How much coffee should you buy?

A large bag looks sensible until you realise how slowly you are using it. Before buying your next coffee, count the brews you actually make at home. The weekday cup you pick up on the way to work does not belong in that calculation.

Count in grams

Suppose your home recipe uses 15g of coffee. A 250g bag gives you 16 full brews, with 10g left over. At one brew a day, that is a little over two weeks. At two brews each weekend, the same bag takes about eight weeks to finish.

If you use 18g each time, 250g covers 13 full brews. Two people making one each every day would use 252g in a week. The bag size that works for one household can be awkward for another.

Use your own recipe for the sum: bag weight divided by coffee per brew. Then divide that answer by the number of brews you make each week. Allow for the occasional adjustment or spilled dose. You will have a practical estimate, even if your routine changes a little.

Give the bag a proper home

The National Coffee Association's storage advice identifies air, moisture, heat and light as the main problems. It recommends buying smaller quantities more often and keeping coffee in an airtight, opaque container in a cool place. Grinding only what you need before brewing also helps preserve flavour.

Choose a cupboard away from the oven or dishwasher. A sunny shelf may look good with a jar of beans on it, but it is a poor storage spot. Close your container as soon as you have weighed your dose. If you transfer the beans, keep the bag label with them so you still know which coffee you are drinking.

There is no need to put all your coffee equipment away. Keep the scale and brewer where they are convenient, with the beans stored somewhere cooler. That small separation makes the daily routine easier without leaving the coffee exposed.

Buy for the week you have

Before a holiday, buy less. If guests are staying, count their cups too. When trying an unfamiliar coffee, a smaller quantity gives you room to decide whether you want it again.

Write the opening date on the bag or a small label. Alongside your brewing notes, it gives you a useful record of how the coffee tastes as you work through it. On your next purchase, you can choose the amount that matched your routine rather than repeating the size you picked by habit.