To plan purchases from your production plan, start with how many batches of each product you will make this week, multiply each batch recipe by that number, add up each ingredient across all products, subtract what you already have, adjust for waste where needed and round up to the pack sizes you can actually buy. Then split the list by where you buy and price it. You buy what you will use instead of what you think is missing, and you know what the week will cost before you leave.
Step 1: this week's production plan
Everything starts with a simple table: which products you will make and how many batches of each. That number comes from your orders, what you sold in recent weeks and the kitchen hours you have. The guide on production planning covers how to decide how much to make each week. Here we assume you have decided.
Work in batches, not units. If your brownie recipe makes a tray of 24, think "4 trays", not "96 brownies". That way you multiply the recipe as it is written.
Step 2: each batch recipe, by weight
Each product needs a batch recipe with quantities in grams, kilos, litres or units. "A cup of sugar" or "a handful of nuts" cannot be added up. If your recipes are not written that way yet, that is the first job.
If any quantity is a trimmed weight (peeled fruit, boned chicken), also note your measured yield. You need it in step 5.
Step 3: multiply and add up by ingredient
For each ingredient: quantity per batch × number of batches, product by product, then add them together. The sugar in the granola and the sugar in the brownies go on the same line, because they come out of the same bag.
Step 4: subtract what you have
Before you leave, count what you have of each ingredient in the plan. You do not need a full stocktake, only the items you will use. What you need to buy is the step 3 total minus what you have.
Step 5: waste and a safety margin
Two adjustments, only where they apply:
- Yield. If the recipe calls for 2 kg of peeled fruit and your measured yield is 80%, you need to buy 2 ÷ 0.80 = 2.5 kg.
- Safety margin. For things that break or vary (eggs, fruit), buy a little extra. For everything else, do not.
Step 6: round to what is sold
Nobody sells 1.75 kg of butter in one block. Round up to the pack you buy and write down what will be left over, because it goes into next week's count.
Step 7: split by place and price it
Group the list by where you buy each item: wholesaler, supermarket, packaging supplier. You shop in order and forget nothing. If an ingredient is critical, note a backup too, in case your usual supplier is out; the guide on choosing suppliers covers how to keep backups. Then add the price from your last purchase to each line and total it: that is your budget for the week.
Worked example: granola and brownies
This week you will make 3 batches of granola (10 jars each) and 4 trays of brownies (24 each).
Recipes per batch:
- Granola: oats 3 kg, mixed nuts 0.7 kg, honey 0.6 kg, oil 0.3 L.
- Brownies: butter 0.5 kg, sugar 0.6 kg, eggs 8, flour 0.25 kg, dark chocolate 0.4 kg.
Steps 3 and 4: totals and what is missing
| Ingredient | Granola (× 3) | Brownies (× 4) | Total | On hand | To buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oats | 9.0 kg | - | 9.0 kg | 1.5 kg | 7.5 kg |
| Mixed nuts | 2.1 kg | - | 2.1 kg | 0.4 kg | 1.7 kg |
| Honey | 1.8 kg | - | 1.8 kg | 0.9 kg | 0.9 kg |
| Oil | 0.9 L | - | 0.9 L | 1.0 L | 0 |
| Butter | - | 2.0 kg | 2.0 kg | 0.25 kg | 1.75 kg |
| Sugar | - | 2.4 kg | 2.4 kg | 1.0 kg | 1.4 kg |
| Eggs | - | 32 | 32 | 6 | 26 |
| Flour | - | 1.0 kg | 1.0 kg | 1.5 kg | 0 |
| Dark chocolate | - | 1.6 kg | 1.6 kg | 0.2 kg | 1.4 kg |
Steps 5 to 7: what you buy, where and what it costs
| Place | Purchase | Price | Subtotal | Left over |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesaler | 2 sacks of oats, 5 kg | $9.50 each | $19.00 | 2.5 kg |
| Wholesaler | 2 bags of mixed nuts, 1 kg | $11.80 each | $23.60 | 0.3 kg |
| Wholesaler | 2 bags of dark chocolate, 1 kg | $12.00 each | $24.00 | 0.6 kg |
| Supermarket | 1 jar of honey, 1 kg | $10.50 | $10.50 | 0.1 kg |
| Supermarket | 7 blocks of butter, 250 g | $2.40 each | $16.80 | 0 |
| Supermarket | 2 bags of sugar, 1 kg | $1.10 each | $2.20 | 0.6 kg |
| Supermarket | 1 tray of 30 eggs | $9.00 | $9.00 | 4 eggs |
Wholesaler: 19.00 + 23.60 + 24.00 = $66.60. Supermarket: 10.50 + 16.80 + 2.20 + 9.00 = $38.50. Total for the week: $105.10.
Three things to notice. You buy no flour and no oil: what you have covers the plan. But the oil leaves you with 0.1 L and the butter with nothing, so if you use them every week, add a bottle and a block now rather than making a second trip mid-week for one item, which is exactly the trip that costs the most. And the eggs are rounded to a tray of 30, which leaves 4 spare for breakages.
The leftovers (2.5 kg oats, 0.3 kg nuts, 0.6 kg chocolate, 0.1 kg honey, 0.6 kg sugar, 0.5 kg flour, 0.1 L oil, 4 eggs) are next Monday's "on hand".
Mistakes that make shopping more expensive
- Buying out of habit. "I always get two sacks" without looking at the plan. If you make less granola this week, the second sack sits there.
- Not counting what you have. You end up with three open bags of flour and no butter.
- Ignoring seasonal prices. If an ingredient in the plan is in its expensive months, the budget shows it. You can change the plan before you buy, not after.
- Not comparing the budget with sales. If the week's shopping eats too much of what you expect to sell, something is off in the plan, the prices or your costing.
The list is also a good source for your purchase records: compare what you budgeted with what you paid and you will see what went up. The guide on how to buy ingredients for a small food business covers the whole buying routine.
Do it with the calculator
Put each recipe into the food cost calculator with the prices from this list; it shows the batch cost and the loaded cost per unit, so you can confirm your margin is still where you planned before you shop.
Frequently asked questions
What if I do not know how much I will sell next week?
Plan from what you sold over the last few weeks and adjust. Preorders make it easier; without them, start a little under your average so you are not left with unsold product.
How often should I count my stock?
Before every shopping list. You do not need to weigh everything: a quick count of the ingredients in your plan, by eye for the ones you have plenty of and on the scale for the ones that are tight.
Should I buy extra just in case?
Only for things that break or vary, like eggs or fruit, and only a little. Buying extra of everything leaves cash sitting on the shelf and adds waste from whatever spoils.
Is the list useful for anything besides shopping?
Yes. With the prices from your last purchase, it tells you what the week will cost before you leave, and if that spend does not fit what you expect to sell, you see it in time.