75%
Swiss chard yields 75%
You buy swiss chard by its whole weight, but you only plate 75% of it. That 25% loss is real cost the invoice never shows — here's the math.
At 75% yield, swiss chard carries a ×1.33 trim tax: its usable part costs the invoice price times 1.33.
Yield is the fraction of an ingredient that actually reaches the plate after you clean, peel, and trim it. What you pay is the AP (as-purchased) price; what it costs on the plate is the EP (edible-portion) price.
Coring, ribs, and bruised outer leaves are the loss. Weigh what you actually plate, not what you carry in from the walk-in.
Say your invoice shows $2.50 per bunch of swiss chard (an example AP price).
At 75% yield, your real cost is $3.33 per bunch EP — because $2.50 ÷ 0.75 = $3.33.
AP price is illustrative; the EP figure is computed (AP ÷ yield). Use your real invoice price below.Yield breakdown
| As-purchased (AP) | 100% |
|---|---|
| Edible portion (EP) | 75% |
| Lost to trim | 25% |
Source: CIA Standard Yield Tables.
Common questions
What is the yield of swiss chard?
Swiss chard typically yields 75% edible portion of its as-purchased weight, per the CIA Standard Yield Tables.
How much swiss chard is lost to trim?
About 25% of the as-purchased weight is lost to cleaning, peeling, and trimming before it reaches the plate.
How do you calculate the edible-portion cost of swiss chard?
Divide the as-purchased price by the yield: EP cost = AP price ÷ 0.75. At 75% yield, the trim makes your real plated cost meaningfully higher than the invoice price.
One ingredient's trim is the tax above — a plate stacks ten of them. The calculator adds them up.
Sourced: CIA Standard Yield Tables, via the Plate Cost Calculator · what yield means · edible portion