If you’ve been buying your almond milk from the grocery store and comparing it to the price of cow’s milk you may be feeling frustrated by the higher prices. Have you been wondering if it could be cheaper to make your own almond milk?
The answer to this question depends on a variety of factors such as the current milk you’re buying, if you have access to buy almonds in bulk, if you’re making organic or non-organic, and much more.
However, there are ways that you can make your almond milk cheaper at home!
This article will go over the general cost of making your own almond milk, the cost of different store-bought almond milks, and include a comparison to truly figure out if it is cheaper to make your own almond milk!
We will also discuss the various benefits of homemade almond milk and help you determine if making the switch to homemade is right for your life!
How Much Does it Cost to Make Almond Milk?
The first consideration you have to make is whether or not you are using organic almonds.
Organic almonds are priced much higher than non-organic, and can make the process of making homemade almond milk a little more pricey.
Here’s a breakdown of how much it costs to make non-organic and organic almond milk.
How Much Does It Cost To Make Almond Milk With Non-Organic Almonds?
Non-organic almonds are generally between $6-$8 per pound.
If you have access to a store that has cheaper bulk products you may be able to get a pound for a lower price, however this is the price that we have found is common.
A pound of almonds is roughly three cups. Most almond milk recipes call for one cup of almonds to five cups of water.
This means you would roughly be able to make 15 cups (120 ounces) of almond milk using that one pound of almonds.
This means the price to make conventional (non-organic) almond milk is approximately $0.05 - $0.06 per ounce.
How Much Does It Cost To Make Almond Milk With Organic Almonds?
The price jump for organic almonds is pretty severe. Organic almonds will generally run you between $15-$20 per pound.
This is more than double the price of most non-organic almonds and you will still be producing the same amount of milk.
However, if you are already used to purchasing organic products from the store, then you are likely already purchasing organic store bought milk which has a similar price difference from the non-organic store bought milk.
This means the price to make organic almond milk is approximately $0.12 - $0.16 per ounce.
How Much Does Store-Bought Almond Milk Cost?
Next we are going to compare three different types of almond milk, one will be a non-organic brand and two will be organic brands.
Once we go over these figures we will compare the costs of making your own milk versus buying store bought milk.
How Much Does Almond Breeze Almond Milk Cost?
Almond Breeze is a popular brand of almond milk that you can find in almost every grocery store.
Almond Breeze is not made with organic almonds and is our lowest priced milk on the list coming in at only $3.69 for 64 ounces of milk, which is $0.05 per ounce.
How Much Does Whole Foods Organic Almond Milk Cost?
The next brand of almond milk we will be looking at is the Whole Foods Organic store brand milk.
This milk comes in at a slightly higher price point due to it being organic, it is $3.99 for 64 ounces of unsweetened milk ($0.06 per ounce).
It is fairly close to the Almond Breeze price point and both milk brands share many of the same additives such as sunflower lecithin, salt, vitamin A, vitamin D2, and vitamin E.
How Much Does MALK Almond Milk Cost?
MALK is set at a significantly higher price point due to its shortened ingredient list. MALK contains only almonds, water, and salt. It doesn’t contain any of the preservatives or additives that the other brands do.
This does mean it has a shorter shelf life as well, similar to the shelf-life of a homemade almond milk.
MALK is priced at $6.29 for 28 ounces of milk, or $.022 per ounce.
Is it Cheaper to Make Your Own Almond Milk?
The best way to make this comparison would be through the following chart:
Type of Almond Milk | Price Per Ounce |
|---|---|
Non-Organic Homemade Almond Milk | $0.05 - $0.06 |
Organic Homemade Almond Milk | $0.12 - $0.16 |
Almond Breeze | $0.05 |
Whole Foods Organic Almond Milk | $0.06 |
MALK Almond Milk | $0.22 |
As you can see here, store bought almond milk such as Almond Breeze or Silk which comes in at a similar price point is fairly comparable to making non-organic almond milk at home.
However, the big difference here is that Almond Breeze is going to last much longer in your fridge than homemade almond milk.
The downside is that Almond Breeze comes with more additives and emulsifiers.
We recommend sticking with almond milk made from simple ingredients (almonds and water) and without any added emulsifiers and additives.
If you don’t drink a lot of milk and don’t want to risk your almond milk going bad before you drink it, it may be more beneficial to purchase the store bought milk.
Now, when you compare the cost of the organic milk it is clear that the Whole Foods Organic is the cheapest. However, it is important to remember that this brand still contains some additives and preservatives.
If you are looking for a milk made with only almonds and water, such as MALK, then it would likely be cheaper to make it yourself.
The cost of making your own organic milk, even at the highest point, is still $0.06/ounce cheaper than MALK.
Related: Why is Almond Milk More Expensive?
What About The Cost Of JOI Almond Milk Base?
The final comparison we want to make for you is the cost of a product called the JOI Almond Milk Nut Base. This is a concentrate made only from organic California Almonds.
This nut base comes in 15 ounce jars for $20.68 and can produce a whopping seven quarts of almond milk.
If we convert to ounces, this is 224 ounces of almond milk! This would equate to about $0.09 per ounce which is a significantly lower price point than both organic homemade milk and the MALK brand.
The other benefit to this product is you don’t have to buy almonds or purchase any nut milk maker or materials, you simply mix the base with water.
Is Homemade Almond Milk Worth It?
If you are simply looking for the lowest price point then store bought milk such as Almond Breeze or the Whole Foods Organic is most likely your best bet. This is a cheap option and requires minimal effort.
However, if you want to make sure you are consuming milk that is free from additives such as carrageenan, gums, and emulsifiers which can potentially be harmful then making your own milk might be the better option.
Whether you are using your own organic almonds or the JOI nut base, it would be much cheaper than buying from an expensive brand such as MALK.
