Dog food cups to grams calculator
Feeding with a cup? See how many grams that is – and how many cups your daily amount comes to.
One cup is about
101 g (3.6 oz)
380 kcal per cup ÷ 3,750 kcal per kg × 1,000
| Cups | Grams | Calories |
|---|---|---|
| ¼ cup | 25 g (0.9 oz) | 95 kcal |
| ½ cup | 51 g (1.8 oz) | 190 kcal |
| ¾ cup | 76 g (2.7 oz) | 285 kcal |
| 1 cup | 101 g (3.6 oz) | 380 kcal |
| 1½ cups | 152 g (5.4 oz) | 570 kcal |
| 2 cups | 203 g (7.1 oz) | 760 kcal |
| 3 cups | 304 g (10.7 oz) | 1,140 kcal |
| 4 cups | 405 g (14.3 oz) | 1,520 kcal |
Cups are inaccurate: in a study, dog owners measuring with cups were off by anything from 48% too little to 152% too much (Coe et al., Veterinary Record 2019). A kitchen scale is the most accurate.
The short answer
How much a cup of dry food weighs depends on the food, because kibble differs in size and density. US labels list calories per kg and per cup (AAFCO “Calorie Content”), so: grams per cup = kcal per cup ÷ kcal per kg × 1,000. With 380 kcal per cup and 3,750 kcal per kg that’s about 101 g (3.6 oz). Without those numbers, weigh one full cup on a kitchen scale.
Questions
How many grams are in a cup of dog food?
It depends on the food. Use the calories per kg and per cup from the bag, or weigh one full cup. A single number for all foods would be inaccurate.
Where do I find calories per cup?
On US bags under “Calorie Content”, for example “3,750 kcal/kg, 380 kcal/cup”. AAFCO asks for calories per kg and per familiar unit such as a cup or can.
How accurate is measuring with a cup?
Not very. In a study with 100 dog owners, portions ranged from 48% too little to 152% too much depending on the cup and the amount (Coe et al., Veterinary Record 2019). A kitchen scale is the most accurate.
How many cups should my dog eat per day?
Work out the daily amount with the dog food calculator first, then divide by the grams per cup. Example: 170 g at 101 g per cup is about 1¾ cups.