Can Size Conversion Calculator
One No. 10 can holds 12 to 13 2/3 US cups. That equals 6.86 to 7.81 smaller 1 3/4-cup cans, so buy 7 to 8 whole cans. Enter cans or volume below.
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Can conversion and purchase count
Target cans
6.86 No. 300 cans
Whole target cans to hold it
7 No. 300 cans
1 No. 10 can (12 cups each) holds 12 cups (96 fl oz, 2.84 L), which equals 6.86 No. 300 cans.
Open 7 whole No. 300 cans (1 3/4 cups each) for 12.25 cups total, leaving 0.25 cups (2 fl oz) in the last can.
USDA Food Buying Guide Table 4 prints a factor of 7.4 for this pair, where the cup ratio from Table 2 is 6.86. Its factor gives 7.40 No. 300 cans (8 whole cans). Table 4 has one decimal place, so it is coarse for small counts.
Your recipe or can count
- volume = 1 × 12 cups = 12 cups (96 fl oz)
- target cans = 12 cups ÷ 1.75 cups per No. 300 can ≈ 6.86 cans
- leftover = (ceiling(6.86) × 1.75) − 12 = 0.25 cups
- whole cans = ceiling(6.86) = 7 No. 300 cans
Cups in each can size
Exact target cans vs. whole cans to open across 1x to 10x batches
Cans of the chosen size in cups and target cans
From 0.5 to 12 No. 10 cans, the volume runs from 6 to 144 cups and takes 4 to 83 whole No. 300 cans.
| Cans | Cups | Liters | Target cans | Whole target cans |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5 | 6.00 cups | 1.42 L | 3.43 No. 300 cans | 4 No. 300 cans |
| 1 (closest to your input) | 12.00 cups | 2.84 L | 6.86 No. 300 cans | 7 No. 300 cans |
| 2 | 24.00 cups | 5.68 L | 13.71 No. 300 cans | 14 No. 300 cans |
| 3 | 36.00 cups | 8.52 L | 20.57 No. 300 cans | 21 No. 300 cans |
| 4 | 48.00 cups | 11.36 L | 27.43 No. 300 cans | 28 No. 300 cans |
| 5 | 60.00 cups | 14.20 L | 34.29 No. 300 cans | 35 No. 300 cans |
| 6 | 72.00 cups | 17.03 L | 41.14 No. 300 cans | 42 No. 300 cans |
| 8 | 96.00 cups | 22.71 L | 54.86 No. 300 cans | 55 No. 300 cans |
| 10 | 120.00 cups | 28.39 L | 68.57 No. 300 cans | 69 No. 300 cans |
| 12 | 144.00 cups | 34.07 L | 82.29 No. 300 cans | 83 No. 300 cans |
Your volume in every can size
| Can size | Cups per can | Exact cans | Whole cans | Case pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 10 (low end)starting can | 12.00 | 1.00 | 1 | 1 loose can (6 per case) |
| No. 10 (13 cups) | 13.00 | 0.92 | 1 | 1 loose can (6 per case) |
| No. 10 (high end) | 13.67 | 0.88 | 1 | 1 loose can (6 per case) |
| No. 3 Cyl | 5.75 | 2.09 | 3 | 3 loose cans (12 per case) |
| No. 2 1/2 | 3.50 | 3.43 | 4 | 4 loose cans (24 per case) |
| No. 2 Cyl | 3.00 | 4.00 | 4 | 4 loose cans (24 per case) |
| No. 2 | 2.50 | 4.80 | 5 | 5 loose cans (24 per case) |
| No. 303 | 2.00 | 6.00 | 6 | 6 cans (case pack not listed) |
| No. 300target can | 1.75 | 6.86 | 7 | 7 loose cans (24 per case) |
| No. 2 (Vacuum) | 1.50 | 8.00 | 8 | 8 loose cans (24 per case) |
| No. 1 (Picnic) | 1.25 | 9.60 | 10 | 10 loose cans (48 per case) |
| 8 oz | 1.00 | 12.00 | 12 | 12 loose cans (48 per case); 72-can case also packed |
To hold 12 cups, whole-can counts run from 1 No. 10 (13 2/3c high) can to 12 8 oz cans; your chosen No. 300 takes 6.86 exact or 7 whole cans.
