How much does brand-name powder formula cost per ounce?
- A 23-oz tub of Enfamil Premium infant powder formula is about $22 on sale.
- You’ll get about 155 fluid ounces out of the tub of powder formula.
- Cost per Ounce of prepared name-brand powder baby formula: $0.14 per ounce
- A pack of 16 8-oz bottles of Enfamil Premium RTF formula is $38.27.
- That’s 128 total ounces of already-prepared formula
- Cost per ounce of RTF baby formula: $0.29 per ounce
While powder formula is already half the price of ready-to-feed formula, there’s also another huge benefit to powder formula to help you save even more money on baby formula: You can buy powder baby formula in generic, or store brands.
Since we know that name-brand formula isn’t better than generic formula, you can start feeding your baby generic formula whenever you and your pediatrician decide that the time is right.
How much does store-brand generic baby formula cost per ounce?
- A 23-oz can of Target’s Up & Up baby formula costs about $12 when purchased on sale.
- You’ll get about 155 fluid ounces out of the tub of powder formula.
- Cost per ounce of prepared generic baby formula: $0.077 per ounce.
Look at those numbers. You’ll see a savings of up to 75% if you choose to feed your baby powder formula instead of ready-to-feed infant formula!
Readers: What’s your take on this? What brand and type of baby formula have you fed your baby?
margaret says
Two other huge benefits to powder formula: 1. no chilling necessary when take to childcare etc… 2. if you don’t use the whole bottle of already-prepared, it has to be refrigerated. If your child is like mine, she refuses cold milk and thus you have to wait the time it takes to rewarm after pulling back out of the fridge. Powder is ready instantly…at whatever temp your water is.
Jenn M. says
I use Enfamil Prosobee..my daughter refused Parents Choice and Up and Up soy formulas.
Louise says
I liked how nice it was to pull out some already made, but the price was just too much, plus they don’t have it in the nutramigin forumal. My son had ALLERGIES.
Marcie W. says
My oldest also had an allergy and she was on Nutramagen. My second and third both had Parent’s Choice Walmart brand. All 3 are healthy, active, amazing kids now: Ages 3, 5, & 7
siwing says
great post. i’m due in 2 months and am planning to breastfeed, but i always need a backup plan.
Lisa says
With my first I used Target brand soy formula (severe dairy allergy). I am just now beginning to supplement with my daughter and going through the samples I have. After that I’ll be using Babies R Us brand. They are already a great price (comparable to Target/Walmart) and they frequently have coupons for $4 off 2 in their ads. Plus if you are a member of their rewards program you get the 9th can free. I won’t use that many before she is 1, but they are still a great price. They have several different kids to choose from. Target brand is on sale for a great price with a target coupon and $5 gift card back this week though!
Monica says
We used Parent’s Choice Formula with our twins. The hospital sent us home with a bunch of samples of a Name Brand formula. When we ran out and went to the store to get more, we had sticker shock once we realized how expensive it was going to be to feed twins. Unfortunately, I physically could not breast feed, so formula was a necessity. We sat down in the aisle at the store, pulling cans of the various formulas off of the shelf and comparing the nutrition labels. It was surprising to see that they were all just about the same thing, yes the Parent’s Choice was half the price, and for a larger container!
We did a little more research about infant formula, and found out that due to certain guidelines made by the FDA, all infant formulas are required to be made nutritionally equal. So, we didn’t have to worry about sub par nutrition, or having to use more to get the right nutrients, etc… It was essentially buying the same formula, with a different label/price.
In the course of a year of formula feeding twins, we saved nearly $1400. We used that money to get other things that they needed.
There’s a formula calculator on the Parent’s Choice website, and it works for pretty much any store brand… but if you enter the name brand formula you use, or consider using, it’ll show you how much you save by using store brands.
https://parentschoiceformula.com/baby-formula-savings-calculator.aspx
Babies for Days says
Thanks so much for hashing this out! I mentioned you here in my blog: https://babiesfordays.com/2019/01/18/is-breastfeeding-truly-best/