Meal Prep Shopping List Calculator

For each recipe, the calculator computes a scaling factor: planned servings ÷ base servings. It multiplies every ingredient quantity by that factor, then normalizes ingredient names and groups matching items across recipes to sum their totals. You can also choose how precisely the final quantities are rounded (for example, nearest 1/4 unit).

Ingredient name matching uses normalization, so “chopped cilantro” and “cilantro (fresh)” are more likely to combine than totally different labels. Unit consolidation is limited to compatible kitchen measures; if two recipes use incompatible units, the tool keeps separate lines or requires manual review so totals aren’t mis-added.

If planned servings equal base servings, totals are unchanged for that recipe. The calculator blocks invalid cases like base servings of 0 or planned servings less than 1 to prevent incorrect scaling. If include pantry staples is off, staple-only items (like salt, water, or oil) are omitted from the final list even if they appear in recipes.

Quantities scale linearly with servings, so it won’t account for real-world yield quirks (like “a pinch” ingredients or changes in cook time). It also ignores recipe instructions, prep time, and cost, and it doesn’t handle brand/package sizing or dietary substitutions. For best results, ensure each selected recipe has a valid ingredient list and an accurate base yield.