Cost Per Serving Calculator
This cost per serving calculator divides a recipe's total cost by the portions it yields, after prep and cooking loss. Enter the batch cost, what the batch weighs and your portion size, and see how many servings you really get. Free, no signup.
Calculator
Same batch, no maths
Scale servings in the app
Snap a photo of the recipe, paste a link, or dictate it. FoodTechGuru builds the cost card with prep and cooking loss, the mass after cooking and the price per serving. Tap the servings counter and every number updates.
- New accounts get 15 free credits; one recipe uses one credit
- Raw weight, recipe weight and mass after cooking on every card
- iPhone today, Android coming
Cost per serving formula
Cost per serving = batch cost ÷ servings. If you portion by weight: servings = cooked weight × (1 − waste %) ÷ portion size.
Example: the carne asada batch costs $10.54. It goes in at 967 g and comes out at 832 g. Four 208 g portions means $2.64 a serving, or $12.67 a kilo.
Yield and waste change the number
- Cooking loss: meat, onions and sauces lose water. Divide the raw weight into portions and you plan for servings you'll never plate.
- Waste: what stays in the pan, tasting and generous portions. At 5% the same batch makes 3.8 portions, and each costs $2.77.
- Prep loss happens before this step: trimming and peeling raise what you pay for the batch. The recipe cost calculator handles it with yield %.
Then price it: the food cost percentage calculator turns a cost per serving into a menu price, and the food cost calculator checks the whole menu.
Cost per serving FAQ
How do you calculate cost per serving?
Divide the batch cost by the number of servings it really yields. If you portion by weight, servings = cooked weight after waste ÷ portion size.
Should I weigh the batch before or after cooking?
After, if you can: that's what you portion. If you only know the raw weight, enter it with the cooking loss % and the calculator works out the cooked weight.
What counts as waste?
Food that is cooked but never sold: what sticks to the pan, tasting, spills, and portions served a little over size. 3–5% is a common allowance.
Is cost per serving the same as cost per portion?
Yes. Kitchens say portion, recipes say serving; the maths is the same.
Can an app work out cost per serving for my recipes?
Yes. FoodTechGuru for iPhone builds a cost card from a photo, link or voice note, with prep and cooking loss, mass after cooking and price per serving. Change the servings and every number updates. New accounts get 15 free credits; one recipe uses one credit. Android is coming.
Know what every portion costs
Photograph the recipe; get the cost card with price per serving.
Download free on iOS