Seasonal dishes often have different packaging costs than your standard menu - think soup in winter or ice-cold salads in summer. Many entrepreneurs forget to include these extra costs in their food cost calculation. In this article you'll learn step-by-step how to correctly include seasonal dish packaging costs in your food cost.
Why seasonal packaging is different
A warm pumpkin soup in November requires different packaging than a cold gazpacho in July. Warm dishes often need more expensive insulating packaging, while cold dishes require extra cooling or special materials.
💡 Example:
Standard pasta: plastic container €0.15
- Warm winter soup: insulated container €0.35
- Cold summer soup: cooled container with lid €0.28
- Warm oven dish: heat-resistant packaging €0.42
Difference: €0.13 to €0.27 extra per portion
Inventory packaging costs per season
Create an overview of your seasonal dishes and their specific packaging requirements. Warm dishes in winter cost on average 15-25% more in packaging than standard dishes.
- Winter: Insulating containers, heat-retention packaging
- Spring: Fresh salads with separate compartments
- Summer: Cooling-resistant materials
- Fall: Stew pots and warm dishes
⚠️ Note:
Always calculate with the most expensive packaging of the season. A warm soup in a cheap container will leak or get cold - that costs you customers.
Calculate cost price including seasonal packaging
Your total cost price consists of ingredients plus all packaging components. For seasonal dishes you add the extra packaging costs to your standard calculation.
Formula: Cost price = Ingredients + Standard packaging + Extra seasonal packaging
💡 Example calculation:
Pumpkin soup (winter):
- Ingredients: €2.80
- Standard container: €0.15
- Extra insulation: €0.20
- Warm lid: €0.08
Total cost price: €3.23
At €12.50 selling price (excl. VAT €11.47): food cost 28.2%
Price adjustment for seasonal dishes
If your packaging costs are €0.20-€0.30 extra, you need to raise your selling price to maintain the same margin. At 30% desired food cost, €0.25 extra packaging means at least €0.83 higher selling price.
- Calculate extra costs per season
- Adjust menu price for higher packaging costs
- Communicate seasonal prices clearly to customers
Administration and tracking
Keep a separate overview of seasonal packaging and their costs. Update this each season, as packaging material prices change regularly.
💡 Practical tip:
Create separate categories in your recipe system for seasonal dishes. That way you'll never forget to include the correct packaging costs.
With a system like KitchenNmbrs you can record the exact packaging costs per recipe, including seasonal variations. This way you always have the correct cost price without having to calculate manually.
How do you include seasonal packaging? (step by step)
Inventory all seasonal dishes
Make a list of dishes you only serve in certain seasons. Note for each dish what specific packaging is needed and why (heat, cold, texture).
Calculate packaging costs per season
Add up all packaging components: container, lid, insulation, cutlery, napkins. Compare this with your standard packaging to see the difference.
Adjust cost price and selling price
Add the extra packaging costs to your ingredient costs. Calculate your new food cost percentage and adjust your selling price if needed to maintain the same margin.
✨ Pro tip
Always calculate packaging costs based on your busiest seasonal day. If you deliver 200 soups on a busy winter evening, you don't want half of them to arrive cold because of cheap packaging.
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 more expensive are seasonal packaging on average?
Seasonal packaging costs on average €0.15 to €0.35 extra per portion. Warm winter dishes are at the high end, cold summer dishes usually around €0.20 extra.
Do I need to adjust my menu price for higher packaging costs?
Yes, if you want to maintain the same margin. €0.25 extra packaging costs means at 30% food cost at least €0.83 higher selling price to maintain the same percentage.
Can't I just use an average packaging price?
You can, but then you'll earn too little on expensive seasonal dishes or too much on cheap ones. Calculating per season gives you the correct margins on each dish.
How often should I update packaging prices?
Check your packaging prices with suppliers at least each season. Material costs fluctuate, especially for specialized seasonal packaging.
What packaging costs do I often forget?
Insulation material, extra lids for warm dishes, cooling elements for summer dishes, and special sauce containers that go with seasonal dishes.
📚 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.
Purchase smarter with real-time insights
Seasonal prices fluctuate — so do your recipe costs. KitchenNmbrs automatically recalculates your margins when purchase prices change. Never get surprised again. Start free.
Start free trial →