Compare Cost per Serving
To Stretch Your food Dollars
Extension Bulletin 803
Reprinted March 1973
Oregon State University Extension Service
Compare Cost per Serving
To Stretch Your food Dollars
Prepared by
Velma Seat
Extension Food Marketing Specialist
Oregon State University
TOOD is the largest item in the family budget. About 16 percen
of our take-home pay goes for food. So you can well giv(
thought to ways. of making your food dollars go further. One wa)
to do this is to consider cost per serving.
Price is only an indication and a poor
one, of the real cost of many foods. One
eat more than other members of th
of the best ways to determine cost of
any food is to figure cost per serving.
All that's needed is the price of the retail unit (pound, package, or can) and
ical. labor will probably need large
than standard servings or extra ones
A standard serving is considered t(
number of servings the unit yields. Divide the retail price by number of servings and you have the cost per serving.
This comparison considers only cost.
You'll also want to consider quality of
the food, time and labor involved in its
preparation, use of the food, and family likes and dislikes.
To figure cost per serving, information about many meat cuts, fruits, vegetables, and poultry and fish products is
included in this bulletin. Forms (fresh,
frozen, canned, dried), retail unit, and
ble lean meat, poultry, or fish. Fo
servings per unit for each food are
listed. Retail units listed are those com-
monly found in stores. Check weight
family. Persons engaged in heavy phys
be from 24 to 3i ounces of cooked, edi
cooked vegetables, it's one-half cup, in
eluding liquid. A standard serving o
fruits and juicesfresh, frozen, o
cookedis also a half cup.
Cost per serving is also affectec
more by number of standard serving
than by prices. Prices vary by seasons
quality, condition, and consumer de
mand. Number of servings remain
the same. It's just as important to b(
familiar with number of servings as i
is to follow retail prices. For example
twice as many servings can be ob
tamed from a pound of cube steak al
from a like amount of chuck steak
of the can, package, or carton care- These cuts will cost the same per serv
fully. For odd container sizes, or those
not listed, calculate the cost per ounce
to get an accurate cost per serving.
Amount of food the family eats varies with age and activity of each family
member. Teen-agers and men generally
ing when cube steak retails at twice a!
much Per pound as chuck steak. Cut
of meat which yield many servings pei
pound, such as liver, ground meats, oi
boneless fully cooked ham, are usual])
the least expensive ones to serve.
An Example of How to Use This Bulletin
Form of
green beans
Retail
unit
Fresh
lb.
Canned
Frozen
16 oz.
9-10 oz.
Retail
price
Servings
per unit
Cost per
serving
Cents
29
27
Number
Cents
4
3
3
25
.06
.09
.08
At these prices, fresh green beans
Can sizes and the approximate cups
in each are listed below. Many foods
frozen beans are half again as high. are packed in several different-sized
You may also compare cost per serving cans. Cost of a cup of food purchased
of beans with that of another vegetable. in small containers is usually higher
costs .06 cents per serving. Canned and
In addition to figuring cost per serving,
than that purchased in large con-
you can determine at what prices the tainers.
When making this cost comparison
canned, frozen, or dried foods must sell
to equal the per serving cost of fresh remember to check the weight of the
can.
ones.
Compare Cost Per Cup for Same Food Packed in Different-Sized Cans
Name of can
8 oz.
No. 1 or picnic
12 oz. vacuum
No. 300
No. 303
No. 2
No. 21
No. 3 cylinder
or 46 fl. oz.
No. 10
Net weight or
fluid measure
8 ounces
10i to 12 oz.
12 ounces
14-16 oz.
16-17 oz.
1 lb. 4 oz. or
1 pt. 2 fl. oz.
1 lb. 13 oz.
1 qt. 14 fl. oz.
3 lbs. 3 ozs.
61 to 7 lb. 5 oz.
Retail
price
Approximate
cups in can
Cost
per cup
Cents
Number
Cents
1
11
1
11
2
2
51
12-13
or about 3 qt.
