Calculating a recipe's nutritional information is a straightforward task that will enable you to tweak the ingredients to create a healthier and perhaps less fattening dish. As people become more aware of the impact of eating larger portions, knowing the calorie total of your recipe will help to determine an appropriate serving size. And portion control is one way to manage your diet without having to give up favorite high-calorie foods, according to MayoClinic.com. The website lists recommended ingredient substitutions to modify recipes to reduce calories and improve nutritional values.
Step 1
Make a list of the name and quantity of each ingredient that is called for in your recipe.
Step 2
Refer to the nutrition label on each packaged food product. Write down the serving size and the nutritional information for an individual serving.
Step 3
Multiply the nutritional values of the individual serving by the number of servings you will use in the recipe. For example, if your recipe calls for 2 cups of 1 percent milk, and a single cup of milk contains 110 calories, the total milk calories in your recipe will be 220 calories.
Step 4
Locate an online or hard copy database of nutritional information. Enter the type and quantity of each bulk food item in your recipe and record the nutritional information. The USDA National Nutrient Database allows a search by product name, food group or individual nutrients.
Step 5
Total the number of calories and nutrients for all of the items in your recipe. Calculate the values of an individual serving by dividing the total amount by the number of servings your recipe will provide.
Tips and Warnings
- The percent daily value, or DV, of food nutrients are generally based on a 2,000-calorie per day diet. Several online nutrition sites provide detailed recipe calculators free of charge.
Things You'll Need
- Pen and paper
- Calculator
- List of recipe ingredients
- Online or hard copy database of nutritional information
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