To turn recipes into a grocery list, scale each recipe, add up the ingredients that repeat, cross off what you already own, and sort the rest by store section. The adding up is the step that gets skipped. Copy each recipe's ingredients one after another and you arrive at the shop with "onion" written three times and no total.
The 6 steps
- Choose the recipes and set the servings. Decide how many people eat each meal and whether you want leftovers for lunch.
- Scale each recipe. Divide the servings you need by the servings the recipe makes and multiply every amount by that number.
- Write every ingredient on one sheet with its amount and unit. Include the oil, salt and spices.
- Combine duplicates. Convert each repeated ingredient to one unit and add the amounts.
- Check the kitchen. Walk the list past your fridge, freezer and cupboards and cross off what you have enough of.
- Sort by store section and add the package size next to each amount.
A worked example with three dinners
You are cooking for four people: chicken fajitas, spaghetti bolognese and a chickpea curry. Here are the ingredients that appear in more than one recipe.
| Ingredient | Fajitas | Bolognese | Curry | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Onions | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Garlic cloves | 2 | 3 | 4 | 9 (1 head) |
| Olive oil | 2 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 1 tbsp | 5 tbsp |
| Canned chopped tomatoes | 2 cans | 1 can | 3 cans | |
| Ground cumin | 2 tsp | 2 tsp | 4 tsp | |
| Bell peppers | 3 | 1 | 4 |
Fifteen separate lines became six. After the pantry check you cross off olive oil, cumin and garlic because you have them. Three items go on the list from this table: 4 onions, 3 cans of tomatoes and 4 peppers.
The finished list for all three dinners, sorted by section:
| Section | Items |
|---|---|
| Produce | 4 onions, 4 bell peppers, 1 lime, fresh coriander, 200g spinach, thumb of ginger |
| Meat | 600g chicken breast, 500g beef mince |
| Dairy | Sour cream (small tub), parmesan (small wedge) |
| Bakery | 8 flour tortillas |
| Pantry | 3 cans chopped tomatoes, 2 cans chickpeas, 1 can coconut milk, 400g spaghetti, basmati rice |
The conversions you need for combining
Recipes rarely agree on units. These cover most cases.
| From | To |
|---|---|
| 3 teaspoons | 1 tablespoon |
| 16 tablespoons | 1 cup |
| 1 US cup | 240 ml |
| 1 pound | 454g |
| 1 ounce | 28g |
| 1 medium onion | about 1 cup chopped |
| 1 garlic clove | about 1 teaspoon minced |
| 1 lemon | 2 to 3 tablespoons of juice |
When one recipe lists an ingredient by weight and another by volume, write both on the same line ("flour: 250g + 1 cup") and buy the next package size up.
Three mistakes that send you back to the shop
- Leaving out the basics. Oil, butter, stock, salt and flour are the things a recipe assumes you have. Check them every time.
- Forgetting the garnish line. Lime wedges, fresh herbs and grated cheese often sit in the method or the serving note, outside the ingredient list.
- Buying by recipe amount only. A curry needs 1 tablespoon of tomato paste and the shop sells a tube. Plan a second recipe that uses the rest, or buy the tube and freeze spoonfuls.
Doing it with recipe links
Done by hand, the method above takes 20 to 30 minutes per recipe once you count scaling, converting units and checking the kitchen. The slow parts are copying ingredients and adding them up, and both are things software handles well.
In Kitchendary you paste a TikTok, Instagram or website link and the ingredients and steps come out as a saved recipe. Drop the recipes onto the days of your week and the grocery list shows every ingredient with the amounts added up and grouped by aisle. Your partner or family sees the same list on their phones.
If you already have a list and only want it sorted, the free grocery list generator puts typed items into store sections. For a plan and list built together, see the healthy meal plan with grocery list.
FAQ
How do I make a grocery list from a recipe?
Set the number of servings, write down every ingredient with its amount and unit, cross off what you already have, and group the rest by store section. For several recipes, add up the ingredients that repeat before you check the pantry.
How do I combine ingredients from several recipes?
Convert each ingredient to one unit, then add the amounts. If one recipe needs 2 tablespoons of olive oil and another needs a quarter cup, convert the quarter cup to 4 tablespoons and write 6 tablespoons. Three teaspoons make a tablespoon and 16 tablespoons make a cup.
Is there an app that turns recipes into a shopping list?
Yes. In Kitchendary you paste a TikTok, Instagram or website link and the ingredients and steps are pulled out. Once the recipes are on your weekly plan, the grocery list shows every ingredient for the week with amounts added up and grouped by aisle.
What order should a grocery list be in?
The order you walk the store. For most supermarkets that is produce first, then bakery, meat and fish, dairy and eggs, pantry aisles, and frozen food last so it stays cold.
Should I write recipe amounts or package sizes on the list?
Write both. "Chicken thighs, 900g (2 packs)" tells you how much the recipes need and what to pick up. The recipe amount stops you from buying a third pack you will not use.
How do I scale a recipe for more people?
Divide the servings you need by the servings the recipe makes, then multiply every ingredient by that number. A recipe for 4 cooked for 6 is multiplied by 1.5, so 400g of pasta becomes 600g. Go easy on salt and chilli and adjust by taste at the end.