USDA Food Buying Guide Table 2, FDA trade dimensions, and drained weights
| Can size | Net weight or fluid measure | Cups | Liters and case pack | Water capacity & drained min |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. 10, 603 x 700 (6 3/16 x 7 in; 157.2 x 177.8 mm) | 6 lb (96 oz) to 7 lb 5 oz (117 oz) (2.72 kg to 3.31 kg) | 12 cups to 13 2/3 cups | 2.84 L to 3.24 L; 6 cans per case | 109.45 oz water; 63.5 oz tomatoes; 75.0 oz sliced potatoes |
| No. 3 Cyl, 404 x 700 (4 4/16 x 7 in; 108.0 x 177.8 mm) | 51 oz (3 lb 3 oz) or 46 fl oz (1 qt 14 fl oz) (1.44 kg or 1.36 L) | 5 3/4 cups | 1.36 L; 12 cans per case | 46 fl oz juice standard; 29.7 oz drained tomatoes |
| No. 2 1/2, 401 x 411 (4 1/16 x 4 11/16 in; 103.2 x 119.1 mm) | 26 oz (1 lb 10 oz) to 30 oz (1 lb 14 oz) (737 g to 850 g) | 3 1/2 cups | 0.83 L; 24 cans per case | 29.75 oz water; 17.3 oz tomatoes; 19.5 oz sliced potatoes |
| No. 2 Cyl, 307 x 512 (3 7/16 x 5 12/16 in; 87.3 x 146.1 mm) | 24 fl oz (709 mL) | 3 cups | 0.71 L; 24 cans per case | 24 fl oz (709 mL) liquid pack |
| No. 2, 307 x 409 (3 7/16 x 4 9/16 in; 87.3 x 115.9 mm) | 20 oz (1 lb 4 oz) or 18 fl oz (1 pt 2 fl oz) (567 g or 532 mL) | 2 1/2 cups | 0.59 L; 24 cans per case | 20.50 oz water; 11.9 oz tomatoes; 13.3 oz sliced potatoes |
| No. 300, 300 x 407 (3 x 4 7/16 in; 76.2 x 112.7 mm) | 14 oz to 16 oz (1 lb) (396 g to 453 g) | 1 3/4 cups | 0.41 L; 24 cans per case | 15.20 oz water; 8.8 oz tomatoes; 9.2 oz sliced potatoes |
| No. 2 (Vacuum), 307 x 306 (3 7/16 x 3 6/16 in; 87.3 x 85.7 mm) | 12 oz (340 g) | 1 1/2 cups | 0.36 L; 24 cans per case | Vacuum-packed corn (little free liquid) |
| No. 1 (Picnic), 211 x 400 (2 11/16 x 4 in; 68.3 x 101.6 mm) | 10 1/2 oz to 12 oz (297 g to 340 g) | 1 1/4 cups | 0.30 L; 48 cans per case | Condensed soups, fruits, vegetables, meat, fish |
| 8 oz, 211 x 304 (2 11/16 x 3 4/16 in; 68.3 x 82.5 mm) | 8 oz (226 g) | 1 cup | 0.24 L; 48 or 72 cans per case | 8.65 oz water; 5.0 oz tomatoes; 5.5 oz sliced potatoes |
Your target No. 300 can measures 300 x 407 (3 x 4 7/16 in; 76.2 x 112.7 mm), holds 1 3/4 cups (0.41 L), and packs 24 cans per case, with at least 8.8 oz of Grade A/B drained tomatoes.
Scaling from 1x to 10x batches
| Batch multiple | Volume (cups) | Exact target cans | Whole cans to open | Leftover (cups) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11x batch | 12.00 | 6.86 | 7 | 0.25 |
| 2 | 24.00 | 13.71 | 14 | 0.50 |
| 3 | 36.00 | 20.57 | 21 | 0.75 |
| 4 | 48.00 | 27.43 | 28 | 1.00 |
| 5 | 60.00 | 34.29 | 35 | 1.25 |
| 6 | 72.00 | 41.14 | 42 | 1.50 |
| 7 | 84.00 | 48.00 | 48 | 0.00 |
| 8 | 96.00 | 54.86 | 55 | 0.25 |
| 9 | 108.00 | 61.71 | 62 | 0.50 |
| 10 | 120.00 | 68.57 | 69 | 0.75 |
At 1x you open 7 No. 300 cans (6.86 exact, 0.25 cups left over); at 10x you open 69 No. 300 cans (68.57 exact, 0.75 cups left over); at 7x the batch hits 48 whole No. 300 cans with 0 cups left over.
