Butternut squash yield: how much is usable after prep (AP to EP %)
Butternut squash: about 84% usable going whole to peeled, deseeded flesh, with a published range of 75–88%. That is a cost factor of 1.19: for every kilo you need ready to use, buy 1.19 kg as purchased.
Yield by preparation stage
| Stage | Average | Range | What is lost | USDA item |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole → raw flesh (peeled, deseeded) | 84% | 75–88% | Seeds, rind, trimmings and handling loss | 2459 |
Butternut gives much better flesh yield than acorn squash (74%, item 2457) or the big winter squashes (64%, item 2460).
How much to buy
As-purchased (AP) weight = the edible weight you need (EP) ÷ the yield. At 84%:
| Usable weight needed | Buy (as purchased) |
|---|---|
| 1 kg | 1.19 kg |
| 5 kg | 5.95 kg |
| 10 kg | 11.9 kg |
Cost works the same way: usable cost per kilo = the price per kilo you pay ÷ 0.84. At £1.00 a kilo as purchased, usable butternut squash cost £1.19 a kilo.
Use 84% in the yield calculator →
Where the numbers come from
USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 102, Food Yields Summarized by Different Stages of Preparation (Matthews and Garrison, USDA Agricultural Research Service, 1975), Table 1, item 2459. These are averages from US samples of whole butternut squash, weighed before and after each stage of prep. Varieties, sizes, UK grading and your own knife work all move the number, which is why every row shows the range as well as the average.
Use these figures to plan and to sense-check. To cost a dish properly, weigh your own: weigh a case as it arrives, prep it the way you do in service, weigh what is usable, and put both weights into the yield calculator.
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