What This Means
A sub-recipe is a recipe that is used as an ingredient inside another recipe. You enable this by turning on the Allow as Ingredient toggle on the recipe page. Once enabled, the recipe becomes available in the ingredient picker when building or editing other recipes.
When to Use a Sub-Recipe
The component is assembled or cooked in-house alongside the main recipe (for example, a taco filling assembled at the school).
You want the full ingredient list of the sub-recipe to remain visible at the school level on shopping lists and production records.
The sub-recipe is scaled in the same unit type as its parent recipe.
Limits
The sub-recipe must have a weight or volume measurement to be used as an ingredient.
A sub-recipe can only be scaled in the same unit type as its measurement. For example, a sub-recipe with a weight standard serving can only be used by weight in another recipe.
Sub-recipes do not support custom unit conversions (such as each, tray, or bag). If you need conversions, use a Manufactured Item instead.
Turning On Allow as Ingredient
Open the recipe in the Pantry.
Find the Allow as Ingredient toggle on the recipe page.
Turn the toggle on.
Publish the recipe so the change takes effect.
How a Sub-Recipe Appears
In a parent recipe, the sub-recipe appears as a single ingredient line.
On forecasting and shopping lists, the sub-recipe is broken down to its individual ingredients so schools order and prep all of its components.
On production records, the sub-recipe shows under its parent recipe with the full ingredient list available for review.
Sub-Recipe vs. Manufactured Item
Both let a recipe be used inside another recipe, but they handle ordering and packaging differently. Use a sub-recipe when the component is made alongside the parent recipe at the school. Use a Manufactured Item when the component is produced in bulk (such as in a central kitchen) and distributed to schools as a packaged product, or when the component needs custom unit conversions. See Manufactured Items vs. Sub-Recipes for the full comparison.