How can-size conversion works
Old cookbooks, cafeteria manuals, and recipe cards call for cans by trade number: No. 10, No. 3 Cyl, No. 2 1/2, No. 2, No. 303, or No. 300. Many solid-pack store labels print net weight in ounces and grams—or fluid measure on liquid packs—instead of the can number. The USDA Food Buying Guide (FNS-634) notes on page I-21: "The net weight on can or jar labels differ according to the density of the contents." A can's inside space stays fixed while its weight shifts with the food.
Because weight changes from light beans to heavy fruit in syrup, can swaps work by US cup volume. USDA Table 2 cup and net-weight values per can are approximate averages across packed foods. Liquid unit conversions between cups, fluid ounces, pints, quarts, gallons, milliliters, and liters follow exact NIST Handbook 44 Appendix C factors. Multiply your starting cans by their Table 2 cups. Then divide by the target can's cups and round up to whole cans.
For a No. 10 can, USDA Table 2 (page I-21) gives an average range of 12 to 13 2/3 cups. USDA Table 4 (page I-25) prints 1-decimal factors for five sizes. One No. 10 can equals 7.4 No. 300 cans, 5.3 No. 2 cans, 3.7 No. 2 1/2 cans, and 2.1 No. 3 Cyl cans. The guide does not say which volume it used. A 13-cup No. 10 divided by each smaller can's cups gives the 7.4 and 3.7 factors, but not the 5.3 or 2.1 factors; this page keeps 13 cups as its own mid-range assumption. You can pick 12 cups, 13 cups, or 13 2/3 cups above.
Why net weight, fluid ounces, and drained weight differ
A store label can show three different measures: net weight, liquid volume, and drained weight. Under 21 CFR 101.7(a), a liquid food declares fluid measure, and a solid, semisolid, or viscous food, or a mixture of solid and liquid, declares weight. Fluid measure is taken at 68 °F (20 °C) for foods that are not frozen or refrigerated (101.7(b)(2)(iii)). That is why a can of beans in liquid prints weight rather than fluid ounces. The USDA table itself shows both for some cans. One US cup is 8 fluid ounces (236.5882365 mL), and 1 avoirdupois ounce is 28.349523125 grams.
Canneries test a can's volume with water before food goes in. Under 21 CFR 130.12(a), water capacity is the weight of 68 °F distilled water filling a can to 3/16 inch below the top rim. For canned tomatoes, Section 52.5165 of the USDA standard requires a fill of at least 90% of that water capacity, measured by the 21 CFR 130.12(b) method. Section 52.5166(c) states that the drained weight of canned tomatoes, after 2 minutes on a screen, "must not be less than 50 percent of the weight of water required to fill the container."
Brine, syrup, or juice makes up part of the can, so drained weight is well below net weight. In the USDA Canned White Potatoes standard, a No. 10 can has a water capacity of 109.45 oz (3,102.9 g). Its label net weight runs from 96 to 117 oz (USDA Food Buying Guide Table 2). The USDA Canned Tomatoes standard sets the Grade A and B drained minimum for a No. 10 can at 63.5 oz. The USDA Canned White Potatoes standard recommends a drained minimum for a No. 10 can of 75.0 oz for sliced or 76.0 oz for diced. On page I-37, the USDA guide notes that one No. 10 can yields about 70.0 oz (10 3/4 cups) of drained carrots. You can compare raw and drained weights in the as-purchased to edible-portion yield calculator.
How to read 3-digit can dimension codes (DDD x HHH)
Canneries and USDA standards name metal cans with a 3-digit width and 3-digit height code (DDD x HHH). FDA Compliance Program Manual 7303.070 (Attachment C, page 57) states: "The first digit designates the numbers of whole inches. The second two digits designate the fraction of inches in sixteenths. This is the diameter of the can. The second three digits designate the height of the can in the same manner." A No. 10 can (603 x 700) is 6 3/16 inches wide by 7 inches tall (157.2 x 177.8 mm). A No. 3 Cylinder can (404 x 700) is 4 4/16 inches wide by 7 inches tall (108.0 x 177.8 mm).
