Cooking Tips & Advice

Quick Conversions for Cooking

Converting is a hassle, but it's easy

Nowadays, we have access to some of the best recipes online. But home chefs in Australia (and in other countries that enjoy using the metric system for cooking) struggle with the hassle of conversions of measurements for recipes to Australian measurements like oz (ounces) to millilitres.

It’s not so bad doing the quick math once your home, but it can be tedious when recipes ask for everything in certain measurements and our shops sell them in different sizes – meaning buying two cans of something or… winging it.

Understanding common cooking measurements and conversions

Fluid ounces

A fluid ounce, often shortened to ‘oz’, is a measure of volume typically used for liquids in American recipes. It’s not to be confused with an ounce of weight—fluid ounces and ounces of weight aren’t interchangeable.

Cups

This is a volume unit frequently used in American recipes, especially for ingredients like flour, sugar, milk, or grated cheese. The tricky part? An American ‘cup’ isn’t the same as an Australian ‘cup’. Our Aussie version is larger, sitting at 250ml, while the American ‘cup’ measures 237ml.

Teaspoons and tablespoons

These are smaller units of volume, with a tablespoon being equivalent to three teaspoons. Yet again, the American versions of these are slightly different from ours: an American tablespoon is approximately 14.8ml, while we Australians use a 20ml tablespoon.

Pounds

A pound, denoted as ‘lb’, is a unit of weight frequently used for ingredients like meat or vegetables. In the metric system, which we’re more familiar with, this converts to about 0.45 kilograms.

The importance of accurate conversions in cooking

While we’re all for a little improvisation in the kitchen, baking and cooking are often about precision. Getting the measurements right can make the difference between a flat pancake and a fluffy one, a dry cake and a moist one.

Converting these measurements accurately will ensure that you’re staying true to the recipe, giving your dishes the best chance to shine. And while it’s not necessary to be spot-on down to the last millilitre or gram, it’s good to be as close as possible. That’s what we’re aiming for in this guide: conversions that are simple, practical, and just accurate enough to keep your kitchen endeavours deliciously on track.

Realistic (easy) conversion guide for Australians using recipes online

Fluid ounces to millilitres

In theory, 1 fluid ounce equals approximately 29.57 millilitres. But when you’re pouring out a 24oz. jar of sauce, you’re not going to measure out exactly 709.77ml. More than likely, you’ll reach for a 700ml jar or round it up to 750ml if that’s what’s available.

Here are some other commonly used jar or container sizes:

A 12oz. can of drink is about 355ml, but we usually just use a standard 375ml can.
A 16oz. jar translates to 473ml, close enough to a common 500ml jar or can.

Cups to milliliters/litres

In American recipes, 1 cup equals about 237ml. If a recipe calls for 2 cups of chicken broth, that’s around 474ml. But for simplicity, you’d probably use 500ml.

Here are a few more examples:

Half a cup of sugar is about 118ml or close enough to 125ml.
Four cups of flour would theoretically be 948ml, but a litre will do the job just fine.

Teaspoons/Tablespoons to millilitres

For teaspoons and tablespoons, remember that an American teaspoon is roughly 4.93ml and a tablespoon is about 14.79ml. So, if you’re making a dressing that needs 2 tablespoons of vinegar, you’d use just under 30ml.

Pounds to kilograms

When you’re dealing with weight measurements, know that 1 pound equals about 0.45 kilograms. So, if a recipe requires a 2lb chicken, you’d need a chicken weighing approximately 0.9kg. Realistically, if a recipe asks for 2lb of chicken, 1kg will be fine to replace it with.

Quick examples of realistic conversions

Canned Goods: If a recipe calls for a 15oz. can, this is approximately 443ml. Realistically, you could use a 450ml can, which is a standard size in Australia.
Fluid Ounces: If a recipe calls for a 32oz. bottle, that’s equivalent to about 946ml. Realistically, you could use a 1-liter bottle.
Cups: If a recipe requires 1.5 cups of a dry ingredient, this equals around 355ml. Realistically, you could use 1 Australian cup (250ml) plus about half of another.
Teaspoons/Tablespoons: If a recipe calls for 4 tablespoons, this would be about 59ml in American measurements. Realistically, you could use 3 Australian tablespoons (20ml each) to approximate this amount.
Pounds: If a recipe requires 3lb, this is equivalent to about 1.36kg. Realistically, you could round this up to 1.5kg when shopping in Australian stores.
Ounces (Weight): If a recipe calls for 6oz., this is equivalent to around 170g. Realistically, you could use 170g.
Unique Measurements: An American recipe might call for 2 sticks of butter, which is equivalent to 226g. Realistically, you could use one 250g package and remove a small amount to approximate the recipe’s suggested measurement.

Again, keep in mind that these are approximations, and for recipes that require precision (especially in baking), try to be as accurate as possible.

Some recipes to try practicing conversions

Slow Cooker Chicken Masala

This recipe from Budget Bytes calls for ingredients like 2 lbs. of boneless skinless chicken thighs. Convert it to about 1kg of chicken thighs and the recipe will turn out nearly perfectly.