How to use it
- Type one ingredient on each line in Ingredients, one per line: name; pack price; pack size; amount used.
- Use the same unit for the pack size and the amount used, for example grams for both.
- Type the Servings the recipe makes.
- Read the Total cost of the recipe, the Cost per serving and the cost of each ingredient in the table.
How the cost is worked out
The cost of the amount you use is the pack price multiplied by the amount used, divided by the pack size. The recipe cost is the sum of those costs, and the cost per serving is the recipe cost divided by the number of servings. The idea of a unit price is explained in Wikipedia's article on unit price.
ingredient cost = pack price × amount used ÷ pack size
recipe total = sum of the ingredient costs
cost per serving = recipe total ÷ servings- Flour example: a price of 2.50 for a 1,000 g pack, with 500 g used, gives 2.50 × 500 ÷ 1,000 = 1.25.
- The prices are the ones you type. The calculator does not look up prices.
What this calculator does not cover
- Waste, peeling, trimming and cooking loss, which change the amount that is eaten.
- Salt, water and other items you do not price. They count only if you add them as lines.
- Energy, labour, packaging and tax, which the calculator does not add.
Worked example: four ingredients for four servings
Flour 2.50 × 500 ÷ 1,000 = 1.25; sugar 1.80 × 200 ÷ 1,000 = 0.36; butter 4.20 × 125 ÷ 250 = 2.10; eggs 3.60 × 3 ÷ 12 = 0.90. The total is 4.61, and each of the four servings costs 4.61 ÷ 4 = 1.15, rounded.
| Ingredient | Cost |
|---|---|
| Flour | 1.25 |
| Sugar | 0.36 |
| Butter | 2.10 |
| Eggs | 0.90 |
| Total | 4.61 |
Frequently asked questions
What unit should I use for the pack size and the amount?
Any unit, as long as both are the same, such as grams. For eggs sold by the dozen, the pack size is 12 and the amount used is the number of eggs.
Does the total include salt, oil and water?
Only if you add them as lines. The calculator counts what you type and nothing else.
Why is my cost per serving rounded?
The calculator works out the total in full first. Rounding happens only in the figures on the screen, to the usual decimal places of the currency.
Can I change the currency?
The totals use the currency of the page you are reading. The calculator does not convert between currencies.
Sources
Figures and text last checked on Thursday, November 12, 2026.