Know what your recipe really costs.

Enter your ingredients, set the servings, and see the cost per plate. Compare it to the store-bought version and decide if homemade wins.

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Recipe worksheet

Recipe name Servings

Ingredient	Qty	Unit	Price paid	Used amt	Cost	Remove

Cost summary

Total recipe cost $0.00

Cost per serving $0.00

Ingredient count 0

Compare to store-bought

Store-bought price (per serving)

Savings per serving $0.00 Enter a store price to compare.

Quick presets

Load a common recipe to see how the math works.

Unit guide

lb: pound (weight)
oz: ounce (weight)
kg: kilogram
g: gram
cup: US cup
tbsp: tablespoon
tsp: teaspoon
each: whole item
bunch: one bunch
clove: one garlic clove

Tips for accurate costs

Use the price you actually paid, not the shelf tag.
Include pantry items like oil, salt, and spices.
Round up on small items. A pinch of salt still costs something.
Weigh produce when possible. Scales are more honest than eyeballing.

Example recipes with real costs

These examples use average US grocery prices from early 2026. Your local prices will differ, but the math stays the same.

Weeknight Chili

Serves 6. Ground beef, beans, tomatoes, onion, spices.

Total: $11.40
Per serving: $1.90
Store-bought equivalent: $3.50 per bowl
Savings: $1.60 per serving

Pasta Aglio e Olio

Serves 4. Spaghetti, garlic, olive oil, parsley, chili flake.

Total: $3.20
Per serving: $0.80
Store-bought equivalent: $2.50 per plate
Savings: $1.70 per serving

Veggie Stir Fry

Serves 4. Rice, broccoli, bell pepper, soy sauce, sesame oil.

Total: $4.60
Per serving: $1.15
Store-bought equivalent: $3.00 per bowl
Savings: $1.85 per serving

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Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Forgetting pantry staples

Oil, salt, pepper, and spices add up. A tablespoon of olive oil costs about 15 cents. A pinch of salt is small but not zero. If you cook often, these small amounts become real money over a month.

Using the wrong quantity

Enter the amount you actually use in the recipe, not the whole package. If a $5 bag of rice makes 10 cups and you use 2 cups, your cost is $1.00 for that ingredient.

Ignoring waste

Vegetable peels, meat trimmings, and stale bread all carry cost. If you throw away 10 percent of what you buy, your real cost is about 11 percent higher than the receipt says.

Not comparing fairly

Compare similar portions. A $4 frozen dinner might be 300 grams while your homemade plate is 500 grams. Adjust the store price to match your serving size for a fair comparison.

What this calculator assumes

You enter the price you paid at checkout.
All quantities are for the full recipe, not per serving.
Servings are equal portions.
Energy costs (gas, electricity) and your time are not included.
Prices are in your local currency. The dollar sign is just a symbol.

Questions people ask

How do I handle ingredients I already have?

Enter the full package price and the quantity you actually use. The calculator prorates it. A $4 bag of rice where you use 1 cup out of 10 costs $0.40 for that recipe.

Can I use this for meal prep?

Yes. Set servings to the number of containers you pack. The per-serving cost tells you exactly what each container costs to make.

What about leftovers?

If a recipe makes 6 servings and you eat 4, the cost per eaten serving is higher. Divide the total by the number you actually ate for the real number.

Is my data private?

Yes. Everything runs in your browser. Saved recipes stay on your device. No account, no server, no tracking.