Category
Dairy
Dairy products (milk, cream, yogurt, cheese) have different fat and water percentages. Volume hides these differences; weight keeps sauces, batters, and doughs consistent.
Source: USDA FDC - dairy search
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Cluster composition
This category covers 123 ingredients. The dominant attribute clusters are dairy variants (fat-driven density) and chopped or sliced produce. 5 ingredients sit in a different cluster and behave outside the typical pattern.
- dairy variants (fat-driven density) — 104 ingredients
- chopped or sliced produce — 14 ingredients
- dry powders and leaveners — 5 ingredients
Notable exceptions
Beverages, Eggnog-Flavor Mix, Powder, Prepared With Whole Milk dry powders and leaveners Cream Substitute, Powdered dry powders and leaveners Dessert Topping, Powdered, 1.5 Ounce Prepared With 1/2 Cup Milk dry powders and leaveners Milk powder (nonfat dry) dry powders and leaveners Protein Supplement, Milk Based, Muscle Milk, Powder dry powders and leaveners
FAQ
Does fat percentage matter? Yes. A cup of heavy cream is heavier than milk; swapping without weight alters richness and texture.
Primer
These category tables convert volume to mass using ingredient-specific densities. Use weight for precision; volume varies with packing, cut, and temperature.
Methodology
- Density references are summarized from U.S. government sources (USDA FoodData Central, USDA FNDDS) and lab-standard data when available.
- Conversions keep higher-precision intermediates and round to practical kitchen values.
- Default volume is the US cup unless a page explicitly uses metric or UK standards.
Unit standards
- Mass: grams (g).
- Volume: mL, US cup, tbsp, tsp.
- Assumed temperature: room temperature unless stated otherwise.
Examples and edge cases
- Whole vs. skim milk differ in solids and density (USDA FDC).
- Yogurt varies by fat and straining level (USDA FDC).
- Cheese type and moisture change grams per cup (USDA FDC).
Last updated: 2026-05-31