Know what dinner really costs, one serving at a time

For busy parents

You don't have time to compare every recipe, so let the numbers do it. Cost your family's ten favorite dinners once and you'll know which ones are the cheap family meals worth keeping on repeat. Saucebook remembers your prices, so the next time beef goes up you'll see which dinners it touches.

Start with familiar ones: tacos, chili and pancakes for dinner.

For couples

Cooking for two is where costs sneak up: recipes made for four, half-used packages, and takeout on tired nights. Cost a recipe per serving, plan to eat it twice, and you'll often find a home-cooked dinner for two costs less than one takeout entree.

Share a recipe box with your partner so you both see the same recipes and the same prices.

For meal planning

A grocery budget meal planner works best when every meal has a number. Plan the week, add up cost per serving, and swap the priciest night for a cheaper favorite until the week fits your budget.

If you want the method behind the numbers, read how to cost a recipe.

Worked example: honey garlic chicken and rice for six

Here's a weeknight dinner costed the way Saucebook does it. Ana, our sample cook at Saucy's Kitchen, makes it on Sundays and eats the leftovers for lunch. Example prices, yours will vary.

The batch costs $9.79, about $1.63 per serving. Frozen broccoli is a quarter of the cost; buying it on sale is the easiest saving here.