Transparency matters when you are making decisions based on our numbers. Here is exactly how we calculate cost per serving for every recipe on BudgetRecipeDB.
Step 1: Ingredient Prices
We maintain a database of national average prices for common grocery ingredients, sourced from USDA Economic Research Service food price data. These are updated periodically and reflect typical supermarket prices - not bulk store or specialty shop prices.
Example: chicken thighs at $1.99/lb, black beans at $0.99 per 15oz can, eggs at $3.49 per dozen.
Step 2: Per-Recipe Calculation
For each recipe, we list every ingredient with its quantity and calculate the cost based on the price database. If a recipe calls for 2 lbs of chicken thighs at $1.99/lb, that ingredient costs $3.98.
We sum all ingredient costs to get the total recipe cost, then divide by the number of servings.
Step 3: Regional Adjustment
National averages do not reflect reality everywhere. We use BLS Consumer Price Index data for food to adjust prices by region:
- South: multiply by 0.93
- Midwest: multiply by 0.95
- West: multiply by 1.04
- Northeast: multiply by 1.08
- Alaska: multiply by 1.28
- Hawaii: multiply by 1.35
Limitations
- Prices are national averages, not store-specific
- We assume you already have basic pantry staples (salt, pepper, oil) - these are included in the cost but amortized over many uses
- Seasonal price fluctuations are not reflected
- Organic and specialty ingredients may cost more than our baseline
Future Plans
We are working on integrating live store-level pricing data that will let you see real-time costs at your local grocery store. Until then, our estimates are a reliable baseline for meal planning.