How we estimate recipe costs

Our recipe budgets are US grocery planning estimates in USD, prepared on 9 October 2026. They combine representative retailer prices with editorial price assumptions. They are not live store quotes or a US national average.

What the total means

We charge for the amount used: 15g of oil, not a whole bottle; half a can of beans, not a whole case. We add the rounded ingredient costs to get the recipe total and divide by the number of servings. Changing servings adjusts the ingredients and costs proportionally.

Buying every ingredient from scratch usually costs more because you need full packages. Optional ingredients listed in the recipe are included. Unlisted sides, extra seasoning, optional additions mentioned only in the method, tax, delivery and cooking energy are excluded.

Prices and quantities have assumptions

Every recipe includes an ingredient breakdown with its price basis and any quantity assumptions. A handful, fillet or onion needs an estimated weight. Cooked chicken uses a 75% raw-to-cooked yield; cooked rice is estimated at three times dry weight. Actual yields and sizes vary. The upper quantity in a range is used.

Retail references below are representative basic products. A different variety, brand or dietary substitute may cost more. Other prices are editorial planning assumptions, rather than individually verified retail prices. Broad categories such as spices, sauces and nuts use a shared reference price and will vary substantially by product.

For a personal budget, open the breakdown and enter your own costs for the amounts used. These changes are local to the page and its print preview; they are not saved. Recipe quantities and instructions are unchanged by price edits.

Reference prices

Retail pages were checked on 9 October 2026. Their displayed prices may reflect different stores or older search snapshots; no single store or ZIP code basket is implied. References are ordinary links and contain no affiliate tracking.

Browse recipes →