How to calculate the cost of Olivier salad in Excel: step-by-step instructions for beginners

Excel has long ceased to be a tool only for accountants and analysts, writes xrust. With its help it is convenient to solve everyday problems, including calculating the cost of meals . One of the most popular examples is cost of Olivier salad .

In this article we will look at how to calculate Olivier in Excel step by step : from creating a table to automatically calculating the total and the price of one portions.

The material is suitable even for those who have hardly worked with tables before.

Why calculate the cost of Olivier in Excel

class=»notranslate»>__GTAG17__ Calculation in Excel allows you to:

• find out exactly how much the whole salad costs;
• understand the contribution of each ingredient to the final price;
• quickly recalculate the cost when prices change;
• use the table for other dishes.

This approach is useful both at home and for a cafe, delivery or food blog.

Step 1. Create a table of ingredients

Open Excel and create a new table.

In cell A1 specify the title:
class=»notranslate»>__GTAG11__ Ingredient

Below (A2–A9) list the products that are used in Olivier salad:

• potatoes
• carrots
• eggs
• sausage (or chicken)
• pickles
• green peas
• mayonnaise

The list can be changed — the formulas will not break.

Step 2. Enter the price per package

In column B we will indicate the cost of products in the store.

Heading B1 :
Price per package, ₽

Examples:

• potatoes — 80
• eggs — 120
• sausage — 350
• mayonnaise — 180

The price is indicated for actual packaging: kilogram, pack, jar.

Step 3. Indicate the weight of the package

class=»notranslate»>__GTAG29__ So that Excel can calculate correctly, all products are reduced to one unit of measurement — grams.

In C1 write:
Package weight, g

Approximate values:

• potatoes — 1000
• eggs — 600

class=»notranslate»>__GTAG5__ sausage — 500

• mayonnaise — 400

Step 4. Calculate the price of one gram

Now we calculate the cost of one grams of product.

In D1 specify:
Price for 1 g, ₽

In cell D2 enter the formula:

=B2/C2

Press Enter and drag the formula down.
Excel will automatically calculate the price of one gram for each ingredient.

Step 5. Enter the amount of product for the salad

Now we indicate how many grams of each ingredient are used in Olivier.

In E1 write:
Amount in salad, g

Example:

• potatoes — 400
• eggs — 300

class=»notranslate»>__GTAG15__ sausage — 350

• mayonnaise — 200

These values directly affect the final cost of the dish.

Step 6. Calculate the cost of ingredients

In column F Excel will calculate how much each product in the salad costs.

Heading F1 :
Cost, ₽

Formula in F2 :

=D2*E2

Drag the formula down — the table will be filled in automatically.

Step 7. Calculate the total cost of Olivier salad

class=»notranslate»>__GTAG7__ Under the last line (for example, F10 ) use the formula:

=SUM(F2:F9)

This is the cost price of Olivier salad , calculated in Excel.

You can add a signature next to it:
Total for salad

Step 8. Price of one serving (optional) class=»notranslate»>__GTAG25__

If the salad is designed, for example, for 8 servings, Excel will easily calculate the cost of one.

The formula looks like this:

=Total_cost/Number_of_portions

As a result, you will receive the price of a portion of Olivier , which is convenient for holidays and budget calculations.

Summary

Using Excel, you can quickly and clearly:

• calculate the cost of Olivier salad;
• see which ingredients are the most expensive;
• recalculate the price when prices or composition change;
• use the table as a universal template for any dishes.

Once you create such a table, you can calculate the cost of food in a few minutes.

Xrust How to calculate the cost of Olivier salad in Excel: step-by-step instructions for beginners