How to use the recipe cost calculator
- Name the recipe and enter how many servings it makes.
- For each ingredient, enter the package price, the package size with its unit, and how much the recipe uses.
- Add a little for pantry extras like oil, salt and spices.
- Selling food? Add the menu price to see your food cost percentage, or a target food cost to get a suggested price.
Worked example: chicken burrito bowls for 4
| Ingredient | Package | Used | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast | $8.99 / 2 lb | 1.5 lb | $6.74 |
| Long-grain rice | $3.49 / 32 oz | 12 oz | $1.31 |
| Black beans | $1.09 / can | 1 can | $1.09 |
| Salsa | $3.99 / 16 oz | 8 oz | $2.00 |
| Shredded cheese | $3.29 / 8 oz | 4 oz | $1.65 |
| Romaine lettuce | $2.99 / head | ½ head | $1.50 |
| Limes | $1.50 / 3 | 2 | $1.00 |
| Pantry extras | $0.75 | ||
| Total | $16.03 |
That's $4.01 per serving. The same bowl from a fast-casual restaurant costs $12 to $15. Chicken is 42% of the cost, so it's the ingredient to buy on sale or in bulk.
Food cost percentage for restaurants, food trucks and caterers
If you sell food, the number that matters is food cost percentage:
food cost % = ingredient cost per serving ÷ menu price × 100
| Food cost | What it usually means |
|---|---|
| Under 25% | Very profitable dish (drinks, pasta, desserts) |
| 28–35% | The typical restaurant target |
| Over 40% | Hard to make money unless the dish sells in volume |
To price a new dish, divide the cost per serving by your target. At 30%, a $4.01 plate sells for $13.36. Food cost is only part of the picture: labor, rent and packaging come on top. For the whole margin, see the profit margin calculator and the markup calculator.
Unit conversions the calculator uses
| Weight | Volume |
|---|---|
| 1 lb = 16 oz = 453.6 g | 1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp |
| 1 oz = 28.35 g | 1 cup = 8 fl oz = 236.6 ml |
| 1 kg = 2.2 lb | 1 tbsp = 3 tsp = 14.8 ml |
| 1 quart = 4 cups; 1 gallon = 4 quarts |
Ounces on a package of cheese or pasta are weight ounces; ounces on a bottle of milk or oil are fluid ounces. Choose the right one in the unit list.
Know what every meal costs
Working this out once is useful; having it for every recipe is better. Simmer, our meal planner app, keeps a recipe box where each recipe shows its cost per recipe and per serving, builds a grocery list from your weekly plan with the estimated cost of each item, and tracks your food budget. Its "thriftiest dinners" list shows your cheapest family favorites. Try the free demo. Need to make more or fewer servings first? Use the recipe converter. Selling at markets or online? Till, our small business profit planner, tracks the rest of the business.
Frequently asked questions
How do you calculate the cost of a recipe?
How do I work out the cost per serving?
What is food cost percentage?
How do I price a menu item from its food cost?
Can I mix cups and ounces?
Should I include salt, oil and spices?
Is a meal cost calculator useful for home cooks?
Written by
Finance Specialist & Editor, VaultlyApps
Emma Whitfield writes and edits the VaultlyApps money guides and free calculators. Her focus is US household finance — budgeting on a real paycheck, paying down credit card and student debt, emergency funds and savings goals, renting — and the money side of freelancing and small-business income, from pricing and profit margins to self-employment tax. Every guide is researched against primary sources such as IRS publications and the CFPB, every number is checked in our tested calculators, and tax content is reviewed each year when new IRS figures come out. Emma is not a licensed financial adviser or tax preparer; her work is general education, not personal advice.
Researched against primary US sources, checked against independent calculators and reviewed by a finance expert on our team. Written for US readers — general education, not financial, tax or legal advice. Editorial policy · Disclaimer
