Quick Answer
1 pound equals 453.592 grams exactly. For baking purposes, you can round to 454 grams—the 0.09% difference (0.4g) won't affect your recipes.
Most Common Conversions:
- ½ lb = 227g (2 sticks butter)
- 1 lb = 454g (standard package)
- 5 lb = 2,268g (flour bag)
- 25 lb = 11,340g (bulk bag)
Common Pounds to Grams Conversions
Use this reference chart for instant conversions. All values are rounded to the nearest gram for practical baking use.
| Pounds | Grams | Common Use |
|---|---|---|
| ½ lb | 227g | 2 sticks butter, small batch |
| 1 lb | 454g | Standard package (4 sticks butter) |
| 2 lb | 907g | Family recipe batch |
| 5 lb | 2,268g | Retail flour bag |
| 10 lb | 4,536g | Small commercial batch |
| 25 lb | 11,340g | Costco/commercial bag |
Real-World Baking Examples
See how professional bakers use pound-to-gram conversions in action. These practical examples show why working in grams makes baking easier and more precise.
🍞 Scaling a Bread Recipe
You found a recipe calling for "5 lb flour" but want to make a small batch:
- 5 lb flour = 2,268g
- To make ¼ batch: 2,268g ÷ 4 = 567g ✓
- Compare to imperial: 5 lb ÷ 4 = 1.25 lb = 20 oz (confusing!)
- Winner: Grams are easier to calculate and measure
🧈 Buying Bulk Butter
Costco sells 30 lb butter cases. How many grams per stick?
- 30 lb = 13,608g total
- 120 sticks in the case
- 13,608g ÷ 120 = 113.4g per stick ✓
- This matches the standard US butter stick weight!
- Use case: Perfect for verifying package accuracy
📊 Restaurant Recipe Costing
Calculate precise cost per gram for accurate recipe costing:
- 25 lb flour costs $15.99
- 25 lb = 11,340g
- Cost per gram: $15.99 ÷ 11,340g = $0.00141/g
- Recipe uses 500g flour: 500g × $0.00141 = $0.71 flour cost
- Benefit: Accurate food cost calculations for pricing
Why Professional Bakers Use Grams Instead of Pounds
Professional bakers prefer grams because of precision, ease, and universal standards. You don't need to be a professional to benefit—anyone who bakes regularly will find grams more reliable.
- Precision for small quantities: "0.035 lb salt" vs "16g salt" – which is clearer? Grams eliminate confusing decimal pounds.
- Digital scales work better: Most kitchen scales display grams more accurately than decimal pounds. Try measuring 0.022 lb of yeast vs 10g!
- Recipe scaling is easier: Multiply 237g × 3 = 711g instantly. Compare to 0.522 lb × 3 = 1.566 lb = 25.056 oz (mental math nightmare).
- Universal standard: Professional recipes worldwide use metric. Learning grams opens access to international techniques.
- Consistency equals better results: Weighing in grams eliminates volume measurement errors (like flour compression in cups).
Recommended Kitchen Scales
Investment Worth Making
A digital kitchen scale ($15-40) will transform your baking consistency. Look for these essential features:
- 0.1g precision for small quantities (salt, yeast, baking powder)
- 5kg (11 lb) minimum capacity for most home baking recipes
- Easy unit toggle between g/lb/oz with a single button press
- Tare function to zero out bowl weight (essential!)
- Backlit display for easy reading in any lighting
Top picks by bakers:
- OXO Good Grips (~$40) - Best overall, reliable and durable
- Escali Primo (~$25) - Best value, accurate and simple
- My Weigh KD-8000 (~$35) - Best for large batches (8kg capacity)
The Pounds to Grams Formula (lb × 453.592)
Mental math shortcuts:
- Use 454 for quick calculations (0.09% error - negligible in baking)
- Use 450 for rough estimates (0.8% error - fine for planning)
- 2.2 lb ≈ 1 kg (1000g) (useful for bulk quantities)
Example calculation:
2.5 lb × 453.592 = 1,133.98g ≈ 1,134g
lb to g Quick Reference Chart
Common fractional conversions for precise recipe work:
Convert Package Sizes: Pounds to Grams
Understanding package weights in grams helps with recipe scaling and shopping decisions.
