Metric Conversions

Here in the United States, we use the imperial system of measurement. It's everywhere from the odometer in your car to the measuring cups in your kitchen. Yes, those teaspoons and tablespoons are all part of this system, too.

While we find the imperial system familiar as part of our culinary culture, it is not a common system for the rest of the world. In fact, only three countries continue to use this system of measurement: the United States, Liberia, and Myanmar. So what is the rest of the world using?

The Metric System

The rest of the world uses the metric system, which is a decimal system based on multiples of 10. While many Americans haven't used the metric system since high school math or chemistry class, it remains a simpler system that's much more accurate. For culinary purposes, this measurement system uses liters and grams in place of cups, ounces, pints, and so on.

While the metric system has gained more traction in the United States, even appearing on food packaging, the traditional imperial system of measurement continues to be the to go-to for most non-business or science-related activities, including home cooking. So when your international recipe calls for 15 milliliters of salt, what do you do? You can turn to this handy English-Metric system conversion table for basic equivalents.

US to Metric Volume Conversions

US to Metric Weight Conversions