Ingredients are the raw food items used to build recipes in Elecate. Each ingredient must be configured with units of measure, costs, and operational details so recipes can calculate accurate food costs, quantities, and reporting. Proper setup ensures consistency across menus, purchasing, and production.
The Ingredient setup screen typically includes:
- General Information (name, group, status)
- Units of Measure
- Costing Fields
- Vendor/Purchasing Details (if used)
- Conversion Settings
Before adding ingredients, confirm the following are configured:
Required Setup:
- Units of Measure
Needed for quantity tracking and conversions - Ingredient Groups
Used to organize ingredients for reporting and filtering
Recommended Setup Sequence:
- Set up Units of Measure
- Configure Ingredient Groups
- Create Ingredients
- Assign ingredients to Recipes
How to Add a New Ingredient
- Go to Data Items on the left side panel.
- Click Food Management in the drop-down list.
- Click Ingredient Management (All Items).
- Click on the New Entry button.
- Fill out the ingredient information. All the highlighted fields are required to save the ingredients.
- Click the Save button to add the ingredients to the database.
FIELD DEFINITIONS:
Ingredient Name:
- The name used across recipes, reports, and purchasing
- Should be standardized (e.g., “Chicken Breast – Boneless”)
Ingredient Group:
- Categorizes the ingredient for reporting and organization
- Helps filter items in large databases
Unit of Measure (UOM):
- Defines how the ingredient is tracked (e.g., lbs, oz, each)
- Required for all ingredient calculations
Cost:
- Cost per unit of measure
- Used in recipe cost calculations
- Should be kept up to date for accuracy
Conversions:
- Defines how units relate (e.g., 1 case = 10 lbs)
- Enables flexibility in purchasing vs recipe usage units
Status (Active/Inactive):
- Active: available for use in recipes
- Inactive: retained for reporting but unavailable for new use
Vendor / Purchasing Info (Optional):
- Tracks supplier details and purchasing units
- Useful for procurement and inventory workflows
DECISION FRAMEWORKS:
Choosing the Right Unit of Measure:
- Ingredient used in weight?
→ Use lbs, oz, kg - Ingredient counted individually?
→ Use each (ea) - Ingredient purchased in bulk but used differently?
→ Use conversions
Ingredient Naming Strategy:
- Need consistency across reports?
→ Use standardized naming (e.g., include cut, prep, or form) - Need flexibility for kitchen staff?
→ Keep names simple but descriptive