Flour (All-Purpose)
- 5 lb retail bag = 2,268g ≈ 18 cups Typical grocery store size
- 25 lb commercial bag = 11,340g ≈ 94 cups Costco, restaurant supply
- 50 lb bulk bag = 22,680g ≈ 188 cups Commercial bakeries
Need volume conversions? Use our flour cups to grams or flour grams to cups converters.
Butter
- 1 lb package (4 sticks) = 454g = 2 cups = 32 tablespoons
- ½ lb package (2 sticks) = 227g = 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
- 30 lb food service case = 13,608g = 120 sticks
Working with butter measurements? Our universal converter handles sticks, cups, grams, and tablespoons.
Sugar (Granulated)
- 4 lb box (retail) = 1,814g ≈ 9 cups
- 10 lb bag (common retail) = 4,536g ≈ 23 cups
- 25 lb bag (commercial) = 11,340g ≈ 56 cups
Convert sugar cups to grams or explore our sugar types converter for granulated, brown, and powdered sugar.
✅ Ready to Level Up Your Baking?
Now that you know how to convert pounds to grams, here's what most bakers do next to improve their precision and consistency:
Buy a Kitchen Scale
Start weighing ingredients for consistent results. A $25 scale will transform your baking.
See our top picks →Convert Volume to Weight
Most recipes use cups. Learn to convert them to grams for better accuracy.
Cups to Grams Calculator →Learn Recipe Scaling
Master professional recipe scaling techniques with baker's percentages.
Baker's Percentage Calculator →Frequently Asked Questions
How many grams in 1 pound? Click to collapse answer
1 pound equals 453.592 grams exactly. For baking, you can round to 454g as the 0.09% difference (0.4g) won't affect your recipes. This conversion is based on the international avoirdupois pound standard.
Is it 453g or 454g per pound? Click to collapse answer
The exact conversion is 453.59237 grams. Most bakers use 454g because the 0.09% difference won't affect recipes. Use 453.592 for cost calculations where precision matters (like restaurant food costing).
How do I convert 5 lb flour to grams? Click to collapse answer
5 pounds × 453.592 = 2,268 grams. This is a standard retail flour bag size, equivalent to about 18 cups of all-purpose flour (120g per cup). Use our flour converter for volume conversions.
What's the difference between weight and fluid ounces?
Weight ounces (oz) measure mass: 16 oz = 1 lb = 454g. Fluid ounces (fl oz) measure volume and vary by ingredient density. For pounds to grams conversions, always use weight ounces. Example: 1 lb butter = 16 oz by weight, but only 2 cups (16 fl oz) because butter is dense.
Why do professional bakers use grams instead of pounds?
Grams provide better precision for small quantities (15g salt vs 0.033 lb), make scaling easier (multiply 237g by 3 vs 0.522 lb × 3), and digital scales display grams more accurately than decimal pounds. Grams are also the universal standard in professional baking worldwide.
How much is a 25 lb bag of flour in grams?
25 pounds = 11,340 grams (or 11.34 kilograms). Common at Costco and restaurant supply stores, this equals about 94 cups of all-purpose flour. For recipe scaling, divide by the weight your recipe needs.
Should I buy a kitchen scale for baking?
Yes! A $15-40 digital scale with 1g precision and 5kg capacity will dramatically improve baking consistency. Look for easy unit toggle (g/lb/oz) and tare function. Recommended brands: OXO Good Grips ($40), Escali Primo ($25), My Weigh KD-8000 ($35). Weighing eliminates volume measurement errors.
Can I use this converter for butter conversions?
Yes! 1 lb butter = 454g = 4 sticks = 2 cups = 32 tablespoons. However, for detailed butter conversions including partial sticks and tablespoons, use our universal butter converter which handles all butter measurements.