Enter your expected covers for the service, then add each prep item with its par quantity per cover and current stock on hand. The tool calculates exactly how much of each item needs to be prepped to reach par.
| Item | Par per Cover | Unit | Current Stock | Prep Needed |
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Calculate par per cover from your recipe costings — if a dish uses 40g of diced onion and roughly a third of covers order it, your par per cover across the whole service is around 13g. Refine these figures over several services rather than guessing once and leaving them fixed.
A small buffer (typically 5–15%) protects against unexpectedly high covers or a busier-than-forecast service, without significantly increasing waste risk on short-life items.
Over-prepping ties up fridge space and risks spoilage (see the Waste & Spoilage Tracker); under-prepping risks running out mid-service. Reviewing actual usage against your prep list after each service is the fastest way to tighten par levels.
Apply a lower buffer to items with a short usable life once prepped (fresh herbs, delicate garnishes) and a higher buffer to items that hold well (root vegetables, dry stores) where over-prepping carries less risk.
This calculator provides estimates based on the figures you enter. JWBIZ Ltd accepts no liability for operational decisions made on the basis of this tool.