Guide
Price per usable unit: comparing food that comes with waste
Price per kilo does not tell the whole story when some of what you buy goes in the bin. Comparing by what you actually use gives a fairer answer.
The idea
If a product has waste, such as bones, shells, peel or stalks, only part of the weight is usable. Estimate the usable share, then divide the price by the usable amount.
A worked example
Suppose whole chicken pieces cost 4.00 per kg and about 70 percent of the weight is edible meat. The cost per usable kg is 4.00 divided by 0.70, which is about 5.71. If boneless pieces cost 6.00 per kg with almost no waste, the whole pieces are still cheaper, but not by as much as the label suggests.
Be honest with your estimate
Weigh a sample at home if you can. Your own figure is better than a guess. If you are unsure, compare with a lower and a higher estimate and see whether the answer changes.
Other things to count
- Preparation time and effort
- Whether you will use all of it before it spoils
- Taste and quality, which a price cannot show
See the grocery comparison how-to for how to enter two options side by side in Daymark.