You can measure an unlabeled pantry can with a ruler. The FDA manual notes: "Can dimensions using this designation are obtained by measuring completely across the outside of the double seam (for the diameter) and from the top of the factory seam to the top of the canner's end seam (for the height)." A No. 2 1/2 can (401 x 411) is 4 1/16 by 4 11/16 inches across the outside seam. In millimeters, that is 103.2 x 119.1 mm. The inside lid ("plug diameter") is about 2/16 inch (1/8 inch) narrower than the outside seam.
Several store cans share the same lid width and differ only in height. In the 3 7/16 inch (307) group, the squat No. 2 Vacuum can (307 x 306) is 3 6/16 inches tall. The No. 2 can (307 x 409) is 4 9/16 inches tall. The No. 2 Cylinder can (307 x 512) is 5 12/16 inches tall. In the 2 11/16 inch (211) group, the lid fits 8 oz Short (211 x 300) and 8 oz Tall (211 x 304) cans. It also fits the taller No. 1 Picnic (211 x 400) can.
Old cookbook cans: replacing a No. 303 can with a No. 300 can
Older church, family, and extension cookbooks often call for a No. 303 can of corn, peas, green beans, or tomatoes. The No. 303 can is not in USDA Table 2, so the guide gives no volume or net weight for it. USDA Food Buying Guide Figures 1 and 2 (pages I-23 and I-24) print outlines of #303 (old) and #300 (new) side by side. A No. 300 can (14 to 16 oz net) holds 1 3/4 cups (0.41 L). This page treats the No. 303 as holding about 2 cups (0.47 L), its own estimate from the water capacity below. Cans of the same trade size can vary by maker.
In FDA Attachment C and the USDA Canned White Potatoes standard (Tables I and IA), a No. 303 can (303 x 406) is 3 3/16 by 4 6/16 inches. That equals 81.0 x 111.1 mm, holding 16.85 oz (477.7 g) of water at 68 °F. A No. 300 can (300 x 407) is 3 by 4 7/16 inches (76.2 x 112.7 mm). It holds 15.20 oz (430.9 g) of water. The older No. 303 can has 11% more water capacity (16.85 ÷ 15.20 = 1.11). It packs 10.2 oz vs. 9.2 oz of drained sliced potatoes, and 9.8 oz vs. 8.8 oz of Grade A/B drained tomatoes.
On the 2-cup estimate, 1 No. 303 can equals 1.14 No. 300 cans (1 3/4 cups). That leaves a gap of 1/4 cup (2 fl oz) per can. In a 1-can stew, 1 No. 300 can plus 2 fluid ounces of broth or water fills the gap. In a 4-can bake (4 No. 303 cans = 8 cups), 4 No. 300 cans give only 7 cups, a 1-cup shortfall. Open 5 No. 300 cans (8.75 cups) and measure 8 cups.
How to check a supermarket label and USDA yield table
When a grocery can shows no trade number, check its net weight line. Under 21 CFR 101.7(j)(1), a package of 1 pound to under 4 pounds lists total ounces first, then pounds and ounces in parentheses, as in "Net Wt. 24 oz (1 lb 8 oz)". Under 21 CFR 101.7(g), a package of 4 pounds or more lists pounds first, with any remainder in ounces.
On page I-25, the USDA Food Buying Guide gives a 3-step method for yield tables when your storeroom has a different can size. Divide the needed servings by the servings per can in the yield table. Then multiply by the Table 4 factor and round up to whole cans. On page I-36, the guide lists French-style green beans in a No. 10 can (101 oz). It also lists them in a No. 2 1/2 can (28 oz) and a No. 300 can (14 1/2 oz).
For case orders, USDA Table 3 (page I-22) lists the cans per shipping box. A case holds 6 No. 10 cans or 12 No. 3 Cyl cans. It holds 24 No. 2 1/2, No. 2 Cyl, No. 2, No. 300, or No. 2 Vacuum cans. Smaller No. 1 Picnic cans pack 48 per case, and 8 oz cans pack 48 or 72 per case.
Special cases: condensed soups, vacuum-packed corn, and leftover cans
Condensed soups. Convert a No. 1 Picnic can (10 1/2 to 12 oz, 1 1/4 cups) before adding water or milk. Likewise, convert a No. 3 Cyl soup can (51 oz, 5 3/4 cups) before diluting it.
Vacuum-packed corn. USDA Table 3 notes that the squat No. 2 Vacuum can (12 oz net, 1 1/2 cups, 0.36 L) packs mainly vacuum-packed corn.
