In a Pinch Food Yields

Guide E-132
Reviewed by Cassandra Vanderpool
College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University

Author: Extension Diabetes Coordinator, Department of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences, New Mexico State University. (Print friendly PDF)
(Print friendly PDF - Spanish)

ingredients

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Can You Answer the Following Questions?

  • How many cups of grated cheese are in a one pound block?

  • If a recipe calls for three cups of cooked rice, how many cups of uncooked rice should be prepared?

  • How many cups of nuts are in a one-pound package?

These and many more questions can be answered by this handy chart on food yields. Keep it nearby when preparing a meal or making out your shopping list. It’s a real timesaver!

Note that the following yields are only approximations because preparation techniques and the condition of fresh food vary greatly.

Yield Equivalencies

Food

This Much

Equals This Much

Apples

1 pound (3 medium)

2 3/4–3 cups sliced

Bacon

8 slices

1/2 cup crumbled

Bananas

1 pound (3 medium)

2 1/2 cups sliced, 2 cups mashed
Barley
• regular 1cup uncooked 4 cups cooked
• quick 1 cup uncooked 3 cups cooked

Beans, dry

1 cup uncooked

3 cups cooked

Bread crumbs

1 slice, dry
1 slice, soft

1/4–1/3 cup crumbs
1/2–3/4 cup crumbs

Cabbage, shredded

1 pound

3 1/2–4 1/2 cups

Candied fruit or peels

1/2 pound

1 1/4 cups cut up
Cheese
• American 1 pound 4–5 cups shredded
• cheddar 1 pound 4 cups shredded
• mozzarella 1 oz 1/4 cup shredded

Coconut, flaked or shredded

1 pound

5 cups
Chocolate
• morsels or chips 6-oz package 1 cup
• cocoa 1 pound 4 cups
• chocolate 1/2 pound 8 (1-oz each) squares unsweetened

Coffee

1 pound

40–50 servings

Cornmeal

1 pound
1 cup uncooked

3 cups dry
4 cups cooked mush
Crackers
• graham 10 crackers 1 cup fine crumbs
• soda 16 crackers 1 cup coarse crumbs
  22 crackers 1 cup fine crumbs

Cranberries, fresh and uncooked

1 pound

4 cups

Cream, heavy whipping

1 cup (1/2 pint)

2 cups whipped

Dates, pitted and cut up

1 pound

2 1/2 cups
Fat
• butter or margarine 1 pound (4 sticks) 2 cups
• solid 1/4 pound (1 stick) 1/2 cup or 8 Tbsp
• butter, whipped 1 pound 3 cups
• oils 1 quart 4 cups
• shortening 1 pound 2 1/2 cups

Figs, dried and cut fine

1 pound

2 2/3 cups
Flour
• corn 2 pounds 8 cups
• gluten, sifted 2 pounds 6 1/2 cups
• rice 2 pounds  
-sifted   7 cups
-stirred, spooned   5 3/4 cups
• rye 2 pounds  
-light, sifted   10 cups
-dark, sifted   7 cups
• soy 2 pounds  
-full-fat, sifted   15 cups
-low-fat   11 cups
• wheat    
-all-purpose, sifted 5 pounds 20 cups
-all-purpose, sifted 2 pounds 8 cups
-unsifted, spooned 2 pounds 7 cups
-bread, sifted 2 pounds 8 cups
-cake, sifted 2 pounds 9 1/4 cups
-cake, spooned 2 pounds 8 1/4 cups
-pastry, sifted 2 pounds 9 cups
-self-rising, sifted 2 pounds 8 cups
-whole wheat, stirred 2 pounds 6 2/3 cups
Marshmallows
• standard size 1 pound 4 cups
• miniature 1 pound 13 1/2 cups
Nuts
• almonds    
-in shell 1 pound 1–1 3/4 cups nutmeats
-shelled 1 pound 3 cups blanched whole
• English walnuts    
-in shell 1 pound 1 2/3 cups nutmeats
-shelled 1 pound 4 1/2 cups halves
    3 2/3 cups chopped
• filberts    
-in shell 1 pound 1 1/2 cups nutmeats
-shelled 1 pound 3 1/4–3 1/2 cups nutmeats
• peanuts    
-in shell 1 pound 2–2 1/4 cups nutmeats
-shelled 1 pound 3–3 1/4 cups nutmeats
• pecans    
-in shell 1 pound 2 1/4 cups nutmeats
-shelled 1 pound 4–4 1/2 cups halves
    3–3 3/4 cups chopped