3
Compare Cost Per Serving for Beef, Pork, Veal, and Lamb
Meat and cut
Retail price
per pound
Servings
per pound
Cost per
serving
Cents
Number
Cents
Meat and cut
Retail price
per pound
Servings
per pound
Cost per
serving
Cents
Number
Cents
BEEF
FRESH PORK
Steaks :
Chops :
Chuck
2
Cube
4
Flank
4
Porterhouse
2
Rib
2
Round
3i
Sirloin
Roasts :
Chuck
2
Chuck, boneless
3
Rib
2
4
4
3
3
3
5
SMOKED PORK
Boston butt,
boneless
Rib, boneless
Rump, boneless
3
Sirloin
3
"Dr; prl rh i nned
Center
Rib
Shoulder or arm
Blade
Roasts :
Ham
Loin
Shoulder, bone-in
Liver
Spareribs
4
Fully cooked ham
With bone
3i
Boneless
5
Ground chuck
4
Cook-before-
Ground round
4
eating ham
Heart
5
Kidney
5
Liver
5
Short ribs
2
Stew, boneless
5
Picnic or
shoulder
Tongue
3
With bone
2
Boneless
Canned
3
VEAL
With bone
21-
Boneless
Center slice
Shankless
3
5
LAMB
Chops:
Loin
3
Rib
3
Roasts:
Leg
Rump
2-1
Shoulder
2
Cutlet or steak
Liver, calves'
3
4
5
Chops:
Loin
Rib
Shoulder
Leg
Shoulder
Breast and shank
Stew, boneless
3
3
3
3
2i
2
5
A standard serving is from 21 to 31 ounces of cooked, lean meat. The amount of bone and fat and the cooking method and .temperature
affect the size of serving. When steak is served, generous portions usually are allowed. Number of servings indicated for steaks takes into
c,, account the usual size of serving.
Compare Cost Per Serving for Fruits
Retail
Fruit
Apples
Fresh
Canned
Dried
Apricots
Fresh
Canned
Dried
unit
Retail
price
Servings
per unit
Cost per
serving
Cents
Number
Cents
Berries
Fresh
Canned
Blueberries
Fresh
Canned
Frozen
Retail
price
Servings Cost per
per unit serving
Cents
Number
Mixed fruit
lb.
3
Canned
16-17 oz.
4
Frozen
Dried
Oranges
lb.
16
lb.
5
Fresh for
1 lb. 13 oz.
7
sections
lb.
8
Bananas
Fresh
Retail
unit
Fruit
lb.
pint
16 oz.
pint
14-15 oz.
10 oz.
3
3
4
4
4
3
Cherries
Fresh
lb.
C nrIrlorl
lA _17 es-,
4
16 oz.
16 oz.
lb.
4
4
8
i dozen
6
lb.
3
Canned sections
16 oz.
Fresh for
juice
i dozen
lb.
Canned juice
Frozen juice
46 oz.
6 oz.
Peaches
Fresh
Canned
Frozen
Dried
Pears
Fresh
Canned
s,
4
4
2
12
6
lb.
4
1 lb. 13 oz.
12 oz.
7
lb.
3
10
lb.
3
1 lb. 13 oz.
7
Cents
Canned
Figs
Canned
16 oz.
16 oz.
8
4
Fruit cocktail
Canned
16 oz.
4
46 oz.
6 oz.
12
Fruit juice
Canned
Frozen
Grapefruit
Fresh
one
Canned segments 16 oz.
Frozen segments 13:} oz.
Grapes
Fresh
Melons**
Cantaloupe
Honeydew
Watermelon
Frozen balls
lb.
lb.
lb.
lb.
16 oz.
Canned juice
Frozen juice
46 oz.
6 oz.
Plums and prunes
lb.
Fresh
Canned
Dried
Raisins
Dried
12
6
4
lb.
7
10
lb.
10
1 lb. 13 oz.
6
2
4
3
4
2
3
4
4
Raspberries
Fresh
Frozen
pint
3
10 oz.
3
Rhubarb
Fresh
Frozen
lb.
4
4
Strawberries
Fresh
Frozen
pint
Tangerines
Fresh
Fresh
doz.
16 oz.
10 oz.
lb.
3
12
4
A standard serving is one-half cup cooked, fresh or frozen fruit or juice.
*One-fourth cup is allowed for cranberry sauce.
**You'll get more servings from a pound of honeydew than from a pound of cantaloupe. A serving of watermelon is usually from
pounds in weight.
li to 2
co
Compare Cost Per Serving for Vegetables
Vegetable
Asparagus
Fresh
Canned
Frozen
Beans, lima
Fresh
Canned
Frozen
Beans, navy
and kidney
Canned
Dried*
Beans, snap
Fresh
Canned
Frozen
Retail
unit
Retail
price
servings Cost per
per unit serving
Cents
Number
lb.
3
14-15 oz.
10 oz.
3
lb.
16 oz.
10 oz.
3
2
3
15-16 oz.
