How do you calculate each cost?
The price of a bottle of oil is low in unit price but small in quantity, and it is often the staple food and the loss that really determines the price.
Counting the cost of a dish does not depend solely on the unit price, but on the `actual usage' of each food item multiplied by the corresponding unit price. For example, a bottle of soy sauce is cheap, but a dish uses only 10 ml at a very low cost of sharing; rather, meat and fresh vegetables are the main cost. Neglecting usage leads to an entirely erroneous conclusion.
Accounting steps
- List all foods and quantities used, in a single g or ml
- Total package price ÷ unit price for total net content
- Unit price x actual usage = cost of the food
- = cost per item
This step depends on the precise [grams-to-cups] (/grams-to-cups) to turn the spoon into grams, otherwise the amount is incorrect. The ratio itself is derived from the [formulation scaling base] (/recipe-scaling-basics). If nutritional indications are involved, they can also be combined with [nutrient conversion-conversion-guide]. Two references to the accuracy of the numbers at the time of recording [rounded and valid figures] (/rounding-significant-figures) are sufficient.
Leverage to reduce costs
Priority is given to the “high-utilized, high- unit-priced” staple foods: bulk purchasing, seasonal vegetables, and reduced wear and tear. This compares with a very low unit price return for a few milligrams of oil. Accounting is credible by circumventing [common conversion errors] (/compon-conversion-mistakes).