Is it Cheaper to make or buy Meatballs?
Meatballs are a great addition to any dinner. Whether it is meatballs on top of spaghetti, Swedish meatballs, or a meatball sub: they are all tasty!
I am a huge fan of homemade meatballs, but I started wondering if premade fresh meatballs or frozen meatballs would be a cheaper option. Let’s break down and compare the costs to find the cheapest meatball option!
How much do homemade meatballs cost?
For our cost breakdown of homemade meatballs, we will be using a basic recipe from Betty Crocker. For the full recipe, click here.
| Homemade Meatball Ingredients | Cost |
| 1 lb ground beef (at least 80%) | $4.84 |
| 1/2 cup breadcrumbs | $0.15 |
| 1/4 cup milk | $0.06 |
| 1/2 tsp salt | $0.01 |
| 1/2 tsp Worcestershire sauce | $0.01 |
| 1/4 tsp pepper | $0.02 |
| 1 small onion | $0.94 |
| 1 egg | $0.18 |
| Total Cost to Make Homemade Meatballs: $6.21 (24 meatballs) | Cost per Meatball: 25.8 cents |
To make a batch of homemade meatballs costs about $6.21, which comes out to 25.8 cents per meatball.
If you want to lower this cost, you can switch out the ground beef for ground turkey or ground pork. You can also skip the onion and just add some onion powder or garlic powder for seasoning.
How much do fresh meatballs cost?
Lots of stores now offer freshly made meatballs in the meat section. These are ready to cook at home, but you don’t have to actually mix the meat and form the balls yourself. Let’s see what these cost at the grocery store.
| Fresh Meatballs & Number of Meatballs | Store & Price | Cost per Meatball |
| Publix Meatballs, 12 count | Publix, $11.78 | $0.98 |
| Mild Italian Meatballs, 12 count | Aldi, $4.65 | $0.39 |
| Carando Italian Meatballs, 8 count | Target, $5.89 | $0.74 |
| Fresh Market Meatballs, 24 count | The Fresh Market, $12.99 | $0.54 |
| Gourmet Italian Meatballs, 24 count | Sprouts, $6.99 | $0.29 |
| Average Cost for Premade Fresh Meatballs: | $0.58 per meatball |
The average cost of premade meatballs came out to about $0.58 per meatball. This was over twice as much as a homemade meatball with a cost of $0.26.
The meatballs from Sprouts came out cheapest with a cost of $0.29 each but that is still more than making them yourself.
How much does frozen meatballs cost?
The easiest kind of meatballs to buy are the ones in the frozen food section. Let’s see what they cost per meatball to see if they are a good deal.
| Frozen Meatballs & Number of Meatballs | Store & Price | Cost per Meatball |
| Great Value Italian style 32oz bag, 66 meatballs | Walmart, $6.24 | 9.4 cents each |
| Publix Homestyle Meatballs 16oz bag, 15 meatballs | Publix, $6.19 | 41.2 cents each |
| Bremer Original Meatballs 32oz bag, 64 meatballs | Aldi, $6.15 | 9.6 cents each |
| Members’ Mark 6lb bag, 140 meatballs | Sam’s Club, $17.90 | 12.7 cents each |
| Cooked perfect Homestyle Meatballs 18oz bag, 36 meatballs | Sprouts, $9.99 | 27.7 cents each |
| Kirkland Italian Style Meatballs 6lb bag, 140 meatballs | Costco, $24.87 | 17.7 cents each |
| Rosina Italian Style 12oz bag, 24 meatballs | Winn-Dixie, $6.56 | 27.3 cents each |
| Armour Original Meatballs 14oz bag, 26 meatballs | Food Giant, $4.79 | 18.4 cents each |
| Average Cost of Each Frozen Meatball: | 20.5 cents each |
The average cost per meatball of a bag of frozen meatballs comes out to 20.5 cents each. This is much cheaper than homemade or premade fresh meatballs from the store.
If your family enjoys meatballs often, it will be much cheaper to buy frozen meatballs and have them in your freezer.
Pro Tip: You do not have to use the whole bag of meatballs for one meal. We routinely only use 1/2 a bag of meatballs and use a twist tie to save the other half for another meal.
Is it worth it to make homemade meatballs?
Even though a bag of frozen meatballs is cheaper than making meatballs yourself, I wouldn’t rule out doing it.
Personally, I don’t like the flavor of many frozen meatballs and most brands use a mix of pork, turkey, chicken, and beef. If you buy the premium all beef meatballs, the price will be higher.
It is so easy to make meatballs yourself, and the flavor of homemade is truly superior. As long as I can get the ground meat for a decent price, I will make them myself.
Occasionally, if I find frozen meatballs for a super cheap, I may pick some up to have in the freezer. I rarely purchase them at full price though.
For more cost breakdowns of making it yourself vs buying, check out “Is it Cheaper to make or buy Gluten Free Bread?” and “Is it Cheaper to make or buy Granola?“
