Is it Cheaper to make or buy Potato Salad?

Potato salad is a summer food staple and goes well with so many dishes like hamburgers, hotdogs, and barbeque. There are also a zillion ways to make potato salad from traditional to spicy and can use exotic ingredients.

We are going to breakdown the costs associated with store bought potato salad to homemade potato salad to find out which way comes out cheaper!

What is the average cost of store made potato salad?

Almost every grocery store sells premade potato salad in the produce or deli section. It is so easy to grab a container and have an easy side dish. This convenience can come at a pretty price though.

Premade Potato Salad	Cost per Serving
Reser’s Fine Foods Deviled Egg Potato Salad 6oz/3 servings= $4.99 at Kroger	$1.66 per serving
Original Potato Salad 32oz/6 servings =$3.94 at Walmart	$0.65 per serving
Member’s Mark Southern Style Potato Salad 5lbs/16 servings = $6.68 at Sam’s Club	$0.42 per serving
Signature Cafe Classic Potato Salad 3lbs/10 servings= $8.99 at Albertsons	$0.90 per serving
Park Street Deli original potato salad 32oz/6 servings = $3.75 at Aldi	$0.63 per serving
Average Cost: $5.67	Average Cost per Serving: $0.85

Based on these 5 brands of potato salad we were able to determine that the average cost of store made potato salad was about $5.67 and the average cost per serving is $0.85.

Does it matter what kind of potatoes you use for potato salad?

Technically potato salad can be made with any kind of potatoes, but the texture will be affected by which variety you choose.

For instance, Russet potatoes are a great all-purpose potato, but they tend to make mushy potato salad. If you like your potato salad to be firmer, stick with waxy potatoes like Yukon Gold or Red potatoes.

I’ve made potato salad with lots of different varieties of potatoes, and they all tasted great, so to save money on your side dish pick potatoes that are on sale!

How much does homemade potato salad cost?

For this cost breakdown we are going to price out a very basic potato salad. No super special ingredients, just the bare minimum to make this potato dish.

Potato Salad Ingredients	Cost
5 Idaho potatoes	$2.68
3 eggs	$0.72
1 cup chopped celery	$0.59
1/2 cup sweet relish	$0.38
1/4 cup mayonnaise	$0.19
1 tbsp mustard	$0.02
Total Cost of Potato Salad: $4.58	Cost per Serving: $ 0.57 (8 servings total)

I cost out the price of ingredients at my local Walmart and figured out the exact cost for what was needed for this basic recipe. The total cost of the potato salad was $4.58 which came out to $0.57 per serving.

This breakdown shows that making potato salad yourself is cheaper per serving than buying store made potato salad. Homemade potato salad cost $0.57 per serving and that is about 33% cheaper than store bought potato salad’s $0.85 per serving.

Is potato salad expensive?

Potato salad doesn’t have to be expensive. The major cost is going to be based on the ingredients that you choose to use. Let’s look at some ways that we can cut down the cost of making potato salad at home.

Cheap ways to make potato salad

Utilize what you have – instead of buying specific ingredients just to make potato salad, first look in your refrigerator and pantry to see what you already have. Already have pickle spears instead of relish, use that and just dice those pickles up. You probably already have an egg or two in your fridge, and you can use lots of different leftovers to add seasonings to your salad.
Used canned potatoes – instead of buying fresh potatoes, you can use canned potatoes to make potato salad. You can use the ones that are whole or already diced. This is a great way to think outside the box and use what you have in your pantry. You will skip the boiling part and go ahead and mix together your items for a super quick side dish.
Skip the mayonnaise – Out of mayonnaise or don’t use it often? Totally ok to omit the mayonnaise and use something else. We like to use ranch dressing in our potato salad because we always have it on hand, and we rarely buy mayonnaise. You can also make a dressing out of sour cream or cream cheese and seasonings. You can also use vinaigrette style dressings to make more of a German style potato salad. The possibilities are endless!
Leftover veggies or skip them– Most potato salad uses celery and or onions for added crunch, but if you don’t already have these in your refrigerator it is totally fine to skip it. My kids actually eat around these pieces, so I have started just skipping them if I don’t already have them ready to use. You can also add chopped bell peppers or jalapenos for crunch!
Skip the boring – Sometimes potato can get boring if you make it the same way all the time, so try a new flavor combo for a whole new dish. We have used bacon bits (or leftover bacon), shredded cheese, pickled jalapeno peppers, throw in leftover cooked plain pasta, and different seasonings like lemon pepper or creole seasoning.

When I think of potato salad, I used to just think of a plain side dish, but now I think of it as a vehicle for flavor. Just like you can mix up your mashed potatoes with different and unexpected flavors, you can do the same with potato salad.

Next time you are stuck and looking for an easy side dish, think about making potato salad. I love the taste of still warm potato salad, but if you prefer it cold you can easily make this side dish ahead of time and refrigerate it overnight.

For more ways to save money, check out “Is it cheaper to make your own Alfredo Sauce?” and “Is it cheaper to make your own Coffee?“