Does anyone have a method for "automating" the calculation of ingredients when you cook multiple meals/entrees for a client? For instance, a spreadsheet that would add up the total of onions, garlic, wine, etc to make beef bourginion, coq au vin and chicken provencal? Presently, I have to do this mentally or with pencil and paper; since we cook up to 5 entrees/week for families and sometimes do this for a two weeks at a time the math becomes cumbersome. Thanks for your help.

Hey Jiminspiredcooking,
Thanks for the question. I've got a chef in one of my networks, David Buchanan, who's got a calculator, Plate Cost Calculator, I think will fit your needs. Let me know if this helps.

Putting all those details into excel would be very taxing. And if you lost it, that would be an excel recovery nightmare, probably. I would really suggest something like an online cook-book or calculator.

I can understand how you feel, and I take it that it'll depend on which thing you have more of an affinity for. Each one has its pluses and minuses. My preference is excel for a few reasons:
1. I don't have to depend on getting online to get to my information. [keeping things at hands reach is always a plus, just in case the server's down when you want to get a hold of your info.]
2. You can make adjustments for larger and smaller volumes in an excel spread sheet and have it calculate your info and give you your results.
3. I like the interface. It's something I'm familiar with, with a very small learning curve and for the data entry portion to get the info added I've got a great teen at home who loves making her spending money by handling those types of tasks while learning innovative ways to get through the workload quicker and more efficiently.

But I will do an online search for some more solutions to choose from.

Thanks for your input.