices per pound

These numbers are based on averages of top national brands. Going with the lower end of the range allows some wiggle room in case you get irregular slices or small pieces.

Here are some examples to visualize portion sizes:

• 4 people = approximately 4-6 slices each
• 6 people = approximately 3-4 slices each
• 8 people = approximately 2-3 slices each

Of course appetites vary, so adjust portions appropriately if you have extra hearty eaters at the table. Children may be happy with just 1-2 slices.

Using these estimates, you can get a good idea of how many packages to buy when meal planning. Just multiply your expected headcount by the target number of slices per person.

Here are some examples:

• 4 people x 5 slices each = 20 needed (buy 1 lb regular bacon)
• 6 people x 4 slices each = 24 needed (buy 1 lb regular bacon)
• 8 people x 3 slices each = 24 needed (buy 1 lb regular bacon)

When in doubt, it’s better to have extras than come up short. Leftover cooked bacon keeps well in the fridge for 5-7 days. You can incorporate it into salads, sandwiches, baked potatoes, and more.

Buying and Storing Bacon

When shopping, look for high quality bacon without many irregular pieces or large fat sections. Thinner slices generally cook up crispier than thick cuts.

Choose packages with the latest sell-by date and check ingredients for preservatives like sodium phosphate, which may alter texture and taste. Once open, rewrap bacon tightly and store in the coldest part of the fridge for 5-7 days maximum.

Uncooked bacon may also be frozen for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the fridge before using.

Cooking Perfect Bacon Every Time

Achieving just the right balance of crispy and chewy can be tricky when cooking bacon. Here are some tips:

• Use a thick, heavy pan like cast iron or stainless steel. Avoid thin pans that cause burning.

• Cook over medium heat. Starting cold helps prevent curling.

• Lay slices flat in a single layer without overlapping. Crowding leads to uneven cooking.

• Flip every 2-3 minutes. Frequent flipping prevents sticking and curling.

• Remove before totally crisp. Residual heat firms it up after removing from pan.

• Drain on paper towels. The towels absorb excess grease for crispier bacon.

• Discard bacon grease after cooling and solidifying. It can clog drains when poured hot.

With the right pan and some practice, you’ll be able to churn out perfect crisp bacon every time. Now that you know approximately how many strips come in a package, you can confidently start meal planning like a pro.

Handy Bacon Strip Count Reference Guide

For quick reference, here’s a table summarizing average bacon slice counts:

Armed with this knowledge, you can take the guesswork out of breakfast and enjoy a perfectly portioned family meal. No more counting slices at the stove or dealing with disappointed diners. Just crispy, delicious bacon enjoyed by all.

So next time you’re pulling a pack from the fridge, use this handy bacon strip count guide to plan ahead like a pro. Here’s to many happy family breakfasts in your future! Let us know any other cooking tips and tricks in the comments.