Whole-can buying. On page I-43, the USDA guide works a baked-bean batch: "Since you can only buy whole cans of product, you need to open 6 No. 10 (108 oz) cans of USDA Foods baked beans in sauce, vegetarian, but only need to prepare slightly above 5 1/4 cans to serve 120 1/2 cup portions of vegetarian baked beans." Because 5 1/4 cans (5.25 cans) cannot be bought as a fraction, the kitchen opens 6 whole cans.
Video walkthrough
A 3-minute walkthrough of how one big can turns into smaller cans, why the count rounds up, and how the page answers a recipe volume.
Read the transcript
How many cans replace one big can
0:00 How many No. 300 cans replace one No. 10 can?
0:05 One holds 12 cups.
0:07 So you need 7 No. 300 cans to open.
0:10 Now the page shows both counts side by side.
0:13 The first is the exact count.
0:16 The second is the whole cans you open.
0:19 Select your starting can size, and afterwards the size on your shelf.
0:23 Then enter how many cans in total.
Why cans swap by volume
0:26 The page swaps cans by cup volume.
0:29 The USDA guide says the net weight on the label changes with the food inside.
0:35 The USDA Food Buying Guide lists the average volume of a can.
0:39 A No. 10 can holds 12 cups at the low end of its range.
0:44 Divide the volume by the target can's cups.
0:47 Then round up to whole cans.
0:49 The sheet shows the working line by line.
0:52 The last line reads 7 No. 300 cans.
One size, a range of volumes
0:57 The USDA table gives the No. 10 a low end and a high end.
1:02 The count moves with the volume.
1:04 At the low end of the range, you need 7 No. 300 cans.
1:08 At 13 cups, you need 8 No. 300 cans.
1:13 Here is the identical page as before.
1:15 The No. 10 is at the very top of its range.
1:19 The count changes.
1:21 You open 8 No. 300 cans.
1:24 Compared with the low end, that is one additional can.
You open whole cans
1:28 You can only buy whole cans.
1:30 So every count is rounded up.
1:32 The USDA guide's own worked example says the same thing.
1:36 For No. 300 cans, the USDA table packs 24 cans per case.
1:42 The 7 No. 300 cans you need are loose cans.
1:46 You pick them up from the shelf.
1:48 You open 7 No. 300 cans, not a complete case.
1:53 The page's own chart follows the same swap as the batch grows.
1:57 The exact count and the whole count climb together.
2:00 The callout reads both counts at the marked batch.
2:04 In this example, the whole count is never below the exact one.
For a recipe volume
2:09 Give the page a recipe volume instead of a simple can count.
2:13 It also figures out the cans to buy, and the leftover cups.
2:17 Choose the unit for the volume: cups, fluid ounces, pints, quarts, gallons, milliliters or liters.
2:24 For 50 cups, the page says 5 No. 10 cans to open.
2:29 Those cans cover the volume the recipe needs.
2:32 The leftover cups stay in the last can.
Try your own sizes
2:36 Now try your own sizes.
2:38 Change the starting can size, the number of cans, or the shelf size.
2:43 The page figures it out again with every change.
2:46 Here are 2 No. 10 cans, and you open 14 No. 300 cans to cover them.
2:53 So remember: swap cans by cups, then round the count up to whole cans.
2:57 Try your own numbers.
Can size conversion formulas
total cups = cans × cups per starting can (cans mode) total cups = recipe volume × US cups per unit (recipe volume mode) exact target cans = total cups ÷ cups per target can whole target cans = ceiling(exact target cans) leftover cups = (whole target cans × cups per target can) − total cups full cases = floor(whole target cans ÷ cans per case) 1 US cup = 8 fl oz = 1/2 liquid pt = 236.5882365 mL (3.785411784 L/gal ÷ 16, NIST HB 44 App. C)
Worked examples
Default No. 10 to No. 300 swap: 1 No. 10 can at the 12-cup low end holds 12 cups (96 fl oz). A No. 300 can holds 1 3/4 cups (1.75 cups), so 12 ÷ 1.75 = 6.86 exact No. 300 cans. Round up to 7 whole No. 300 cans (12.25 cups opened). That leaves 0.25 cups (2 fl oz) in the 7th can. At this page's 13-cup nominal basis, 13 ÷ 1.75 = 7.43 exact cans. At the 13 2/3-cup high end (13.67 cups), 13.67 ÷ 1.75 = 7.81 exact cans. Both round up to 8 whole No. 300 cans.
