Broccoli Yield: Trimmed Broccoli and Florets per Pound
A pound of untrimmed broccoli gives about 0.81 lb ready to cook, stalks included, in the USDA Food Buying Guide. Florets go less far: a pound of fresh florets gives about 0.63 lb, roughly 2 7/8 cups, once trimmed and cooked. USDA’s nutrient database counts 39% as leaves and tough stalks, so if you discard most of the stalk, plan closer to 61%.
USDA yields for broccoli
From the USDA Food Buying Guide: how much ready-to-use or cooked product one pound as purchased gives. The figures work the same in metric: 0.81 lb per pound is 0.81 kg per kilogram.
How much is waste
USDA’s nutrient database (SR28, NDB 11090) lists 39% of “Broccoli, raw” as refuse: leaves and tough stalks with trimmings.
How much to buy
At 81% (ready-to-cook broccoli):
| Ready to use | Buy as purchased |
|---|---|
| 1.00 lb (0.45 kg) | 1.23 lb (0.56 kg) |
| 5.00 lb (2.27 kg) | 6.17 lb (2.80 kg) |
| 10.0 lb (4.54 kg) | 12.3 lb (5.60 kg) |
| 25.0 lb (11.3 kg) | 30.9 lb (14.0 kg) |
Cost per usable pound
At 81%, the price as purchased becomes, per pound and per kilogram:
| Price as purchased | Cost per usable pound |
|---|---|
| $1.50/lb ($3.31/kg) | $1.85/lb ($4.08/kg) |
| $2.00/lb ($4.41/kg) | $2.47/lb ($5.44/kg) |
| $2.50/lb ($5.51/kg) | $3.09/lb ($6.80/kg) |
Example prices. Put yours in the food yield calculator.
The MiseKit app
USDA says 81% for broccoli. What does your last case say?
Book yields are averages. Your supplier, your cutter and your spec decide the real one. Run a yield test in MiseKit and it keeps every result, flags the cases that come in under your standard and costs each cut from what you actually got.
- Every test kept, by supplier and date
- Short cases flagged in dollars, not just percent
- Cut costs flow straight into recipe costs
Free for one location and one person. No card needed. Works on the phones your cooks already carry.
Run your own numbers
Good to know
- The 0.81 figure keeps the trimmed stalks. Peeled, they are good in soups and slaws, which is cheaper than paying for them and throwing them away.
FAQ
How much of a head of broccoli is usable?
About 81% by weight when you keep the trimmed stalks (USDA Food Buying Guide), or about 61% if you trim the way USDA’s nutrient database does, which counts 39% as leaves and tough stalks.
How much broccoli do I need for 10 lb trimmed?
About 12.3 lb untrimmed (10 ÷ 0.81).
How much do broccoli florets shrink when cooked?
A pound of fresh florets gives about 0.63 lb of trimmed, cooked florets, about 2 7/8 cups (USDA Food Buying Guide).
How much does a broccoli spear weigh?
USDA’s nutrient database weighs a spear about 5 inches long at 31 g and a whole stalk at 151 g.
Sources
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (yield tables; public domain)
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference, Release 28 (refuse)
USDA figures are averages; size, grade, trim, ripeness and cooking change them. Weigh your own main items before you cost a menu on them.
Last reviewed October 11, 2026.
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- How Many Mushrooms in a Pound? Mushroom Yield, Raw and Cooked
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