Food Cost & Planning
Recipe Cost Calculator
Find out what a recipe really costs to make, in total and per serving, from your grocery prices.
Measurement System PreferenceAuto-saved
Currently active across all 60 calculators: US Customary (cups, tbsp, oz, °F, in)
| Ingredient | Pkg Price ($) | Pkg Qty & Unit | Amount Used | Cost ($) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $0.80 | |||||
| $2.25 | |||||
| $0.40 | |||||
| $0.90 |
Total Recipe Cost
$4.35
Cost Per Serving
$1.09
(4 portions)
How to use this calculator
- 1For each ingredient, enter what the whole package costs and how big it is (for example $3.99 for 5 lbs).
- 2Enter how much the recipe uses, in the same unit as the package.
- 3Enter the number of servings to see the total recipe cost and cost per serving.
Tip: Use the same unit in "Pkg Qty" and "Amount Used" on each row, such as lbs and lbs or oz and oz.
How it's calculated
Ingredient Cost = (Package Price ÷ Package Quantity) × Quantity Used; Cost/Serving = Total ÷ Servings
We do the math at full precision and only round the final answer, so the numbers you see are as close as kitchen measurements allow. The assumptions and limits are listed alongside.
Worked example
Scenario: A cake uses 1 lb of flour from a $3.50, 5 lb bag, plus $4.10 of other ingredients, and serves 6.
InputsFlour: $3.50 ÷ 5 lb × 1 lb = $0.70. Other ingredients: $4.10. Servings: 6
Calculation($0.70 + $4.10) ÷ 6 = $0.80 per serving
Result$4.80 total, $0.80 per serving
Common questions
Why cost recipes by ingredient fraction instead of full grocery bill?
You rarely use a whole bottle of olive oil or bag of sugar in one meal. Counting only what you use shows the real cost of the dish.