Is it Cheaper to buy Minced Garlic or Cloves?
As a classically trained chef, I have learned to love the flavor and aroma of minced fresh garlic. Unfortunately, the price of garlic can sometimes be pretty high.
This made me wonder if it was cheaper to buy pre-minced garlic or to buy fresh garlic cloves. Also, can buying pre-peeled garlic be a good option? Let’s deep dive into some cost breakdowns to find out!
How much is fresh garlic at the grocery store?
Before we get into the breakdown of mincing your own garlic, we need to know 2 important things about fresh garlic.
1. There are typically 10-12 cloves in 1 head of garlic.
2. One clove of garlic equals about 1/2 a teaspoon of minced garlic.
We will use these 2 basic principles in determining the pricing of fresh garlic that we buy at the store.
| Fresh Garlic | Store & Price | Price per Clove |
| 1 head (5.5 tsp) | Kroger, $0.50 | $0.09 |
| 3 heads (16.5tsp) | Aldi, $1.09 | $0.06 |
| 1 head (5.5 tsp) | Sprouts, $0.69 | $0.12 |
| 1 head (5.5 tsp) | Albertsons, $0.79 | $0.14 |
| 5 heads (27.5 tsp) | Save A Lot, $2.75 | $0.10 |
| 1 head (5.5 tsp) | Walmart, $0.53 | $0.09 |
| Average Cost of Fresh Garlic per clove minced: | $0.10 |
The average cost of a minced clove of garlic (1/2 teaspoon) is about $0.10.
This makes me wonder if pre-peeled garlic is cheaper than buying whole head of garlic. Let’s go ahead and find out!
(Pro tip: the average peeled garlic clove weighs approximately .20 ounces.)
| Pre-Peeled Garlic | Store & Price | Price per Clove |
| 3 lbs peeled garlic (240 cloves) | Sam’s Club, $12.67 | $0.05 |
| 6oz peeled garlic (30 cloves) | Kroger, $2.99 | $0.09 |
| 6oz peeled garlic (30 cloves) | Aldi, $2.65 | $0.08 |
| 6oz peeled garlic (30 cloves) | Albertsons, $4.59 | $0.15 |
| 5lbs peeled garlic (400 cloves) | Costco, $11.18 | $0.03 |
| Average Cost of Peeled Garlic per clove minced: | $0.08 |
The average cost of a minced clove of pre-peeled garlic (1/2 teaspoon) is about $0.08.
This means that you really need to keep an eye on the prices of garlic because buying pre-peeled garlic may be less expensive than buying whole garlic heads.
How much is minced garlic at the grocery store?
Now let’s head over to the pre-minced garlic in the grocery store. Most minced garlic is stored in an oil mixture or water to keep it fresh.
According to most of the jars of already minced garlic, this extra liquid changes the equivalent of a garlic clove. Spice World states the 1 tsp of minced garlic equals 1 clove.
| Minced Garlic | Store & Price | Price per Clove |
| Spice World 8oz jar (45 tsp) | Kroger, $2.99 | $0.06 |
| Stonemill 8oz jar (45 tsp) | Aldi, $2.49 | $0.05 |
| Bellino 7.5oz jar (36 tsp) | Sprouts, $3.49 | $0.09 |
| Signature Select 8oz jar (45tsp) | Albertsons, $3.49 | $0.07 |
| Spice World 9.5 oz jar (53 tsp) | Save A Lot, $3.75 | $0.07 |
| Great Value 32oz jar (181 tsp) | Walmart, $8.26 | $0.04 |
| Average Cost of per cloved of pre-minced garlic: | $0.06 |
The average cost per clove of pre-minced garlic in water or oil comes out to $0.06 per clove. This means you can potentially save 40% by buying garlic pre-minced at the grocery store!
Is it worth it to mince your own garlic cloves?
Mincing your own garlic cloves may add a ton of flavor to your dishes but it may not save you money. I was honestly very surprised to see that buying pre-peeled garlic and already minced garlic can possibly be cheaper options.
Traditionally, the more processed an item is, the most expensive it is to buy it. Just think about the equipment and labor costs that it takes to pre-peel garlic and to go ahead and mince and put it in a jar.
Some of the downsides to mincing your own garlic is the extremely strong smell that can linger on your hands and cutting board. Then there is the length of time that fresh garlic can be stored.
A whole unpeeled head of garlic can last for about 6 months, but once you peel it the clock starts ticking. An individual clove of garlic with the peel left over only lasts about 3 weeks.
Even though it is common to store garlic in the refrigerator, it is actually better to store it at room temperature or even better to store in a dark cool place.
A jar of pre-minced garlic typically lasts for about 3 months in the refrigerator. So, if you use a lot of garlic, then buying pre-minced will probably be the most economical!
For more cost breakdowns of making versus buying, check out “Is it cheaper to buy Limes or Lime Juice?” and “Is it Cheaper to buy Frozen Chicken?“
