Recipe costing sheet: what it is and how to make one
A recipe costing sheet standardizes a recipe: what goes in, how much, what it yields and what it costs. With one, your product comes out the same every time and your price has a solid basis.
How to make yours
- 1
List the ingredients with exact amounts
Use weight or volume (g, kg, ml, L) whenever you can. "One cup" varies from kitchen to kitchen; 120 g does not.
- 2
Record the cost of each item
Package price, package size and the cost of the amount used. That way the sheet shows how much each ingredient adds to the final cost.
- 3
Include the extra costs
Packaging, gas or electricity and labor. Without them, the sheet underestimates your cost.
- 4
Set the yield and the method
How many units, slices or servings the recipe makes and the preparation steps, in order. Notes (baking time, shelf life, storage) belong here too.
What a complete recipe costing sheet includes
- Recipe name and category.
- Ingredients, amounts and units of measure.
- Cost of each ingredient and total cost.
- Extra costs: packaging, gas, electricity, labor.
- Yield and cost per serving.
- Method and notes.
How it helps day to day
Consistency: anyone helping in the kitchen gets the same result. Pricing: your cost per serving comes straight from the sheet. Shopping: you can work out how much of each ingredient a large order will use.
When an ingredient goes up in price, just update it and the sheet shows the recipe's new cost.
Recipe costing sheets in the app
- Every recipe you add is already a costing sheet: ingredients, extra costs, yield and method.
- Exports the sheet as a PDF to print or share, with or without costs.
- Categories to organize your recipes, plus notes on each one.
- Cost recalculated instantly when you change an ingredient's price in the recipe.
Frequently asked questions
Is a recipe costing sheet the same as a recipe?
No. A recipe tells you how to make something; a costing sheet adds exact amounts, yield and costs, so the product always comes out the same and the price is calculated.
Do I need a costing sheet if I only sell a little?
It helps even at a small scale: it is how you find out whether a product makes a profit and how much to charge for a larger order.