Mise-en-place planning can save you hundreds of euros per month. Many kitchens prepare too much or at the wrong time, causing ingredients to be wasted. Better planning shows you exactly how much you can save.
Where does money leak away with poor mise-en-place?
Inefficient mise-en-place costs money in three ways:
- Waste from prepping too early: vegetables turn brown, fish dries out
- Preparing too much: you count on 100 covers, only 60 show up
- Duplicate work: wrong timing causes stress and mistakes
💡 Example:
Restaurant with 80 covers per evening, 6 days per week:
- Daily 2kg vegetables prepped too much: €6
- 1kg fish per week thrown away from filleting too early: €25
- Extra time due to prep chaos: 1 hour at €15
Total waste per week: €66 = €3,432 per year
Calculate your current waste
Before you can save, you need to know where you stand. Measure for one week:
- What do you throw away? Weigh everything that goes in the trash
- Why did it go to waste? Prepped too much, too early, miscalculated
- What did it cost? Calculate back to purchase price
⚠️ Note:
Only count waste from poor planning. Normal cutting losses (peels, bones) are part of your cost price.
Calculate efficient planning
Good mise-en-place planning works with this formula:
Prep amount = (Expected covers × Portion size × 1.1)
The factor 1.1 gives you a 10% buffer for variation. More is usually waste.
💡 Example calculation:
Salmon fillet for tonight:
- Expected covers: 75
- Salmon portion size: 180 grams
- Calculation: 75 × 0.18kg × 1.1 = 14.85kg
Round up to 15kg. Not 20kg "just to be safe".
Optimize timing
Different ingredients have different prep times:
- Cutting vegetables: maximum 4 hours in advance
- Filleting fish: preferably on the same day
- Portioning meat: can be done 1 day in advance
- Making sauces: often keeps for 2-3 days
Calculate savings
Compare your old waste with your new planning. This is a pattern we see repeatedly in restaurant financials - proper mise-en-place planning typically reduces waste by 60-80%:
Savings per year = (Old waste - New waste) × 52 weeks
💡 Calculation example:
Before:
- Waste per week: €85
- Prep time per day: 3 hours
After better planning:
- Waste per week: €25
- Prep time per day: 2.5 hours
Savings: €60/week = €3,120/year + 3 hours less work
Tools for better planning
Digital planning helps you stay consistent:
- Recipes with exact quantities: no more guessing
- Forecasting based on history: what did you sell last week?
- Prep lists per day: what needs to be ready when
Tools like KitchenNmbrs can help you automatically calculate prep amounts based on your recipes and expected covers.
How do you calculate mise-en-place savings? (step by step)
Measure your current waste
Keep track for one week of what you throw away due to poor planning. Weigh everything and calculate back to purchase price. Don't count normal cutting losses.
Calculate optimal prep amounts
Use the formula: Expected covers × Portion size × 1.1. The factor 1.1 gives you a 10% buffer, more is usually waste.
Compare old and new waste
Subtract your new calculated waste from your old waste. Multiply by 52 weeks for your annual savings.
✨ Pro tip
Track your 3 highest-waste proteins for 14 days straight. Proteins typically account for 60-70% of mise-en-place waste costs, so fixing these first gives maximum impact.
Calculate this yourself?
In the KitchenNmbrs app you can do this in just a few clicks. 7 days free, no credit card.
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Frequently asked questions
How much buffer should I keep for mise-en-place?
10% buffer is usually enough. For 100 expected covers you prep for 110. More than 20% buffer often leads to waste.
How do I forecast the number of covers for tomorrow?
Look at the same day last week, check the weather and events nearby. An average over 4 weeks gives a good baseline.
What if I've prepped too little and it gets busy?
Better to sell out once a month than throw away too much every week. Guests usually understand 'sold out'.
Which ingredients should I prep in advance?
Sauces and marinades can often be made 2-3 days ahead. Meat can be portioned 1 day ahead. Cut vegetables maximum 4 hours, fish preferably on the same day.
How do I keep track of what I throw away due to poor planning?
Set aside a separate bin for prep waste. Weigh daily and note the reason: too much, too early, miscalculated. Add up at the end of the week.
Should I adjust my mise-en-place for slow weekdays versus busy weekends?
Absolutely. Tuesday might need 30% less prep than Saturday. Track each day separately for 3-4 weeks to find your patterns.
How do I calculate the labor cost savings from better mise-en-place timing?
Track prep hours before and after optimization. Multiply saved hours by your kitchen hourly rate - most kitchens save 2-4 hours weekly.
📚 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.
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