Most restaurant owners think creating a shopping list means simply writing down what they need. This approach leads to overbuying, waste, and inflated food costs that can sink a new business. The reality is that smart shopping lists require strategic planning based on actual sales projections and ingredient optimization.
Start with your menu as the foundation
Your shopping list begins with your menu. Every dish consists of ingredients, and those ingredients need to be purchased. It sounds logical, but many entrepreneurs forget extras like spices, oil, butter and garnishes.
💡 Example:
You have 5 dishes on the menu. For each pasta carbonara you need:
- Pasta: 120 grams
- Bacon: 40 grams
- Eggs: 1 piece
- Parmesan: 20 grams
- Olive oil: 10 ml
- Pepper, salt, parsley
Multiply this by your expected sales per week.
Calculate your expected sales per ingredient
Realistically estimate how many portions you expect to sell per week. Start cautiously - it's better to reorder than to throw away. For a starting restaurant, 50-100 covers per week is realistic in the first months.
⚠️ Note:
Account for cutting loss and waste. From 1 kg of beef, often only 750-800 grams remain after cutting. Add 20-25% to your net requirement.
Divide ingredients into categories
Organize your shopping list by product group. This helps with supplier searches and proper storage protocols:
- Meat and fish: Short shelf life, special storage
- Vegetables and fruit: Daily fresh, different suppliers
- Dairy: Refrigeration needed, usually 1 supplier
- Dry goods: Pasta, rice, flour - long shelf life
- Spices and seasonings: Small quantities, long shelf life
Determine your order frequency per category
You don't need to order everything equally often. Fresh products require ordering 2-3x per week, while dry goods might need restocking just once monthly. This approach reduces costs and inventory value.
💡 Example order frequency:
- Fish: 2x per week (Tuesday, Friday)
- Meat: 2x per week (Monday, Thursday)
- Vegetables: 3x per week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday)
- Dairy: 2x per week
- Dry goods: 1x per 2 weeks
Calculate what it costs
Add up all ingredient costs and multiply by your expected sales. From analyzing actual purchasing data across different restaurant types, establishments that calculate precisely from day one maintain better cost control throughout their first year. As a rule of thumb: your total food cost should stay below 35% of your revenue.
Formula: Total purchasing costs per week = (Ingredient costs per dish × Expected sales per dish) for all dishes
💡 Example calculation:
5 dishes, average 20 portions per week per dish:
- Dish 1: €6.50 ingredients × 20 = €130
- Dish 2: €8.20 ingredients × 20 = €164
- Dish 3: €5.80 ingredients × 20 = €116
- Dish 4: €7.10 ingredients × 20 = €142
- Dish 5: €6.90 ingredients × 20 = €138
Total weekly purchases: €690
Find the right suppliers
Each category needs different suppliers. Always request price lists and compare options. Don't focus solely on price - consider quality, delivery reliability, and minimum order quantities too.
- Wholesale: Cheap, large quantities, limited assortment
- Fresh suppliers: Small quantities, daily fresh, more expensive
- Local growers: Seasonal, often better quality
- Cash & carry: Flexible, but more expensive and you have to pick up yourself
Build in buffer for unexpected busy periods
Always keep 20-30% extra stock of your most popular ingredients. Nothing's worse than running out of your signature dish during a busy evening rush.
⚠️ Note:
Too much buffer costs money and increases waste risk. Start with 20% extra and adjust based on experience.
How do you create your first shopping list? (step by step)
Create an ingredient list per dish
Write down all required ingredients for each dish on your menu, including quantities per portion. Don't forget spices, oil and garnishes.
Estimate your weekly sales per dish
Start realistically with 15-25 portions per dish per week. Multiply the ingredient quantity per portion by your expected sales.
Add cutting loss and waste to your requirement
Calculate 20-25% extra for cutting loss and unexpected busy periods. From 1 kg of meat, often only 750 grams remain usable after processing.
Organize by product category and order frequency
Group ingredients by shelf life: fresh 2-3x per week, dry goods 1-2x per month. This helps when finding suppliers.
Calculate total costs and find suppliers
Add up all purchasing costs and check if you stay below 35% food cost. Request price lists from multiple suppliers per category.
✨ Pro tip
Track your actual sales against purchases during your first 30 days of operation. This data reveals which dishes sell faster than expected and helps you adjust quantities before waste becomes a problem.
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 should I purchase for my first week?
Start cautiously with ingredients for 50-70% of your expected sales. You can always reorder, but throwing away costs money immediately. It's better to run a special than deal with spoilage.
What if I've purchased too much of one ingredient?
Try to use ingredients in other dishes or as a daily special. Side dishes or soups are excellent ways to use up surpluses without affecting your main menu pricing.
Should I purchase organic or premium ingredients from day one?
Only if your menu price can support it. Premium ingredients cost 30-50% more, so your selling price needs to be proportionally higher to maintain the same margin. Start with quality basics first.
📚 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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