How Much Does a Head of Cabbage Weigh? Cabbage Yield
A medium head of green cabbage, about 5 3/4 inches across, weighs about 2 1/2 lb: USDA’s nutrient database weighs its usable part at 908 g and counts 20% as outer leaves and core. A large head (about 7 inches) weighs about 3 1/2 lb and a small one (about 4 1/2 inches) about 2 lb. In the USDA Food Buying Guide a pound of untrimmed cabbage gives 0.87 lb ready to use and 0.82 lb of cooked wedges.
USDA yields for cabbage
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: 0.87 lb per pound is 0.87 kg per kilogram.
| As purchased (USDA description) | Result, as USDA states it | Yield | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cabbage, fresh; Green, Untrimmed, Whole | 1 lb AP = 0.87 lb ready-to-cook or -serve raw cabbage (ready to use, raw) | 87% | FBG table |
| Cabbage, fresh; Green, Untrimmed, Whole | 1 lb AP = 0.82 lb (about 2-3/8 cups) cooked cabbage wedges (cooked) | 82% | FBG table |
How much is waste
USDA’s nutrient database (SR28, NDB 11109) lists 20% of “Cabbage, raw” as refuse: outer leaves and core.
How much to buy
At 87% (ready-to-use raw cabbage):
| Ready to use | Buy as purchased |
|---|---|
| 1.00 lb (0.45 kg) | 1.15 lb (0.52 kg) |
| 5.00 lb (2.27 kg) | 5.75 lb (2.61 kg) |
| 10.0 lb (4.54 kg) | 11.5 lb (5.21 kg) |
| 25.0 lb (11.3 kg) | 28.7 lb (13.0 kg) |
Cost per usable pound
At 87%, the price as purchased becomes, per pound and per kilogram:
| Price as purchased | Cost per usable pound |
|---|---|
| $0.60/lb ($1.32/kg) | $0.69/lb ($1.52/kg) |
| $0.80/lb ($1.76/kg) | $0.92/lb ($2.03/kg) |
| $1.00/lb ($2.20/kg) | $1.15/lb ($2.53/kg) |
Example prices. Put yours in the food yield calculator.
The MiseKit app
USDA says 87% for cabbage. 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 Food Buying Guide trims less than the nutrient database (13% against 20%), so for slaw from heavily trimmed heads, plan nearer 80%.
FAQ
How much does a head of cabbage weigh?
About 2 1/2 lb for a medium head (about 5 3/4 inches across), 3 1/2 lb for a large one and 2 lb for a small one, from USDA’s nutrient-database weights and its 20% for outer leaves and core.
How much cabbage do I need for 10 lb of slaw?
About 11.5 lb of whole heads (10 ÷ 0.87).
How much does cabbage shrink when cooked?
Cooked in wedges, a pound of untrimmed cabbage gives about 0.82 lb, about 2 3/8 cups (USDA Food Buying Guide).
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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- Green Bean Yield: Trimmed and Cooked per Pound
- How Many Green Onions in a Pound? Scallion Yield
- How Many Asparagus Spears in a Pound? Trimmed and Cooked Yield