Broccoli yield: how much is usable after prep (AP to EP %)
Broccoli: about 61% usable going whole head to trimmed florets and tender stalk, with a published range of 45–77%. That is a cost factor of 1.64: for every kilo you need ready to use, buy 1.64 kg as purchased.
Yield by preparation stage
| Stage | Average | Range | What is lost | USDA item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Untrimmed → trimmed spears (florets with tender stalk) | 61% | 45–77% | Leaves and tough stalks | 408 |
| Trimmed spears → boiled | 100% | 86–117% | No net change on average | 411 |
| Trimmed spears → steamed | 95% | 87–107% | Water lost in cooking | 412 |
The tough stalk is most of the 39% loss. Peeled and sliced, it eats as well as the florets, and it moves broccoli from about 61% towards 80% usable.
Prep notes
Cut the florets off where they meet the main stalk, keeping them a similar size so they cook together. Peel the thick stalk with a peeler and slice it into coins or batons: it cooks in the same time as the florets.
What the yield does to the cost
Broccoli, 4.5 kg at £14.49 (JJ Foodservice, 10 Oct 2026) is £3.22 a kilo as purchased. At 61% usable that is £5.28 per usable kilo.
Worked example: an 80 g side of broccoli florets needs 131 g as purchased, costing 42p. Costed on the bought weight it would read 26p, so the costing would be 39% light: 16p a portion, or £16.47 over 100 portions.
| Usable broccoli needed | Buy (as purchased) at 61% |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | 1.64 kg |
| 5 kg | 8.2 kg |
| 10 kg | 16.39 kg |
Use 61% in the yield calculator →
Typical uses
Steamed or blanched as a side, broccoli and Stilton soup, stir-fries and pasta.
Storage and the trim
Refrigerate unwrapped heads in their crate, or wrap loosely; yellowing florets mean it is past its best. Blanched and refreshed florets keep two days for service. Peeled stalk goes in the same pan as the florets, or into soup. Only the leaves and the woody base need binning.
Yield source: USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 102, Food Yields Summarized by Different Stages of Preparation (Matthews and Garrison, USDA Agricultural Research Service, 1975), Table 1, items 408, 411, 412 (US samples of untrimmed broccoli). Prices as stated, read on 10 Oct 2026. Your own case is the real number: weigh it in the yield calculator.
All ingredient yields · Recipe cost calculator · How to work out yield percentage