Recipe Cost Calculator
See what a recipe's spices cost per batch and per serving at our real prices.
Spices look expensive by the jar and cheap by the teaspoon. This calculator uses the gram quantities from our tested recipes and the current price per gram of each partner-brand spice to show what a batch really costs — usually well under a dollar per serving.
Add prices for the other ingredients (meat, rice, dairy) from your own receipt and the tool totals the whole dish.
Spices at our prices
| Spice | Amount | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Basmati rice | 90.0 g | not priced |
| Chicken thighs | 180.0 g | not priced |
| Organic Garam Masala$10.48 per 4 oz → $0.093/g | 1.5 g | $0.14 |
| Organic Turmeric Powder$8.98 per 4 oz → $0.079/g | 0.70 g | $0.06 |
| Organic Green Cardamom Pods$10.48 per 2 oz → $0.184/g | 0.80 g | $0.15 |
| Organic Clove Whole$10.48 per 4 oz → $0.093/g | 0.40 g | $0.04 |
| Organic Bay Leaves Whole$8.98 per 1 oz → $0.321/g | 0.30 g | $0.10 |
| Organic Ceylon Cinnamon Sticks$13.98 per 4 oz → $0.124/g | 1.0 g | $0.12 |
Other ingredients (your prices)
Package size and "recipe uses" must be in the same unit (both pounds, both cups…).
- Spices, whole batch
- $0.60
- Spices per serving
- $0.150
- Other ingredients
- $0.00
- Total per serving
- $0.15
Not priced (no partner-brand product or no gram weight): Basmati rice, Chicken thighs.
How it works
- Pick a recipe and the number of servings; each spice's quantity scales from the recipe's per-serving grams.
- Cost per spice is quantity in grams multiplied by the price per gram of the smallest pack we sell (the pack you would buy first).
- Add other ingredients with the price you paid and the quantity the recipe uses; those are included in the batch and per-serving totals.
Worked example: masala chai for 4
The cardamom, ginger, cinnamon and clove for four cups come to a few cents each — pennies per cup — while a single café chai costs several dollars. Buying the smallest packs covers dozens of batches.
Recipe Cost Calculator — questions
Which prices are used?
MyShopperBuddy's current prices for the smallest pack of each partner-brand spice, divided by that pack's weight. Prices update with the catalog.
Why the smallest pack?
It is the pack most people buy first, so it gives a conservative cost. Larger packs lower the cost per gram further — the Bulk Savings Calculator shows by how much.
Can I price the non-spice ingredients?
Yes. Add them with the price you paid and the amount the recipe uses; the calculator only knows our own prices, so it never guesses the price of chicken or rice.
Do the quantities match the recipe page?
Yes. They come from the same per-serving data the recipe page scales.
Is the cost exact?
Spice cost is exact for our prices. Rounding in teaspoon measures and your own ingredient prices make the total an estimate.
Can I use it for my own recipe?
Choose 'Custom' and enter each spice's grams; pick the matching product to apply our price per gram.
Where can I buy the spices?
Each line links to the product page; the recipe page has a one-click 'add all spices' button.
Related
Free to use, no sign-up. Calculations run in your browser. Product suggestions are partner-brand products sold by MyShopperBuddy at our current prices; we never estimate retailer prices. Editorial policy.