3
lb.
9
Canned
Broccoli
Fresh
Frozen
Brussels sprouts
Kale
Fresh, trimmed
Lettuce
Fresh
Mixed vegetables
Canned
Frozen
Canned
Onions
Fresh
Parsnips
Fresh
41-
15-16 oz.
9-10 oz.
3
lb.
16 oz.
4
4
Peas
Fresh
Canned
Frozen
lb.
3
3
Peppers
Fresh
10 oz.
Retail
price
Servings Cost per
per unit serving
Cents
Number
lb.
5
head
6
15-16 oz.
10 oz.
4
8 oz.
3 oz.
5
lb.
4
lb.
4
lb.
2
16-17 oz.
10 oz.
4
lb.
6
3
Mushrooms**
lb.
3
unit
Cents
Fresh
Beets
Fresh
Retail
Vegetable
Potatoes, white
3
Cents
Freshcooked
Carrots
Fresh
Canned
1 UldlOCS,
lb.
lb.
16 oz.
4
4
4
Cauliflower
Fresh, trimmed
Frozen
lb.
10 oz.
z
3
Celery
Freshraw
Freshcooked
lb.
lb.
Corn, sweet
dozen
Fresh
16-17 oz.
Canned, whole
Canned, creamed 16-17 oz.
Frozen
10 oz.
9
34-
6
3
4
3
Cucumbers
Fresh
lb.
Eggplant
Fresh
lb.
4
Endive-Escarole
Fresh
lb.
5
6
Fresh
Canned
Pumpkin
Fresh
Canned
Sauerkraut
Canned
Spinach
Fresh, trimmed
Canned
Frozen
Squash
Fresh, winter
Fresh, summer
Frozen
Tomatoes
Fresh
Canned, whole
Canned, juice
Turnips and
rutabagas
Fresh
lb.
1 lb. 2 oz.
3
5
lb.
2
1 lb. 13 oz;
7
16 oz.
4
lb.
5
15 oz. .
10 oz.
3
3
lb
lb.
16 oz
lb.
16-17 oz.
46 oz.
lb.
2
4
4
4
4
12
4
A standard serving is one-half cup of cooked vegetables, including the juice. Celery, cucumbers, and other raw vegetables are usually eaten
in different amounts by each individual. There will be more servings from equal weights of raw vegetables than of cooked ones.
* Three-fourths cup is allowed for cooked, dried beans.
**One-fourth cup is allowed for cooked mushrooms.
Compare Cost Per Serving for Poultry, Fish, and Shellfish
Kind of
poultry or fish
Retail
price
Servings Cost per
per pound per pound serving
Cents
Number
POULTRY, ready-to-cook
Fresh or Frozen
Kind of fish
or shellfish
Retail
unit
Cents
Canned salmon
Canned tuna
Dried cod
Retail
price
Servings Cost per
Cents
Number Cents
lb.
per unit serving
5
6 oz.
lb.
2
10
Chicken:
Breasts
Broiler-fryers
SHELLFISH
4
2
Drumsticks, legs,
thighs
Roasters
Stewing hens
Duck
3
2
2
1
Goose
2
Turkey
2
Clams::
In shell
Shucked
Canned
Crab: :
In shell
Cooked meat
Canned
dozen
2
pint
7 oz.
3
3
2 lb.
2-3
5-6
lb.
61 oz.
Oysters :
In shell
Shucked
FISH
Fresh or Frozen
Steaks or fillets
Dressed
Drawn
3
2
1i
Scallops :
Shrimp :
In shell
Shucked
dozen
pint
2
3
lb.
4
lb.
lb.
3
5
meat is from 2i to 3i. ounces of cooked, lean meat. For creamed
dishes 1 ounces may be sufficient. Fried chicken is usually served
lean meat. Shrimp, crab, and tuna are often served in 2-ounce
portions. The cooking method and temperature affect size of
by the pieceleg, thigh, or half of breastrather than by weight.
serving.
Adapted from Cornell University, Extension Food Marketing Handbook, "Cost Per Serving."
iir eselsgra" hi
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
EXTENSION
n SERVICE
AN EXTENSION
c204,(Aufaev Set,o;zei
PUBLICATION OF
OREGON STATE UNIVERSITY
Extension Service, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Lee R. Kolmer, director. This publication was produced
and distributed in furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May B and June 30, 1914. Extension work is a
cooperative program of Oregon State University, the U. S. Department of Agriculture, and Oregon counties.