We know buying groceries by weight can feel a little unfamiliar at first — especially when you’re used to grabbing a 500g pack of pasta or a 1kg bag of oats from the supermarket. But once you get your eye in, ordering by weight is actually far easier (and stops you from buying more than you need).

Here are a few simple tips to help you gauge quantities with confidence:

Think in Portions, Not Packets

Start with how many portions you want to cook. As a rough guide:

Add up the number of people you’re feeding and you’ll quickly know how much to order. For example, a curry for 4 people with lentils? 4 × 80g = 320g.

Supermarket Pack Size Comparison

To make ordering by weight feel a little more familiar, it helps to compare it with the pack sizes you normally grab off a supermarket shelf. Most of us instinctively know what a 500g bag of pasta looks like, or how long a 1kg bag of rice will last. The table below shows the typical sizes these products are sold in at major supermarkets, so you can quickly judge whether you’re ordering more, less, or around the same amount when refilling.

Remember – because you can buy exactly the amount you need, you’re free from the “one size fits all” approach. No more half-used packets at the back of the cupboard, and no more packaging waste just to get a few spoonfuls of something.

Bulk Doesn’t Mean "Massive"

Buying in bulk doesn’t mean ordering kilos of everything. It just means buying as much as you actually need without extra packaging.

Smaller quantities like 200g or 300g are absolutely fine — especially if you’re trying a new ingredient for the first time.

Converting Weight to Volume (Use Your Kitchen as a Guide)

If you already have jars or tubs at home, their capacity can be a handy reference. Below are some average figures to help you visualise the volume of the products you’re ordering.

Fill an empty container with something similar and weigh it – it’s surprisingly helpful.

Top Up Little and Often

The beauty of buying by weight is flexibility. You don’t have to commit to a 1kg bag if you only need 250g.

Top up when you’re running low, and only order what you’re going to use in the next few weeks — fresher ingredients and less waste.

To keep things fresh, we'd recommend emptying the dregs of a container into a jug or bowl, pouring your new stuff into the bottom of the container, and then pouring the old stuff back on top. This means you'll use the older bit first and avoid anything turning nasty at the bottom of the jar!

Still Not Sure?

If you're ever unsure, err on the smaller side the first time — or just drop us a message. We’re always happy to help you work out sensible quantities (and we promise not to judge your pasta intake).