Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart

By Becky Hardin

Published Jul 6, 2017

Cooking measurements, cooking equivalents, and cooking conversions can be really confusing at times, but they don’t have to be! I’m explaining all the basics when it comes to measuring and converting in the kitchen, including how to convert metric to standard, common cooking measurements and equivalents, and more. Plus we’ve got a FREE printable Kitchen Measurement Conversion Chart for you, so you can check it any time you need!

Cooking Measurements & Cooking Conversions

Cooking measurements and cooking conversions are a point of confusion for many people. Whether you’re a beginner at cooking or a seasoned home chef, sometimes measurements just don’t seem to make sense!

You’ve got tablespoons and cups, and then there’s fluid ounces. And on top of that, there’s recipes that use metric cooking measurements but you only understand U.S. standard measurements…it’s a lot. Cooking measurements and equivalents should be one of the first steps in learning how to cook , but it’s easy to get by still not quite understanding it all.

I’m going to explain everything you need to know about basic cooking measurements, converting metric to imperial/standard in the kitchen, understanding kitchen measurement equivalents, AND give you a free printable kitchen conversion chart to help you figure it all out. Cooking should be fun and easy, not some kind of math test.

So if cooking conversions and measurements cause you pain on a regular basis, this post is for you! I’m here to help so that you can follow recipes without hassle and feel CONFIDENT in the kitchen.

Be sure to bookmark this post and/or grab our free printable kitchen measurement conversion chart so you always have the information handy!

Kitchen Measurement Tools

Most of your cooking measurements can be done with these basic kitchen measurement tools.

Remember that liquid ingredients and dry ingredients should always be measured with the proper tools (i.e. measure liquids in a liquid measuring cup, measure dry ingredients in dry measuring cups).

A kitchen scale can be used when ingredients need to be weighed instead of measured by cups, etc. This is ideal for more exact recipes, or when using recipes that measure by weight (in grams, for example).

• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Liquid measuring cup
• Kitchen scale

Cooking Measurements Abbreviations

When you’re following a recipe, it’s pretty important to understand those cooking abbreviations. Many recipes (including mine) will use shorthand when writing out recipes, and if you don’t know what they mean, you could end up making a few mistakes.

Kitchen Measurement Abbreviations (Standard and Metric)

Measuring Liquid Ingredients vs. Dry Ingredients

Dry ingredients and liquid ingredients should be treated differently when measuring. Measuring cups and spoon sets are generally intended for dry ingredients, while liquid measuring cups are (obviously) intended for liquid ingredients. Using the right measuring tools will ensure exact measurements.

• When measuring dry ingredients , generally you should fill the cup to the brim, and then scrape the excess off the top to get the most accurate amount (scoop and level method). This cannot be done with a liquid measuring cup, which is just one reason why it should not be used.
• While you will get more exact liquid measurements with the liquid measuring cup, when a recipe calls for small amounts of liquid, sometimes you will need to use measuring spoons instead.
• These tips are most important when making recipes that truly require exact measurements (like baking recipes ).

Ounces vs Fluid Ounces

Using ounces vs fluid ounces comes back to the liquid ingredients vs dry ingredients. Ounces measure weight, while fluid ounces measures volume. Dry ingredients can be measured in ounces (by weight), while liquid ingredients are measured in fluid ounces (by volume). So if a recipe calls for 8 ounces of flour, that doesn’t mean you need 1 cup.

Rest assured, most U.S. recipes (using standard/imperial system) will list dry ingredients by cups/tablespoons/etc rather than by ounces. Just keep this in mind when measuring your ingredients!

Basic Kitchen Conversions & Equivalents

Understanding basic cooking measurements and cooking conversions is important knowledge to have in the kitchen. When you’re following a recipe, you need to know what it all means. And sometimes you just can’t find that darn tablespoon to measure out your ingredients, so you have to wing it. But if you know that 1 tablespoon also equals 3 teaspoons, then you can measure away without worry!

Just follow these kitchen conversion charts, and soon enough you’ll memorize them just like those multiplication charts from school. Check our How to Cut Recipes in Half post if you need help with that too.