USDA page I-25 wax-bean example: a kitchen needs 7.9 No. 2 1/2 cans (3 1/2 cups each) of wax beans. Its storeroom has only No. 2 cans (2 1/2 cups each). By Table 2 cup volume, those 7.9 cans hold 27.65 cups. That equals 11.06 exact No. 2 cans (12 whole cans, leaving 2.35 cups in the 12th can). Using the factor of 1.5 that USDA Table 4 prints gives 7.9 × 1.5 = 11.85, which also rounds up to 12 whole No. 2 cans.
Fluid-ounce and quart recipe batches: a soup recipe calls for 96 fl oz (12 US cups) of tomato juice in No. 3 Cyl cans (5 3/4 cups each). Dividing 12 ÷ 5.75 gives 2.09 exact cans, so open 3 whole No. 3 Cyl cans (17.25 cups opened, leaving 5.25 cups). For 4 quarts (16 US cups) of broth in No. 2 Cyl cans (3 cups each), 16 ÷ 3 = 5.33 exact cans. Open 6 whole No. 2 Cyl cans with 2 cups left over.
Assumptions and limits
- Cup volumes, liters, net weights, and case counts for nine sizes come from the USDA Food Buying Guide Introduction (FNS-634, September 2024, Slightly Revised August 2025). See Tables 2 and 3 on pages I-21 and I-22. These per-can figures are approximate averages that vary with food density and packing liquid, and the same size name can differ by maker.
- The No. 303 option is not a USDA Table 2 row. Its 2 cups (0.47 L) is this page's own estimate, and no net weight or case pack is listed for it. Its seam dimensions and water weight come from FDA Manual 7303.070 Attachment C and the USDA Canned White Potatoes standard. The 13-cup No. 10 option is also this page's assumption.
- Can swaps use US cup volume. Liquid unit conversions follow exact NIST Handbook 44 Appendix C factors. One US cup is 8 fl oz, 1/2 liquid pint, or 236.5882365 mL (from 1 gallon = 3.785411784 L exactly, or 16 cups). Because USDA Table 2 rounds liters to two decimals, 13 2/3 cups computes to 3.23 L (Table 2 prints 3.24 L). Likewise, 1 1/2 cups computes to 0.35 L (Table 2 prints 0.36 L).
- USDA Table 4 factors (page I-25) have one decimal place and do not always round the Table 2 cup ratio. One case is in the question about No. 2 1/2 cans. Another is the No. 10 can at the 12-cup low end of Table 2, where 12 ÷ 3.5 = 3.43 No. 2 1/2 cans, but Table 4 prints 3.7. The summary shows both the cup ratio and the Table 4 factor. It drops the net weight line when Table 4 applies.
- Can counts from 0.1 to 10,000 cans and recipe volumes from 0.1 to 100,000 in the chosen unit are accepted.
What to check when buying or substituting cans
Check whether your kitchen sheet uses 12 cups, 13 cups, or 13 2/3 cups for a No. 10 can. On a 50-cup chili batch, 12-cup cans take 5 whole No. 10 cans (4.17 exact). Using 13-cup or 13 2/3-cup cans takes 4 whole cans. Pass your 12-cup volume to the recipe scaling calculator to scale your dish.
When a recipe lists drained weight instead of cups, divide by the USDA drained minimum rather than total label weight. Getting 80 oz of drained tomatoes takes 80 ÷ 63.5 = 1.26 No. 10 cans (2 whole cans). In No. 2 1/2 cans, 80 ÷ 17.3 = 4.62 cans (5 whole cans). Compare raw and drained weights in the as-purchased yield calculator or convert cups to grams in the cups to grams calculator.
Portion out open cans before service. One 12-cup No. 10 can yields 24 half-cup (0.5 cup) servings. Check your pan and portion count in the batch yield and servings calculator.
Compare case prices by total cups rather than can count. A 6-can No. 10 case holds 72 cups (at 12 cups per can). A 24-can No. 300 case holds 42 cups (72 cups equals 41.14 No. 300 cans, or 42 whole cans). Price your batch in the recipe cost per serving calculator or convert fluid units in the kitchen measurement converter.
Frequently asked questions
How many cups are in a No. 10 can?
