Recipe Cost Calculator
What a recipe costs to make and per serving, from each ingredient's package price, package size and the amount the recipe uses, in grams, ounces, millilitres, cups or pieces.
Result…
How it's calculated
Ingredient cost = package price × amount used ÷ package size (both in g, mL or pieces) Recipe cost = sum of ingredient costs + other costs Cost per serving = recipe cost ÷ servings 1 oz = 28.349523125 g · 1 lb = 453.59237 g · 1 US cup = 236.5882365 mL
Prices a recipe the way a cook or a small food business does: each ingredient costs its share of the package, so 300 g from a 1 kg bag that cost 2.50 is 2.50 × 300 ÷ 1000 = 0.75. Package size and amount used can be in different units of the same kind: grams, kilograms, ounces and pounds (exact, 1 lb = 453.59237 g); millilitres, litres and cups (US, metric or imperial, chosen once); or a count of pieces. A weight and a volume are not mixed, because a cup of flour and a cup of sugar weigh different amounts. Divide by the servings for a cost per portion, and see what the whole packages would cost at the shop.
Your numbers, step by step
About the Recipe Cost calculator
This recipe cost calculator works out what a dish costs to make and what each serving costs. List each ingredient on its own line with the package price, the package size and the amount the recipe uses, such as “Flour, 2.50, 1 kg, 300 g”. Each ingredient is charged only its share of the package, so 300 g from a 1 kg bag costs 300 ÷ 1000 of the price. Sizes can be in grams, kilograms, ounces or pounds, in millilitres, litres or cups (US, metric or imperial), or as a count of pieces, as long as the package and the amount are the same kind. It also shows the priciest ingredient and what the whole packages would cost at the shop. Home cooks use it to compare meals, and small food businesses as a first step towards a menu price.
How to use it
- In “Ingredients, one per line”, write the name, package price, package size and amount used, separated by commas, such as “Butter, 3.20, 250 g, 100 g”.
- Leave off the unit for things counted in pieces, such as “Eggs, 3.60, 12, 2”.
- Enter the number of “Servings” the recipe makes.
- Choose what “A cup is” if you measure in cups, and add any “Other costs for the recipe”.
- Read the cost per serving, the recipe cost and the most expensive ingredient.
Worked example
A batter uses 300 g of flour from a 1 kg bag at 2.50 (0.75), 100 g of butter from a 250 g pack at 3.20 (1.28), 1.5 US cups of milk from a 1 L carton at 1.10 (0.39), 2 eggs from a box of 12 at 3.60 (0.60) and 4 oz of sugar from a 2 lb bag at 1.80 (0.225). The recipe costs 3.25, or about 0.41 per serving for 8 servings. Butter is the most expensive part at 39.4% of the ingredients, and buying every package whole would cost 12.20.
Updated
Questions people ask
How do I calculate the cost of a recipe?
For each ingredient, divide the amount used by the package size and multiply by the package price, with both amounts in the same unit. Add the ingredients together, then divide by the servings for the cost per portion.
What is the formula for ingredient cost?
Ingredient cost = package price × amount used ÷ package size. For example, 4 oz from a 2 lb bag at 1.80 is 1.80 × 113.4 g ÷ 907.2 g = 0.225.
Can I mix grams and cups for the same ingredient?
No. A cup is a volume and a gram is a weight, and how much a cup weighs depends on the ingredient. Convert first with the cups to grams converter, then enter both in grams.
What is a common mistake when costing a recipe?
Leaving out small items like oil, salt, spices and garnishes, or forgetting the trimmings and waste on vegetables and meat. Add them as a line or as “Other costs” so the per-serving figure is not too low.
How do I scale the cost to more servings?
Change the amounts used, or scale the recipe first with the recipe scaler, then enter the new amounts and servings here. To turn the plate cost into a menu price, the food cost calculator applies a target food cost percentage.
Is this the full cost of selling the dish?
No. It counts ingredients and any extra amount you add, not labour, energy, packaging, rent or tax. For pricing a food business, an accountant or business adviser can help set the full costs and margins.