Oats, rolled

1 cup uncooked
1 oz uncooked

1 3/4 cups cooked
1/3 cup uncooked

Onion

1 small
1 medium
1 large

1/4 cup chopped
1/2 cup chopped
1 cup chopped
Pasta
• macaroni 1 pound
1 cup uncooked		 4 cups uncooked
2–2 1/4 cups cooked
• noodles 1 cup uncooked 1 3/4 cups cooked
• spaghetti, 2-in. pieces 1 pound 4 3/4 cups uncooked
9–10 cups cooked

Popcorn

1/4 cup kernels
1/3 cup kernels

8 cups popcorn
12 cups popcorn
potatoes 1 pound diced or sliced 1 1/2–2 1/4 cups cooked

white

(3 medium)

1 3/4–2 cups mashed

Prunes, dried, whole, and pitted

1 pound

2 1/4 cups

Raisins

1 pound

3 1/4 cups
Rice
• regular 1 cup uncooked 3 cups cooked
• minute 3/4 cup uncooked 1 1/3 cups cooked
• brown 1 cup uncooked 3 cups cooked

Shrimp, fresh

3/4 pound raw in shell
one 7-oz packed frozen peeled, cooked
one 4.5- or 5-oz can

1 cup cooked and cleaned
Sugar
• brown 1 pound 2 1/4 cups firmly packed
• confectioner’s, unsifted 1 pound 3–4 cups
• granulated 1 pound
5 pounds		 2 1/4 cups
11 1/4 cups

Tea, loose

1 pound

200 cups
Tomatoes 1 pound 1 1/2 cups chopped

 

(3 medium)

3/4 cup sliced

Zucchini

1 medium
(5–6 oz)

1 cup loosely packed,
grated

Common Can Sizes

Can Size

Weight

Cups

Products

8 oz

8 oz

1

Fruits, vegetables, specialties for small families.

Picnic

10 1/2–12 oz

1 1/4

Mainly condensed soups. Some fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, specialties.

12 oz vacuum

12 oz

1 1/2

Mainly for vacuum-packed corn.

No. 300

14–16 oz

1 3/4

Pork and beans, baked beans, meat products, cranberry sauce, blueberries, specialties.

No. 303

16–17 oz
(1 lb–1 lb 1 oz)

2

Principal size for fruits and vegetables. Also some meat products, ready-to-serve soups, specialties.

No. 2

20 oz
(1 lb 4 oz)

 

or 18 fl oz
(1 pt 2 fl oz)

2 1/2

Juices, ready-to-serve soups, some specialties, pineapple, apple slices.

No longer in popular use for most fruits and vegetables.

No. 2 1/2

27–29 oz

(1 lb 11 oz–1 lb 13 oz)

3 1/2

Fruits, some vegetables (pumpkin, sauerkraut, spinach and other greens, tomatoes).

No. 3 cylinder

51 oz
(3 lb 3 oz)

or 46 fl oz
(1 qt 14 fl oz)

5 3/4

Fruit and vegetable juices, pork and beans. Institutional size for condensed soups, some vegetables

No. 10

6 1/2 lb–
7 lb 5 oz

12–13

Institutional size for fruits, vegetables, and some other foods.

If your treasured family recipe describes oven temperatures as slow, moderate, or hot, this quick reference chart will help you decide what temperature to set your oven.

