cheap nuts for baking

Nuts are one of the most expensive baking ingredients and prices vary wildly depending on where you shop and how you buy them.

If you bake with nuts a lot, knowing where and how to buy them can save you real money over the course of a year.

peanuts in a crockpot — Peanuts will be your first layer in making Crockpot Christmas candy but the price you pay for peanuts will vary widely depending on where you shop. See how to make Crockpot Christmas Candy for recipe.

Jump to:

1. Cheapest Place to Buy Nuts is to Shop at a Big Box Store
2. Check the Produce Section
3. Explore the Bulk Section
4. Where do you buy nuts on a budget?
5. Check Your Local Food Co-Op
Save More by Chopping Nuts Yourself
Common Nut Questions
Most Cost Effective Nut?
Once You've Bought the Nuts
Favorite Nut Recipes
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Nuts are one of the most expensive baking ingredients out there. If you’ve ever had sticker shock from a bag of pecans or almonds, you’re not alone.

But I’ve picked up a few tips and tricks over the years for saving money on nuts, and I thought I’d share them with you.

1. Cheapest Place to Buy Nuts is to Shop at a Big Box Store

Your best bet for scoring the lowest prices on nuts is at a big box store like Sam's Club, Costco, or BJ's.

Even with the rising cost of food, Sam’s Club has consistently beaten the best grocery store sales for me.

I’ve been able to get a pound or two of shelled pecans for around $13 a bag — and while that price may have gone up, it's still a steal compared to regular grocery store prices.

No membership? No problem. If you have a friend with a big box membership, ask if they’d mind picking up a bag of nuts or a pack of butter for you. Just Venmo them in advance — most people are happy to help out.

2. Check the Produce Section

Head to the grocery store — but skip the baking aisle.

Check the produce section for nuts instead.

Stores will sell the same products in more than one place.

The price per pound in the produce aisle is often way cheaper than the nuts in the baking aisle — even if they’re not from a well-known brand like Fisher’s.

Unless you’re getting fresh pecans straight from a Texas farm, it really doesn’t matter what brand you use.

3. Explore the Bulk Section

Another spot to check is the bulk section of your grocery store — if they have one.

I haven’t seen a bulk section at a regular grocery store in a while, but my local food co-op still has one.

Buying in bulk is almost always cheaper because you’re skipping the packaging costs.

Plus, you can buy exactly what you need.

If a recipe calls for a cup of walnuts, you can grab just a cup instead of being stuck with a whole pound.

4. Where do you buy nuts on a budget?

Think outside the grocery store!

Keep an eye on the Walgreens and CVS circulars. They sometimes run surprisingly good sales on nuts — like two cans for $4 or buy-one-get-one-free deals on cashews, almonds, or mixed nuts.

If you see a sale like that, stock up!

For baking, it doesn’t matter if your walnuts came from a drugstore or a gourmet market — they’ll taste the same once they’re mixed into cookie dough.

5. Check Your Local Food Co-Op

If you have a food co-op nearby, that’s another solid option. Co-ops might not have rock-bottom prices, but they usually offer good deals — and you can buy just the amount you need. No need to commit to a full bag if you only need a handful of almonds for a recipe.

Save More by Chopping Nuts Yourself

A plastic bag filled with pecans sits on a surface like the start of a snowball in winter. A metal meat tenderizer rests on top, suggesting the pecans within are being crushed. The bag is partially closed, with some air inside, ready to transform its contents into a delightful confectionery or crunchy topping. — You'll pay less for nuts that are whole if you can do the chopping or smashing yourself.

Just like whole vegetables are cheaper to purchase than pre-cut veggies, you'll pay less per pound for nuts if you're buying them whole instead of buying them halved or diced.

You could save even more on nuts by buying them still in the shell but I don't have all the time in the world and I can't imagine you do either so buy nuts shelled.