Dry Measurements Conversion Chart

Liquid Measurements Conversion Chart

ButterMeasurements Chart

Metric Cooking Measurement vs Standard/Imperial Cooking Measurements

Here in the U.S., we use the Imperial, or “Standard”, measurement system. So our recipes are measured in teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, pounds, etc. We’re in a bit of a bubble on that though, because the rest of the world (for the most part) uses the metric system. Recipes are generally measured in grams and milliliters.

So what happens when you want to use a recipe that uses metric cooking measurements, but you only know (and only have tools for) imperial cooking measurements? Well that’s where cooking conversions charts come in handy!

Whether you’re trying to measure for volume or weight, or need to convert oven temperatures from Celsius to Fahrenheit (or vice versa), these charts will help you get it right.

Metric to US Cooking Conversions

Use these charts to quickly convert metric measurements to standard/imperial measurements (including oven temperatures!).

Oven TemperaturesConversion

Liquid Measurements (Volume)

Dry Measurements (Weight)

US to Metric Cooking Conversions

What Does 1 Cup Equal?

I think it’s helpful to know what 1 cup equals, because even when you’re short on kitchen measuring tools, most people will have a 1 cup measurement. If you have that, you can go far! Plus it can be useful for making cooking conversions when trying to halve or scale recipes . Just remember that 1 cup equals these various measurements….which means that everything in this chart is equivalent!

• 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces
• 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
• 1 cup = 48 teaspoons
• 1 cup = ½ pint
• 1 cup = ¼ quart
• 1 cup = 1/16 gallon
• 1 cup = 240 ml

Note: Keep in mind the difference between dry and liquid ingredients. In the U.S., recipes often use “cups” for both liquid and dry ingredients. But it is implied that 1 cup of a liquid will be measured with a liquid measuring cup, while 1 cup of a dry ingredients will be measured with a dry measuring cup.

Baking Pan Conversions

Sometimes you come across an awesome cake recipe that’s made for a specific type of baking pan…but you don’t have that type or size, or you just prefer to make a different style of cake. No worries! By figuring out how much cake batter goes into each cake pan, you can change up the recipe to fit in another type of baking pan. The cups refer to how much batter fits into the pan .

• 9-inch round cake pan = 12 cups
• 10-inch tube pan =16 cups
• 10-inch bundt pan = 12 cups
• 9-inch springform pan = 10 cups
• 9 x 5 inch loaf pan = 8 cups
• 9-inch square pan = 8 cups

Common Baking Measurements (Conversions)

Remember earlier when I told you about the difference between ounces and fluid ounces? Here are some numbers to back up the importance of that tip. 8 fluid ounces of liquid will often equal 1 cup, but 8 ounces (weight) of a dry ingredient will rarely equal 1 cup.

Baking in Ounces

Baking in Grams

I hope these basic cooking measurements and cooking conversions help clear things up a bit! I know cooking and baking measurements have caused me a lot of confusion in the past, and I want cooking and following recipes to be EASY. I want it to make sense so that you guys can enjoy cooking and feel confident in the kitchen.

Printable Kitchen Measurements Conversions Chart

Click for FREE Printable of this Kitchen Conversions Chart

Cooking Resources

Find more basic cooking info, resources, charts, and more to help you out in the kitchen.

Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)

Essential Grocery List (How to stock your fridge and pantry)

Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On

How to Cut Recipes in Half

Cooking Terms and Definitions Every Home Cook Should Know

Cooking Oil Smoke Points (Chart)

Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen

Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen

By Becky Hardin

Published Jul 12, 2017

This Essential Grocery List is an absolute life saver for my family on the busy weeks. When I started this journey to learn how to cook, I quickly realized that the first step in cooking is having staple ingredients on hand. I want to avoid having to run out to the grocery store every single time I prepare a new recipe. Having a well-stocked pantry has made my life in the kitchen so much simpler, because when it’s time to cook, I have what I need.

Essential Grocery List

It’s so helpful to have a basic grocery list to help me remember which foods to buy at the store. This food shopping list is my go-to!

It’s better to stock up on things like grains, seasonings and spices, baking essentials, oils, condiments, canned and frozen foods, etc. so I can just grab them when I need them. These things have a long shelf life , so I keep them in my kitchen for convenience.