Oven Temperatures

Oven Description

Temperature in Degrees

very slow oven

250–275°F

slow oven

300–325°F

moderate oven

350–375°F

hot oven

400–425°F

very hot oven

450–475°F

extremely hot oven

500–525°F

Baking Pan Sizes

Pan Size

Batter Amount
Rectangular cake pans
• 8 × 8 × 2 in. deep 6 cups batter
• 9 × 9 × 1 1/2 in. deep 8 cups batter
• 9 × 9 × 2 in. deep 10 cups batter
• 13 × 9 × 2 in. deep 14 cups batter
Round cake pans
• 8 × 1 1/2 in. deep 4 cups batter
• 9 × 1 1/2 in. deep 6 cups batter6 cups batter
Pie plates
• 8 × 1 1/4 in. deep 3 cups filling to be level with top;4–4 1/2 cups filling, mounded
• 9 × 1/2 in. deep 4 cups filling to be level with top; 5–6 cups filling, mounded
Loaf pans
• 8 1/2 × 4 1/2 × 2 1/2 in. deep 6 cups batter
• 9 × 5 × 3 in. deep 8 cups batter

Equivalent Measures

This Much

Equals This Much

1 gallon

4 quarts

1 quart

2 pints

1 pint

2 cups

8 quarts

1 peck

4 pecks

1 bushel

1 cup

16 tablespoons

7/8 cup

14 tablespoons

3/4 cup

12 tablespoons

2/3 cup

10 2/3 tablespoons

5/8 cup

10 tablespoons

1/2 cup

8 tablespoons

3/8 cup

6 tablespoons

1/3 cup

5 1/3 tablespoons

1/4 cup

4 tablespoons

1/8 cup

2 tablespoons

1/16 cup

1 tablespoon

1 tablespoon

3 teaspoons

7/8 tablespoon

2 1/2 teaspoons

3/4 tablespoon

2 1/4 teaspoons

2/3 tablespoon

2 teaspoons

5/8 tablespoon

1 7/8 teaspoons

1/2 tablespoon

1 1/2 teaspoons

3/8 tablespoon

1 1/8 teaspoons

1/3 tablespoon

1 teaspoon

1/4 tablespoon

3/4 teaspoon

Hints

  • One tablespoon of unflavored gelatin gels about two cups of liquid.

  • For accurate measuring, use standard measuring spoons and cups. Household cups and spoons often hold more or less than the standard measure. Recipe failures are often caused by measuring ingredients in non-standard containers.

  • If brown or powdered sugar is lumpy, press it through a sieve before adding to your product.

  • For ease in measuring honey, measure shortening or oil first. Then measure honey in the same cup—every drop will slip right out!

  • All measurements should be level. For dry ingredients, use a cup with a measure flush with the rim. Spoon in dry ingredients and level with a knife or spatula. Don’t shake down or hit the cup because dry ingredients will pack down.

  • Sifting salt, leavening, and spices with the flour ensures even distribution.

  • Whole wheat flour cannot be sifted. Instead, it should be stirred before measuring.

  • Fresh cranberries can easily be chopped in a blender if they are frozen first.

For more on this topic, see the following publications:

E-113: Nutrition Facts for Better Meals
https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_e/E113/

E-131:In a Pinch Ingredient Substitution
https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_e/E131/

E-215: High-Altitude Cooking
https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_e/E215/

All Food and Nutrition Publications
https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_e/

Original authors: Barbara Willenberg, Extension Assistant; and Karla Vollmar Hughes, State Specialist, University of Missouri. Adapted (with permission) by Alice Jane Hendley, Diet and Health Specialist. Subsequently, revised by Martha Archuleta, Extension Food and Nutrition Specialist.

Photo of Cassanadra Vanderpool

Cassandra Vanderpool is the Extension Diabetes Coordinator in the Department of Extension Family and Consumer Sciences at NMSU. She earned her first B.S. at NMSU and her M.S. at the University of New Mexico. She is dedicated to making effective nutrition programs available to the New Mexicans who need them.

To find more resources for your business, home, or family, visit the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences on the World Wide Web at pubs.nmsu.edu

Contents of publications may be freely reproduced for educational purposes. All other rights reserved. For permission to use publications for other purposes, contact pubs@nmsu.edu or the authors listed on the publication.

New Mexico State University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. NMSU and the U.S. Department of Agriculture cooperating.

Revised December 2015