Plan prep by item from par levels and what is on hand, assign it, and tick it off before service.
A good prep list stops two problems: running out during service and prepping too much that ends up as waste.
Adjust pars by day of the week and season, based on sales.
11 items. Use it on screen, or print it and fill it in by hand.
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Diced onion | Par 4 qt, on hand 1 qt, prep 3 qt |
| Pico de gallo | Par 3 qt, on hand 2 qt, prep 1 qt |
| Chicken marinade | Par 20 lb, on hand 5 lb, prep 15 lb |
On a Friday, a taqueria’s par for pico de gallo rises from 3 to 5 quarts. With 2 quarts on hand, the morning cook preps 3, and nothing runs out during the dinner rush.
A par-based prep list turns expected sales into exact quantities, which reduces both running out during service and throwing away overproduced food. Labeling and dating at the end of prep also supports food code rules on date marking ready-to-eat foods.
| Kitchen and day | Smoke and Rye BBQ, Nashville, Saturday |
|---|---|
| Coleslaw | Par 8 qt, on hand 3, prep 5 qt |
| Pickled onions | Par 4 qt, on hand 4, prep 0 |
| Cornbread batter | Par 3 batches, on hand 1, prep 2 |
| Assigned to | Coleslaw: Jamal; cornbread: Eve |
| Priority | Cornbread first, oven needed by 10 am |
| Done | All by 10:45 am; labeled and dated |
Pickled onions show zero to prep because on hand already meets par, which keeps the cook from making extra just because it is on the list.
The amount you want on hand for a period.
The chef or opening cook.
From sales history and waste.
Usually daily, checked before each service.
Start with sales from the same holiday last year and the past few weeks, then raise pars for the items that sold most. Write the new pars on the list for those days only, so normal pars return the next week. Note shortages and leftovers after the weekend to refine next year.
Yes, especially for items with short holding times, such as cut avocados or cooked rice. Prepping to par only helps if the product will be used before it expires. Add a use-by column or note so the cook does not prep more than can be sold in time.
More for the same job
Use the prep list template for the record you need today. To see who clocked in, and when, book a demo of EZTime.