However, I do have to go to the supermarket sometimes, and there’s a way to make that trip easy and hassle-free: I keep a grocery list! If I go in blindly, I’ll leave with things I don’t need, and nothing that actually helps me prepare a good meal.

In the list below, I’ve compiled everything I always have on my stock-up grocery list.

I’ve got you covered! I created an easy grocery list filled with all of the essentials. Plus there’s a free printable version that you can take with you to the grocery store. It has everything you need to stock your pantry, your freezer, and your refrigerator.

Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List

What to Buy at the Grocery Store

This is the perfect grocery list filled with all the basics and essentials. It should help get you going if you’re new to cooking, or if you’re just left staring helplessly at an empty pantry and don’t know how to fill it.

When I first started cooking, things could seem overwhelming. I quickly realized that they more prepared I could be, the more confident I felt. If you already have the basics in your kitchen, then you can shop stress-free.

So print out our easy grocery list, stock up your pantry and fridge, and you’ll be cooking in no time!

Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!

Fresh Produce

• Apples
• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Avocados
• Bell Peppers
• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Garlic
• Lemons/Limes
• Onion
• Parsley
• Cilantro
• Basil
• Potatoes
• Spinach
• Tomatoes

GRAINS

• Breadcrumbs
• Pasta
• Quinoa
• Rice
• Sandwich Bread
• Tortillas

MEAT/PROTEIN

• Chicken
• Eggs
• Ground Beef
• Sliced Turkey
• Lunch Meat

DAIRY

• Butter
• Sliced Cheese
• Shredded Cheese
• Milk
• Sour Cream
• Greek Yogurt

BAKING GOODS

• Baking powder
• Baking Soda
• Granulated Sugar
• Brown Sugar
• Flour
• Honey
• Vanilla Extract
• Dry Yeast
• Chocolate Chips
• Cocoa Powder
• Powdered Sugar

FREEZER

• Fruit and Berries
• Frozen Veggies (Corn, Peas, Broccoli, etc)
• Juice Concentrate
• Pizza or Other Convenience Meals
• Pie Crust
• Cookie Dough

CANNED/DRIED GOODS

• Chicken stock/broth
• Salsa
• Diced Tomatoes
• Jam/Jelly
• Peanut Butter
• Pasta Sauce
• Beans (Black Beans, Chickpeas, Baked Beans, etc)
• Soups
• Tuna
• Green Chiles
• Canned Veggies
• Coffee or Tea

Get more details on the best non-perishable and pantry foods

CONDIMENTS/SPICES

• Black Pepper
• Chili Powder
• Cinnamon
• Crushed Red Pepper
• Cumin
• Garlic Powder
• Ketchup
• Mustard
• Mayo
• Nutmeg
• Paprika
• Salt (Course Sea Salt and Kosher Salt)
• Soy Sauce
• Steak Sauce
• Hot Sauce/ Buffalo Sauce
• Salad Dressings

OILS/VINEGARS

• Apple cider vinegar
• Balsamic vinegar
• Coconut Oil
• Olive Oil
• Vegetable/Canola Oil
• Red Wine Vinegar
• White Vinegar
• Cooking Wine
• White Wine Vinegar

SNACKS

• Crackers
• Nuts
• Quick Oats
• Popcorn
• Tortilla Chips
• Cereal

Click to get my Free Printable Grocery List for the perfectly stocked pantry and freezer!

Click ☝🏻 for my FREE Grocery List Printable!

I hope this essential grocery list can help you buy what you need and make your home cooking so much easier!

Stock Your Kitchen

Find more ideas for your grocery list, stock up your kitchen, and print more cooking guides and charts to keep handy!

Non-Perishable Foods to Stock Up On

Frozen Vegetables to Stock Up On (and Recipes to Make)

Ultimate List of Cooking Herbs for Your Kitchen

Ultimate List of Cooking Spices for Your Kitchen

Cooking Oil 101: Types of Cooking Oils to Use

26 Types of Pasta and When to Use Them

What Fruits and Vegetables are in Season?

Meat Temperature Chart (Free Printable)

How to Meal Prep (Guide for Beginners)

Basic Cooking Measurements & Kitchen Conversion Chart

How to Cut Recipes in Half