Meal-Prep Cost-Per-Portion Calculator

How to calculate cost per portion?

The cost per portion is calculated by totaling all grocery expenses for a recipe and dividing by the number of individual containers filled.

Formula: (Total Ingredients * (1 + Buffer %)) / Total Portions = Cost Per Portion

Using the meal prep calculator: an example

Example: A $25 Turkey Chili recipe with a 5% seasoning buffer that yields 5 hearty portions.

Step-by-step calculation:

1. Sum ingredients: $25.00
2. Add 5% buffer: $26.25
3. Divide by 5 portions: $5.25 per meal

Frequently Asked Questions

Why include a buffer? Small amounts of oil, salt, spices, and electricity are hard to track but add about 5-10% to every meal cost.

Does this include labor time? This specific tool focuses on material grocery costs; however, prep time is usually offset by the convenience of grab-and-go meals.

How do I handle leftovers? If leftovers are intended as future meals, count them as portions to get an accurate cost per serving.