Is it Cheaper to make or buy Chex Mix?
Chex Mix is one of my favorites on the go snacks. It’s similar to a trail mix because it is a mixture of a few different items, but Chex mix is typically more savory and less sweet in nature.
Since I am such a mega fan, I realized that making it myself was super simple and didn’t require much effort at all. So that got me wondering if it was cheaper to make it myself instead of buying Chex Mix already made at the store. Let’s look at the cost breakdown for homemade, different sized bags, and individual pouches to see which option is the cheapest!
How much does homemade Chex Mix cost?
For our cost breakdown of homemade Chex Mix, we will be using the Original Recipe from Chex.com. For the full recipe click here.
| Homemade Chex Mix Ingredients | Cost |
| 3 cups Corn Chex | $1.16 |
| 3 cups Rice Chex | $1.09 |
| 3 cups Wheat Chex | $1.59 |
| 1 cup mixed nuts | $2.64 |
| 1 cup bite sized pretzels | $0.51 |
| 1 cup bagel chips | $0.61 |
| 6 tbsp butter | $0.74 |
| 2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce | $0.10 |
| 1 1/2 tsp seasoned salt | $0.04 |
| 3/4 tsp garlic powder | $0.01 |
| 1/2 tsp onion powder | $0.01 |
| Total Cost of Homemade Chex Mix: $8.50 (24 servings of 1/2 cup) | Cost per Serving: $0.35 |
If we make a batch of homemade Chex Mix using the original recipe, our total cost is $8.50. That comes out to $0.35 per 1/2 cup serving.
We can lower the cost of homemade Chex Mix by only using one kind of Chex instead of 3 different kinds. Another option is to skip the items we don’t love like nuts, bagel chips, or pretzels.
The beauty of making items at home is that we don’t have to follow the recipe exactly! We can utilize items we already have in our pantry like dry roasted peanuts, raisins, sunflower seeds, chocolate chips, etc.
Occasionally I find generic brands of Chex at places like Aldi, and that can lower your costs as well.
How much does premade Chex Mix cost?
There is really only one kind of original Chex Mex, so we are going to cost out some different size packages to see if we can find a cheaper alternative to homemade Chex Mix.
| Chex Mix Size & Number of Servings | Store & Price | Cost per Serving |
| Family Size 15oz bag, 14 servings | Target, $3.59 | $0.25 |
| 8.75 oz bag, 8 servings | Publix, $3.99 | $0.49 |
| 8.75 oz bag, 8 servings | Aldi, $2.99 | $0.37 |
| 8.75 oz bag, 8 servings | Winn Dixie, $4.78 | $0.59 |
| Multipack 10 bags, 10 servings | Walmart, $6.24 | $0.62 |
| Multipack 42 bags, 42 servings | Sam’s Club, $19.41 | $0.46 |
| Average Cost per serving of Chex Mix at the store: | $0.46 |
Chex Mix from the store comes in many different sizes and in individual serving pouches. The average cost per serving of Chex Mix purchased from a store is about $0.46. This is higher than the cost of making Chex Mix yourself for $0.35 per serving.
As with most purchases, there were some important observations made when I looked at different Chex Mix options.
- The Family Size bag from Target not only gave you more servings than the standard size bag but it was also the cheapest option. (Even cheaper than the homemade version)
- I priced out the same size bag at 3 different stores and found 3 completely different prices. As low as $2.99 and as high as $4.78. This just shows that comparison shopping can make a significant difference.
- The 8.75 oz bag with 8 servings even for the cheapest price of $2.99 was still more expensive than homemade Chex Mix.
- Buying Chex Mix in individual sized bags was by far the most expensive option. Even if you bought in bulk (42 bag option from Sam’s), it was still more expensive than homemade Chex Mix.
Is it worth the time to make your own Chex Mix?
I am the first to admit when it is cheaper to just buy something rather than make it. I have searched high and low for a bargain when I can.
Overall, if you love Chex Mix, it is not only cheaper to make it yourself, but you can also make it healthier! You can skip the added preservatives and extra salt. Plus, you can tailor the mix to your personal taste preferences.
There are currently 13 flavor options of Chex Mix that you can buy in the store. I know that you can copy those styles at home and even make up so new options too.
For example, you can add ranch powder for a Ranch Chex Mix. You can add leftover trail mix ingredients to make a Chex Trail Mix hybrid. You can use up cereals like Kix, Cheerios, and even Rice Krispies. The possibilities are truly endless!
Pro Tip: If my kids get tired of a box of cereal, crackers, or other snack I throw it in a Ziploc to make my own Chex Mix or Trail Mix. When you reinvent an ingredient for a new purpose all of sudden, they chow down on it!
For more cost breakdowns of making it yourself versus buying it, check out “Is it Cheaper to make or buy Guacamole?” and “Is it Cheaper to make or buy Muffins?“
