I heard you loud and clear, and I’m trying something completely out of the box for search engine preferences, and instead I’m listening to the people’s preferences. Instead of filling my page with stories and descriptions of this easy homemade taco seasoning and putting the recipe all the way at the end of the page, I’m putting it right up here at the top.

No “Jump to Recipe”. No scrolling through loads of text. And just my real, raw photos done with screenshots from my TikTok video for homemade taco seasoning. If you want to read all my extra information, please feel free to scroll down below. If not, enjoy this easy seasoning recipe, and enjoy your tacos!

Why use homemade taco seasoning?

There are a number of reasons to use homemade taco seasoning instead of the store bought packaged seasoning. 

The number one reason I would say is because you know all the ingredients that you’re putting in the seasoning mix. There are no hidden surprises or unwanted ingredients.

Another reason is salt content. Most pre-made mixes are high in sodium content. When you make your own taco seasoning you can control how much salt is added. If you follow this recipe as shown above, it will already have less salt content than the premade version. If you want even less, add less.

And lastly, similar to the reason mentioned about to make your own homemade taco seasoning is that you can control the quantities of every single ingredient to your own personal preferences. 

This recipe I’ve provided is really a suggestion, a starting point. Now, it has been adjusted and created to make something I think is pretty darn good, but if your family doesn’t like a certain spice, omit it. If you like a lot of garlic or extra spice, add it! I do suggest making this recipe as is to start with and see what you think. Then if you want to make adjustments to your own personal preferences, go for it!

Personalizing the taste of your taco seasoning is not something you can do when you buy a pre-packaged mix.

Is it cheaper to make your own taco seasoning?

Well, let’s break it down and see. These numbers for taco seasoning ingredients are based on my own personal costs, and the closest estimate I could come up with. Prices will vary based on your location as well as the brand of spices purchased. But at least will give you an estimate.

Prices for premade taco seasoning mixes:
Aldi brand (1 oz) = $0.49
McCormick from Walmart (1 oz) = $0.97
Ortega or McCormick large containers = $0.30 per ounce
Homemade = $0.48 per ounce

Now let’s break down the cost of this homemade recipe. These are the closest estimates I could come up with, so notice the word estimate. The exact cost could be off by a few cents. If you want to know how I came up with my estimates, here’s what I did. I figured out how many teaspoons are in each bottle of spice that I purchase (because this recipe is done mostly in teaspoons). I divided the cost of the spice by the number of teaspoons in each bottle then multiplied that per teaspoon cost by the number of teaspoons listed in the recipe for each type of spice.

Here’s the breakdown of my cost:
Kosher salt 3 tsp = $0.04
Ground pepper 3 tsp = $0.51
Onion powder 1 1/2 tsp = $0.09
Garlic powder 1 1/2 tsp = $0.08
Oregano leaves 1 1/2 tsp = $0.09
Paprika 2 tsp = $0.14
Cumin 4 1/2 tsp = $.38
Chili powder 3 Tbsp = $0.57

The final cost is $1.90 for the full recipe which is an estimated 4 oz
So the cost per ounce is $0.48 per ounce

If you reference above, you will see that the cheapest option looks to be buying taco seasoning in bulk. But if you’re going for cheapest you still need to check prices. The ones I listed above are 2 options I found at Walmart. the Sam’s Club bulk option was more expensive.

When you compare the cost of homemade taco seasoning to the cost of the pre-made mixes, the cost is fairly comparable to most options. It may not be any cheaper in the end, but it is definitely a better option! Tastes better, and you know exactly what is going in to your taco seasoning.

Check out all my other recipes here. Most of them are quick and easy because I’m a busy mom that doesn’t have a lot of time.

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