How Much Does a Head of Iceberg Lettuce Weigh? Yield per Head
A medium head of iceberg lettuce, about 6 inches across, weighs about 1 1/4 lb: USDA’s nutrient database weighs it at 539 g without the core, which is 5% of the head. Shredded, a pound of untrimmed heads gives about 0.76 lb, roughly 5 1/2 cups (USDA Food Buying Guide), so a medium head makes about 7 cups. The pack matters: in USDA Handbook 102, retail-pack heads gave 93% trimmed and cored, while institutional-pack heads gave 71% trimmed leaves.
USDA yields for iceberg lettuce
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: 0.76 lb per pound is 0.76 kg per kilogram.
| As purchased (USDA description) | Result, as USDA states it | Yield | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lettuce, fresh; Iceberg, Head, Untrimmed | 1 lb AP = 0.76 lb (about 5-1/2 cups) ready-to-serve shredded lettuce (ready to use, raw) | 76% | FBG table |
USDA preparation yields for iceberg lettuce (Handbook 102)
From USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 102, Food Yields Summarized by Different Stages of Preparation (1975): the weight left after each step, as a percentage of the weight before it. Percentages work the same in pounds and kilograms.
| Before preparation (USDA description) | After preparation | Yield | Item, page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lettuce, crisphead including iceberg, institutional pack | Trimmed for retail pack | 78% | No. 1423, p. 67 |
| Lettuce, crisphead including iceberg, institutional pack | Trimmed leaves | 71% | No. 1424, p. 67 |
| Lettuce, crisphead including iceberg, retail pack | Trimmed and cored | 93% | No. 1425, p. 67 |
How much is waste
USDA’s nutrient database (SR28, NDB 11252) lists 5% of “Lettuce, iceberg (includes crisphead types), raw” as refuse: core.
How much to buy
At 76% (shredded lettuce, ready to serve):
| Ready to use | Buy as purchased |
|---|---|
| 1.00 lb (0.45 kg) | 1.32 lb (0.60 kg) |
| 5.00 lb (2.27 kg) | 6.58 lb (2.98 kg) |
| 10.0 lb (4.54 kg) | 13.2 lb (5.97 kg) |
| 25.0 lb (11.3 kg) | 32.9 lb (14.9 kg) |
Cost per usable pound
At 76%, the price as purchased becomes, per pound and per kilogram:
| Price as purchased | Cost per usable pound |
|---|---|
| $1.00/lb ($2.20/kg) | $1.32/lb ($2.90/kg) |
| $1.50/lb ($3.31/kg) | $1.97/lb ($4.35/kg) |
| $2.00/lb ($4.41/kg) | $2.63/lb ($5.80/kg) |
Example prices. Put yours in the food yield calculator.
The MiseKit app
USDA says 76% for iceberg lettuce. 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
- USDA’s figures measure different things: the nutrient database counts only the core (5%), the Food Buying Guide gives what is left after trimming and shredding (76%), and Handbook 102 splits heads by pack, because institutional heads still carry coarse outer leaves.
FAQ
How much does a head of iceberg lettuce weigh?
About 1 1/4 lb for a medium head (about 6 inches across), 1 3/4 lb for a large one and 3/4 lb for a small one, from USDA’s nutrient-database weights and its 5% core.
How many cups of shredded lettuce are in a head?
About 7 cups from a medium head: the Food Buying Guide gives about 5 1/2 cups per pound of untrimmed iceberg, and a medium head weighs about 1 1/4 lb.
How much iceberg do I need for 10 lb shredded?
About 13.2 lb of whole heads (10 ÷ 0.76).
Do institutional heads of iceberg yield less?
Yes. USDA Handbook 102 gets 71% trimmed leaves from institutional-pack heads (67–87%), against 93% from retail-pack heads trimmed and cored (88–96%).
Sources
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service, Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs (yield tables; public domain)
- USDA Agricultural Research Service, Agriculture Handbook No. 102: Food Yields Summarized by Different Stages of Preparation (1975; 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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