Recipe Costing Template
A complete recipe costing sheet with all the fields you need — ingredient cost, yield percentage, food cost %, and suggested menu price. Copy the structure below into Excel or Google Sheets, or use the AI tool to skip the data entry entirely.
Last updated: September 27, 2026
The template: all fields explained
Below is a worked example for a Chicken Caesar Salad. Copy the column structure into a spreadsheet and replace the data with your own ingredients.
| Ingredient | Purchase cost | Cost / unit | Qty used | Yield % | Portion cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast (raw) | $6.00 / lb | $0.375 / oz | 8 oz | 81% | $3.70 |
| Romaine lettuce | $3.50 / head | $3.50 / head | 0.3 head | 85% | $1.24 |
| Caesar dressing | $8.00 / 32 oz | $0.25 / oz | 1.5 oz | 100% | $0.38 |
| Parmesan (shredded) | $12.00 / lb | $0.75 / oz | 0.5 oz | 100% | $0.38 |
| Croutons | $4.00 / bag | $0.08 / piece | 10 pieces | 100% | $0.80 |
| Lemon wedge | $3.00 / 10-ct | $0.30 / wedge | 1 wedge | 100% | $0.30 |
| Total ingredient cost | $6.80 | ||||
Menu price
$22.00
Food cost %
30.9%
Gross margin
69.1%
How to set up the template in Google Sheets
Create a new Google Sheet with these columns in row 1:
A: Ingredient
B: Package size (with unit, e.g. "32 oz")
C: Package cost ($)
D: Cost per unit (= C / numeric part of B)
E: Quantity used in recipe (same unit as D)
F: Yield % (enter as decimal, e.g. 0.81 for 81%)
G: Portion cost (= D * E / F)
At the bottom of column G, add a SUM formula. Then below that:
// In cell H1 (menu price, enter manually):
H1 = [your target menu price]
// Food cost percentage:
=SUM(G2:G20)/H1*100
// Suggested price at 30% target food cost:
=SUM(G2:G20)/0.30
Tip: Create one sheet per recipe, then a summary sheet that pulls the total ingredient cost and menu price from each recipe sheet. Your summary sheet becomes your menu costing overview.
The yield percentage column — and why it matters
Yield percentage accounts for the weight or volume lost during prep: trimming fat from protein, peeling and seeding vegetables, reducing sauces. If you skip this column, you will systematically underestimate your costs.
| Ingredient | Typical yield % | What causes the loss |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken breast (bone-in) | 65–70% | Bone, skin, trim |
| Chicken breast (boneless) | 80–85% | Fat and sinew trim |
| Beef tenderloin | 70–75% | Silver skin and fat cap |
| Fish fillets | 75–80% | Pin bones, bloodline |
| Broccoli (whole head) | 60–65% | Stem and outer leaves |
| Onion | 85–90% | Outer skin and root |
| Romaine (whole head) | 75–85% | Outer leaves and base |
| Potatoes | 80–85% | Peel and eyes |
Skip the spreadsheet
Get the cost and price in under 30 seconds
Type a dish name and MenuPricer estimates the ingredient cost, suggests price tiers, and shows the food cost percentage — no spreadsheet setup required. Free for your first 5 dishes.
Price My First Dish Free →Frequently asked questions
What should a recipe costing template include?
A complete recipe costing template needs: the ingredient name, purchase unit and purchase cost, cost per unit (calculated from purchase cost divided by package size), quantity used in the dish, portion cost for that ingredient, a yield percentage column for proteins and vegetables that lose weight during prep, a running total of ingredient cost, and a food cost percentage calculated against the menu price you set. Optionally, add a suggested menu price column that back-calculates from your target food cost percentage.
How do I calculate food cost percentage in a recipe costing template?
Food cost percentage = (total ingredient cost ÷ menu price) × 100. In a spreadsheet, this means dividing your ingredient cost total cell by your menu price cell and multiplying by 100. For a dish that costs $4.50 to make and sells for $16, the food cost percentage is 28.1%. If you want to calculate a menu price from a target food cost percentage instead, the formula is: menu price = ingredient cost ÷ target food cost percentage.
What is yield percentage and why does it matter in recipe costing?
Yield percentage is the proportion of an ingredient that is usable after trimming and cooking. A chicken breast may weigh 8 oz raw but 6.5 oz after trimming, giving a yield of 81%. If you buy chicken at $6 per pound, the true cost per usable pound is $6 ÷ 0.81 = $7.41. Ignoring yield means you underestimate your ingredient costs, especially for proteins and produce with significant trim loss.
How often should I update a recipe costing template?
Update your ingredient prices whenever you receive a supplier price change, and at minimum quarterly. Food costs are not stable: commodity prices, seasonal produce, and delivery charges all shift throughout the year. A template that was accurate six months ago may significantly understate your current costs, causing you to underprice dishes without realizing it.
Related resources
Food Cost Spreadsheet
A simpler spreadsheet focused on tracking overall food cost percentage rather than per-recipe costing.
Food Cost Formula
The underlying math behind every costing template.
Food Cost Management
7 methods for keeping food cost under control — beyond the template.
Food Cost Calculator
Calculate food cost percentage for any dish instantly.