USDA Table 2 (page I-21) gives a No. 10 can an average volume of 12 to 13 2/3 US cups (2.84 to 3.24 L). Its average net weight is 6 lb (96 oz) to 7 lb 5 oz (117 oz), or 2.72 to 3.31 kg. At 8 fluid ounces per US cup, 12 to 13 2/3 cups equals 96 to 109.3 fl oz of liquid volume. USDA Table 4's factor of 7.4 No. 300 cans per No. 10 can works out at 13 cups.
How many No. 300 cans equal one No. 10 can?
A No. 300 can (14 to 16 oz net) holds 1 3/4 cups. By volume, 1 No. 10 can at the 12-cup low end equals 6.86 No. 300 cans, so open 7 whole cans. At Table 4's 7.4 factor, which a 13-cup No. 10 can gives, or at the 13 2/3-cup high end, open 8 whole No. 300 cans (14 cups total).
How many cups are in a No. 2 1/2 can, and how many No. 2 cans replace it?
A No. 2 1/2 can (401 x 411) holds 3 1/2 cups (0.83 L) and weighs 26 to 30 oz (737 to 850 g). A No. 2 can holds 2 1/2 cups, so the exact cup ratio is 3.5 ÷ 2.5 = 1.4 No. 2 cans. Meanwhile, USDA Table 4 prints a factor of 1.5, which is not a rounding of 1.4. Replacing 3 No. 2 1/2 cans (10.5 cups) takes 4.2 exact No. 2 cans (or 3 × 1.5 = 4.5). Either way, buy 5 whole No. 2 cans.
What is a No. 303 can in an old recipe, and how do I substitute for it?
The No. 303 is an older can size that USDA Table 2 does not list. This page treats it as holding about 2 cups, its own estimate. The No. 300 can (14 to 16 oz) holds 1 3/4 cups, so each is 1/4 cup (2 fl oz) smaller on that estimate. Two No. 303 cans (4 cups) equal 2.29 No. 300 cans, so open 3 cans (leaving 1.25 cups). Four No. 303 cans (8 cups) take 5 whole No. 300 cans.
How many No. 10 cans do I need for 50 cups?
At the 12-cup low end, 50 ÷ 12 = 4.17 No. 10 cans, so open 5 whole cans (60 cups total, leaving 10 cups). At this page's 13-cup nominal basis, 50 ÷ 13 = 3.85 cans. At the 13.67-cup high end, 50 ÷ 13.67 = 3.66 cans. On either of those two bases, 4 whole No. 10 cans hold 52 to 54.67 cups.
Does every No. 10 can weigh the same?
No. The 603 x 700 metal can fixes the interior volume, while net weight shifts with food density. USDA Table 2 lists 6 lb (96 oz) to 7 lb 5 oz (117 oz), a 21 oz spread. The guide's note before Table 2 gives an example: a No. 10 can of sauerkraut may weigh 6 lb 3 oz (2.81 kg), while a No. 10 can of cranberry sauce may weigh 7 lb 5 oz (3.32 kg).
How much drained food is inside a No. 10 can?
The USDA Canned Tomatoes standard (Section 52.5166, Table I) sets minimum average drained weights by grade. A No. 10 can has a 109.45 oz water capacity, the figure printed in the USDA Canned White Potatoes standard. Grade A and B tomatoes average at least 63.5 oz (58.02% of it). Grade C tomatoes average at least 54.7 oz, which rounds to the 50-percent floor of Section 52.5166(c) (49.98% of the potato standard's 109.45 oz). Under the USDA Canned White Potatoes standard (Section 52.1817, where drained weight is not part of the grade), sliced potatoes average at least 75.0 oz (68.52%). Diced potatoes have a recommended minimum of 76.0 oz (69.44%).
Sources
- USDA, Food Buying Guide for Child Nutrition Programs, Introduction (FNS-634) (page modified Jul 30, 2025)
- FDA, Compliance Program Manual 7303.070, Attachment C, Can Sizes and Container Dimensions (page modified Sep 26, 2025)
- USDA, United States Standards for Grades of Canned White Potatoes (page modified Mar 4, 2026)
- USDA, United States Standards for Grades of Canned Tomatoes (page modified Jun 12, 2026)
- NIST, Handbook 44 (2026), Appendix C, General Tables of Units of Measurement (current version)
- eCFR, 21 CFR 101.7, Declaration of net quantity of contents (current version)
- eCFR, 21 CFR 130.12, General methods for water capacity and fill of containers (current version)
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