Pigs in blankets: how much it costs to make, per portion
Pigs in blankets costs £0.77 a portion in ingredients (£7.71 for a batch of 10), from UK pack prices dated 25 October 2026. To reach 68% GP, the UK food benchmark, it needs to sell for at least £2.89 including 20% VAT (£2.41 without).
The trimming everyone counts: three cooked pigs in blankets a portion, glazed with honey and mustard and baked. Thirty pieces for ten portions, costed from JJ Foodservice prices read on 25 October 2026.
The lowest price is the one that just reaches 68% GP, the UK food GP benchmark (UKHospitality × Christie & Co, 2022: 65.9–69% food GP across every segment). It covers the ingredients at a normal margin, not staff, rent or energy, and most cafés, pubs and takeaways charge more for simple dishes. Check what places near you charge. GP is worked out on the ex-VAT price.
Open in ChefSums — edit, cost, scale →
Ingredients and cost, 10 portions
| Ingredient | Pack price | Pack size | Used | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cooked pigs in blankets, 20 g each | £12.49 | 1000 g | 600 g | £7.49 |
| Honey | £13.49 | 3170 g | 40 g | £0.17 |
| English mustard | £18.99 | 4540 ml | 10 ml | £0.04 |
| Batch total | £7.71 | |||
| Per portion (÷ 10) | £0.77 | |||
Cost per line is pack price × (amount used ÷ pack size), the same sum the tool runs. Change one pack price and every line that uses it moves.
What it really costs: waste and staff time
| Ingredients | £0.77 |
| Waste allowance, 5% (trim, ends, the odd one binned) | £0.04 |
| Staff time: 10 min hands-on for the batch of 10 at £12.71/hr + 25% on-cost | £0.26 |
| Food, waste and staff per portion | £1.07 |
At the lowest price (£2.41 ex VAT) that is 44% of the price, before rent, energy and everything else. Many UK sites aim to keep food plus staff (prime cost) at or under 60–65% of sales. The staff line counts hands-on prep only, not unattended cooking, and uses the April 2026 National Living Wage; put your own rate, minutes and waste in the calculator's real cost section or the prime cost calculator. Every dish side by side: the UK dish cost index.
Method
- Lay the pigs in blankets on a lined tray, three a portion.
- Mix the honey and mustard and brush over.
- Bake at 190 °C for 12 to 15 minutes until hot through and sticky.
Costing notes
Bought in, not made. These are wholesale cooked pigs in blankets at 20 g each. Wrapping your own chipolatas in streaky bacon costs less in ingredients but takes far more hands-on time per piece, which is the line that matters in December.
Where the prices came from
JJ Foodservice collection prices (single-unit price, no multi-buy tiers), read on 25 October 2026. Prices are as listed; JJ does not label VAT on most lines, and most raw food is zero-rated in the UK while alcohol and some ingredients carry standard-rate VAT. Your supplier's price is the one that matters: open the recipe and type it in.
- Cooked pigs in blankets: Premier cooked pigs in blankets, 20 g each (SGS215), 1 kg, £12.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-25
- Honey: Rowse honey (SPR042), 3.17 kg, £13.49 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-25
- English mustard: Lion English mustard, 2 x 2.27 litres (SAU123), 4.54 litres, £18.99 collection — JJ Foodservice, accessed 2026-10-25
More costed dishes: seasonal
- Brussels sprouts with bacon — £0.36 a portion
- Sage and onion stuffing — £0.14 a portion
- Cranberry sauce — £0.15 a portion
- Christmas pudding with brandy sauce — £0.88 a portion