---
title: "Ounce: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates"
description: "An ounce (oz) is a unit of weight, about 28 g. It is not the same as a fluid ounce, which measures volume. Here is how to convert ounces to grams."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/ounce"
---

# Ounce

An ounce (oz) is a unit of weight, about 28 g. It is not the same as a fluid ounce, which measures volume. Here is how to convert ounces to grams.

Also called oz, Ounces, Avoirdupois ounce.

An ounce (oz) is a unit of weight used in American recipes and older British ones. One ounce is 28.35 g, and 16 ounces make a [pound](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pound). The same ounce is used in both the US and the UK. It is easy to confuse with the [fluid ounce](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fluid-ounce), which measures volume, not weight.

## Why it works

An ounce of anything weighs the same, whether it is feathers or butter. A fluid ounce of anything takes up the same space, but the weight changes with the ingredient. Only for water and similar liquids do 1 oz and 1 fl oz match up closely. So "8 oz chocolate" means weigh it, and "8 fl oz milk" means measure it in a jug.

## How to use it

For quick work, 1 oz is about 28 g, or 30 g if you are rounding loosely. For baking, use 28 g.

| Ounces       | Grams |
| ------------ | ----- |
| ½ oz         | 14 g  |
| 1 oz         | 28 g  |
| 2 oz         | 57 g  |
| 4 oz (¼ lb)  | 113 g |
| 8 oz (½ lb)  | 227 g |
| 12 oz (¾ lb) | 340 g |
| 16 oz (1 lb) | 454 g |

Most digital [kitchen scales](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/kitchen-scale) can switch between ounces and grams with one button. Weighing in grams is usually easier, because a scale in ounces shows fractions or decimals.

## Common mistakes

* Measuring "8 oz flour" in a measuring cup marked 8 fl oz. A cup of flour weighs about 4½ oz, so you would use too little.
* Reading the ounce weight on a can as volume. "15 oz" on a can of beans is the net weight, including liquid. See [can sizes](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/can-sizes).
* Confusing the troy ounce, used for precious metals, which is about 31 g. It is never used in cooking.

## In recipes

You will see "8 oz cream cheese, softened", "4 oz dark chocolate, chopped" and "a 6 oz piece of salmon". American meat portions are often given in ounces: a 4 oz serving of meat is about 113 g, and a quarter-pound burger is 4 oz before cooking. Older British recipes write "4 oz plain flour" or "4oz".

## Related terms

* [Fluid ounceA fluid ounce measures volume, not weight. A US fl oz is 29.6 ml and a British one is 28.4 ml. Here is how they compare to cups and pints.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fluid-ounce)
* [PoundA pound (lb) is a unit of weight equal to 16 ounces or 453.6 g, used in US recipes for meat, butter and produce. Here is how to convert it.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pound)
* [GramThe gram is the metric unit of weight most of the world cooks with. Weighing in grams is faster and more accurate than cups. Here is how to convert.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/gram)
* [Kitchen scaleA kitchen scale weighs ingredients in grams or ounces, which is far more accurate than cups for baking. Here is how to use one and the tare button.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/kitchen-scale)
* [Can sizesA 400 g tin in Europe and a 15 oz can in the US are close but not the same. See the common can sizes and how to swap one for another.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/can-sizes)

[More in measurements](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/measurements)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)