Making sauces in-house typically cuts your sauce costs by 40-70%. Most restaurants pay €8-12 per liter for ready-made versions, but you can produce the same sauces for €3-5. The key is knowing which ones deliver the biggest savings and how to calculate true costs.
Why homemade sauces are cheaper
Ready-made sauces contain many costs that have nothing to do with ingredients:
- Packaging and marketing
- Distribution and transport
- Supplier margin
- Shelf-life extending additives
Making sauces yourself means you only pay for ingredients. That often saves 40-70% in costs.
💡 Example: Hollandaise sauce
Ready-made: €10.50 per liter
Homemade (per liter):
- 250g butter: €2.25
- 6 egg yolks: €1.20
- Lemon, herbs: €0.55
Total: €4.00 - savings €6.50 per liter
Which sauces deliver the biggest returns
Not all sauces are equally worth making in-house. Focus on ones you use frequently where the price gap is substantial:
Most profitable homemade sauces:
- Mayonnaise: €2.50 homemade vs €7.00 ready-made
- Hollandaise: €4.00 homemade vs €10.50 ready-made
- Béarnaise: €4.50 homemade vs €11.00 ready-made
- Pesto: €3.20 homemade vs €8.50 ready-made
- Vinaigrette: €1.80 homemade vs €6.00 ready-made
One of the most common blind spots in kitchen management is underestimating how these small savings compound over time.
💡 Example: Annual impact
Restaurant uses 20 liters of mayonnaise per month:
- Ready-made: 20 × €7.00 = €140/month
- Homemade: 20 × €2.50 = €50/month
- Savings: €90/month = €1,080/year
Calculate sauce cost per liter
To know if making it yourself pays off, calculate the exact cost of your homemade sauce:
Formula for cost per liter:
(Total ingredient costs / Number of liters of finished product) = Cost per liter
Calculate based on the final volume, not the sum of all ingredients. Some ingredients evaporate or reduce during cooking.
⚠️ Important:
Don't forget labor costs. If your chef spends 1 hour making sauces at €25/hour, add that to the ingredient costs for a fair comparison.
Shelf life and planning
Homemade sauces are often less shelf-stable than ready-made ones. Plan accordingly:
- Mayonnaise: 3-5 days refrigerated
- Hollandaise: use within 2 hours (keep warm)
- Pesto: 1 week refrigerated
- Vinaigrette: 2 weeks refrigerated
Only make what you'll use within the shelf-life window. Making too much leads to waste and higher costs.
💡 Example: Mayonnaise planning
You use 5 liters of mayonnaise per week. Make 2.5 liters twice a week instead of 5 liters once a week. This prevents the last liter from expiring.
Which sauces are better to buy ready-made
Some sauces are too labor-intensive or technically difficult to make profitably in-house:
- Ketchup: complex process, small savings
- Worcestershire sauce: long aging time
- Special Asian sauces: hard-to-find ingredients
- Diet versions: specific additives needed
Focus on sauces where you save the most and that are technically feasible for your kitchen.
How do you calculate the cost of homemade sauces?
Gather all ingredient costs
Write down the purchase price of each ingredient that goes into the sauce. Include small amounts of herbs and spices too - those costs add up over the year.
Calculate the quantity per ingredient
Measure exactly how much of each ingredient you use. Work in grams or milliliters for accuracy. A kitchen scale is essential for this.
Measure the final volume of the sauce
The final volume may differ from the sum of ingredients due to cooking, whisking, or mixing. Measure how many liters of sauce you actually end up with after making it.
Add labor costs to ingredient costs
Calculate how much time your chef spends making the sauce. Multiply this by the hourly wage and add it to the ingredient costs for a fair comparison.
Compare with ready-made alternatives
Divide the total costs (ingredients + labor) by the number of liters. Compare this with the price of ready-made sauces to see if making it yourself is worth it.
✨ Pro tip
Track your mayonnaise usage for exactly 2 weeks, then calculate if homemade saves money. Most kitchens underestimate their actual consumption by 30-40%.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
Was this article helpful?
Frequently asked questions
How much can I save by making sauces myself?
On average, you save 40-70% on ingredient costs. For frequently used sauces like mayonnaise, this can add up to €1,000+ per year for an average restaurant.
Should I include labor costs in the calculation?
Yes, for a fair comparison you should add labor costs to the ingredient costs. Only then will you see if making it yourself is truly cheaper than buying ready-made.
Which sauces are most profitable to make yourself?
Mayonnaise, hollandaise, béarnaise, and vinaigrette deliver the biggest savings. These sauces are relatively simple to make and the price difference with ready-made is significant.
How do I prevent waste with homemade sauces?
Plan your production based on your actual consumption and shelf life. For example, make 2.5 liters twice a week instead of 5 liters once a week.
What about sauces that need special equipment?
Factor equipment costs into your calculations. If you need a €500 immersion blender for hollandaise, spread that cost over the expected usage period to get true savings.
Can I make large batches and freeze portions?
Some sauces freeze well (like pesto), others don't (like mayonnaise). Test small batches first to see how texture and flavor hold up after thawing.
How do I maintain consistent quality with homemade sauces?
Document your recipes with exact measurements and timing. Train multiple staff members so you're not dependent on one person for sauce production.
📚 Sources consulted
- EU Verordening 852/2004 — Levensmiddelenhygiëne (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 853/2004 — Hygiënevoorschriften voor levensmiddelen van dierlijke oorsprong (2004) — Official source
- EU Verordening 1169/2011 — Voedselinformatie aan consumenten (2011) — Official source
- NVWA — Hygiënecode voor de horeca (2024) — Official source
- NVWA — Allergenen in voedsel (2024) — Official source
- Codex Alimentarius — International Food Standards (2024) — Official source
- FSA — Safer food, better business (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- BVL — Lebensmittelhygiene (HACCP) (2024) — Official source
- Warenwetbesluit Bereiding en behandeling van levensmiddelen (2024) — Official source
- WHO — Foodborne diseases estimates (2024) — Official source
Food Standards Agency (FSA) — https://www.food.gov.uk
The HACCP standards shown in this application are for informational purposes only. KitchenNmbrs does not guarantee that displayed values are current or complete. Always consult the FSA or your local authority for the latest regulations.
Written by
Jeffrey Smit
Founder & CEO of KitchenNmbrs
Jeffrey Smit built KitchenNmbrs from 8 years of hands-on experience as kitchen manager at 1NUL8 Group in Rotterdam. His mission: give every restaurant owner control over food cost.
Save up to 15% on your food cost
Most kitchens save 8-15% on food cost as soon as they start measuring. KitchenNmbrs makes measuring simple. Start your free trial today and see the difference.
Start free trial →