This Standardized Recipe Template from USDA can be used during the process of recipe standardization when incorporating new recipes to your school nutrition program. It is formatted to include components for consistently good results and yields when the preparer uses the same procedures, equipment, and quality and quantity of ingredients.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) defines a standardized recipe as one that has been tried, adapted, and retried at least three times and has been found to produce the same good results and yield every time when the exact procedures are used with the same type of equipment and the same quantity and quality of ingredients.
The terms “quantity recipes” and “standardized recipes” often are used interchangeably; however, they are not the same. Many recipes are written to produce large quantities of food, but the recipe may or may not be standardized. Any recipe that produces 25 servings or more is termed a quantity recipe. However, quantity recipes are not standardized until they have been prepared at least 3 times with consistent results.
For “how-to” guide on recipe standardization for school nutrition recipes, see the USDA Recipe Standardization Guide
