Scaling Recipes

Quickly scale your recipes up or down to match your production needs. Whether you're doubling a recipe for a large event or halving it for a small batch, the scaling tools make it easy.

How It Fits Together

Scaling is a core capability used throughout the system:

Recipe Scaling
├── Recipe Editor ─────────► Scale by servings, yield, or ingredient
│
├── Menu Items ────────────► Scale recipes to match portion sizes
│   └── 1 recipe serving = 0.5 menu portions? Auto-scales costs
│
├── Production Planning ───► Calculate ingredient needs for batches
│   └── "Make 50 servings" → Shows exact quantities needed
│
├── Meal Planning ─────────► Generate shopping lists
│   └── Week's meals → Total scaled ingredient requirements
│
└── Costs ─────────────────► All costs recalculate automatically
    └── 2x scale = 2x ingredient costs

When you scale anywhere in the system, ingredient quantities, costs, and derived values all update together.

Scaling Methods

The ingredients panel gives you quick access to scaling controls:

Method 1: Quick Scale

The fastest way to scale is using the Scale button in the ingredient controls:

1. Click the Scale toggle in the ingredients panel
2. Edit any ingredient quantity
3. All other ingredients scale proportionally
4. Click Scale again to exit scale mode

Watch it in action:

This is ideal when you know the exact amount of one ingredient you have available.

Method 2: Change Servings

Adjust the servings number to automatically scale all ingredients:

1. Find the Servings field in the ingredients panel
2. Use the +/- buttons or type a new number
3. All ingredients update automatically

This is perfect when you know how many portions you need.

Method 3: Scale Modal

For precise control, use the Scale Recipe modal:

1. Click the Scale circle in the navigation dashboard (blue circle with arrows icon)
2. Choose to scale by Servings or Yield
3. Use quick scale buttons (0.5x, 2x, 3x, etc.) or enter a custom value
4. Click Refresh Preview to see the scaled quantities
5. Click Generate Scaled Recipe to apply

Watch it in action:

How Scaling Works

When you scale a recipe:

• Quantities - All ingredient amounts multiply by your scale factor
• Servings - Updates to reflect the new yield
• Yield - Adjusts proportionally (if set)
• Costs - Recalculate automatically based on new quantities

Note: Instructions don't scale automatically—you may need to adjust cooking times for larger batches.

Scaling Best Practices

For Accurate Scaling

• Set your recipe yield accurately (e.g., "makes 2 quarts")
• Use consistent units across similar ingredients
• Review scaled quantities for reasonableness

Things to Watch For

• Cooking times may need adjustment for larger volumes
• Seasoning often doesn't scale linearly—taste and adjust
• Equipment capacity - make sure your pans and ovens can handle the scaled amount
• Leavening agents (baking powder, yeast) may need adjustment for very large batches

Common Questions

Q: Can I save a scaled version as a new recipe?
A: Yes! Scale the recipe, then use Actions → Duplicate to save the scaled version as a new recipe.

Q: Does scaling affect my original recipe?
A: No, scaling is temporary for viewing purposes. Your original recipe quantities are preserved.

Q: Why do my costs change when I scale?
A: Costs are calculated based on ingredient quantities. When you scale up, you use more ingredients, so the total cost increases proportionally.

Q: Can I scale by yield instead of servings?
A: Yes! If you have a yield set (e.g., "4 cups"), you can scale based on the desired output quantity.

Next Steps

• Creating Recipes - Learn recipe basics
• Recipe Options - Configure recipe settings
• Prep Recipes - Create reusable components