07 / THE REFERENCE SHELF

A cup of what?
Know the weight.

Search source-backed food portions, then multiply their gram weights. US reference foods, English descriptions. Match the food and preparation carefully.

Turn a documented portion into grams

Estimated grams = number of source portions × grams per source portion

USDA SR Legacy record 168936, all-purpose enriched unbleached white wheat flour, lists a 1-cup portion at 125 g. Two of those source portions therefore represent 250 g. This does not establish a universal flour density or a weight for every cup size.

Three complementary food references

This catalogue contains 7,793 SR Legacy records, 469 Foundation records and 5,432 FNDDS survey food records. The USDA documentation explains how their purposes and methods differ. SR Legacy is a final historical release. Foundation describes basic foods and analytical data, but often lacks household portions. FNDDS describes foods used in US dietary surveys, including prepared dishes.

Use the right evidence for your bakery

These are US food references, not worldwide brand specifications or current supplier prices. No ingredient price is supplied or inferred. We preserve separate food IDs and source descriptions instead of merging similarly named foods. Some records have no usable portion weights or nutrient values. Unknown values are never presented as zero.

Sources, dates and privacy

Downloads came from USDA FoodData Central on October 4, 2026 and are public domain under USDA’s CC0 terms. The selected catalogue loads only when this page is opened; category details load on selection. Search terms and portion calculations stay in your browser. View versions, checksums and file counts.

What about nutrition and allergens?

Selected records include source protein, fat, carbohydrate and energy values per 100 g when present. Energy methods remain separate. These figures do not produce a regulatory recipe label, account for cooking retention or identify allergens. Check actual supplier specifications and the requirements where you sell.

THE BAKING SHELF · AFFILIATE LINKS

A useful companion to ingredient weights.

Explore the shelf ↗

Reference weights are a starting point. A kitchen scale helps you record the quantity of the ingredient you actually use.

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Kitchen scalesEscali

Primo digital scale · Chrome

  • 5,000 g capacity
  • 1 g increments
  • Tare function

For weighing ingredients into one bowl and dividing a batch into consistent portions. Tare and two-button controls keep the routine simple.

Before you choose

The 5 kg capacity includes the bowl. Its 1 g increments may be too coarse for very small amounts of yeast or other ingredients.

Kitchen scalesOXO

Good Grips scale · Pull-out display

  • 11 lb capacity
  • Pull-out display
  • Removable stainless steel platform

For weighing into a broad mixing bowl that could hide a fixed display. The display pulls forward so the readout is easier to see.

Before you choose

The 11 lb limit includes everything on the platform. Check the exact scale’s resolution if you often weigh very small quantities.

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Optional usage counts show which tools work and where people get stuck. Recipe details, entered values and files are never included. The tools work the same either way.

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