If you love baking with almond flour, but don’t love how expensive it is at the grocery store, try making it at home! It’s cheaper than store-bought options, and is ready in just minutes when you use a food processor or blender.
Can You Substitute Almond Flour for All-Purpose Flour?
One of the most common questions I am asked is how you would substitute almond flour for all-purpose flour, to make a recipe healthier or naturally gluten-free. If a recipe calls for eggs, I’ve found that you can usually swap almond flour for all-purpose flour using a 1:1 ratio, which makes it an ideal alternative. However, I recommend testing this with a recipe before serving it to company.
Because almond flour is higher in fat and protein than all-purpose flour, it’s not the best substitute when making a loaf of bread or anything cake-like that does NOT call for eggs. Instead, I recommend looking for almond flour recipes that have already been tested, so you won’t have to do the guesswork and potentially waste ingredients.
How Healthy is Almond Flour?
Compared to white all-purpose flour, almond flour is high in protein and monounsaturated fats to help leave you feeling satisfied. Just one ounce of almonds has 6 grams of protein and 3.5 grams of fiber!
Because almond flour is simply ground almonds, which are a good source of magnesium, it may also help with blood sugar control and lowering blood pressure levels.
Is Almond Flour Considered Low-Carb?
I think almond flour is a great choice for low-carb baking. A 1/4 cup of blanched almond flour has 6 grams of carbohydrates and 3 grams of fiber, so it has 3 grams of net carbs. For comparison, a 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour has nearly 24 grams of carbohydrates and less than 1 gram of fiber.
Is Almond Flour Good for Keto?
If you’re following a keto diet and need a flour alternative, I think almond flour is a good option since it has only 3 grams of net carbs. On a Keto diet I wouldn’t imagine that you’d want to make too many sweet baked goods, but you can make low-carb almond flour pancakes without maple syrup to get a bread-like fix!
What is the Lowest Carb Flour?
If you’re interested in other gluten-free & grain-free flours, I thought it might be fun to compare a few options. Below you’ll see the amount of “net carbohydrates” (which are the carbohydrates minus the fiber) in 1/4 cup of the following flours:
- Almond Flour: 3 net carbs
- Coconut Flour: 4 net carbs
- Tigernut Flour: 9 net carbs
- Cassava Flour: 25 net carbs
- Arrowroot Starch: 27 net carbs
As you can see, almond flour is the lowest carb flour, followed closely by coconut flour. Keep in mind however, that you can not substitute almond flour for coconut flour. Instead, look for coconut flour recipes that have been specifically developed to use that high-fiber flour.
Is Homemade Almond Flour Cheaper Than Store-Bought?
How does the cost of making homemade flour compare to buying it at the store? It used to be more of a drastic difference (close to a savings of $3 per pound), but I’m updating this post to reflect current 2019 prices.
Here’s the math:
- 8 oz. blanched slivered almonds from Trader Joe’s currently costs $3.49. That comes to about $0.44 per ounce.
- One pound of blanched almond flour from Trader Joe’s currently costs $7.49, which comes to abouve $0.47 per ounce.
- 3 pounds of Honeyville Blanched Almond Flour (from Amazon with free shipping) currently costs $23.35. That comes to $0.47 per ounce.
So, when you make your own almond flour you save roughly $0.50 per pound. This cost savings might not be motivation enough for you to make your own almond flour at home, but there’s still an advantage to those who can’t find prepared almond flour in their area.
It’s also nice to make your own almond flour if you don’t need that much of it for a recipe. If you only need a 1/2 cup of almond flour, you can easily grind your own without worrying about storing the rest of a big bag for months.
Almond Flour vs. Ground Almonds
When a recipe calls for almond flour, it’s most likely referring to blanched almond flour, which is made from almonds that have had their skin removed. Blanched almond flour is great for making authentic-looking baked goods with no brown flecks in the batter.
Ground whole almonds are referred to as “almond meal” and can be used interchangeably in most almond flour recipes. However, keep in mind that the texture and appearance will be slightly different if you make this swap. Almond meal tends to make baked goods more cake-like in texture, so cookies won’t be as crisp or buttery with this alternative.
How to Make Your Own Almond Flour
Making your own almond flour at home is as simple as adding blanched almonds to your food processor or blender, and processing them until they are finely ground. However, there are a few tips & best practices to keep in mind:
- One cup of slivered almonds = about one cup of almond flour.
- One 8 oz. bag of these raw blanched slivered almonds turned into exactly 2 cups of almond flour–> just what you need for my almond flour cookie recipe!
- Only proess one cup of almonds at a time. Blending more than that creates an uneven texture, so you’ll wind up with clumps of un-ground almonds.
- If you don’t mind seeing specks of brown in your resulting baked goods, you can also use regular whole almonds (non-blanched) to make almond meal. Almond meal makes “cakier” baked goods, rather than giving baked goods a buttery, shortbread-texture the way almond flour does.
I find that I get the best, most finely-ground results using my Vitamix blender, but a food processor can definitely be used if that’s all you have. The resulting baked goods will just be slightly grainier that way.
How to Make Almond Flour (Cheaper than Store-Bought!)
Ingredients
- 8 ounces blanched almonds , whole or slivered
Instructions
- Place the blanched almonds in a high-speed blender or food processor, and process until they are finely ground. If using a high-speed blender, be sure not to over-process as the almonds will eventually start to release their oils and become almond butter.
- For best results, do not blend more than 8 ounces of almonds at a time. (I tried using 16 ounces and couldn't get them evenly ground.) For the most finely-ground results, I've found a blender works best, but the flour I made in the food processor also works for making almond flour recipes-- the final product is just slightly grainier.
- Store leftover almond flour in an airtight container in a dark pantry, or better yet in the fridge or freezer for the longest shelf life. Almond flour can keep well for up to one year if it's not exposed to heat or moisture.
Nutrition
Per 1/4 cup: Calories: 167, Fat: 14g, Carbohydrates: 5g, Fiber: 2g, Protein: 6g
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I hope this helps you all create even more almond-flour-based goodies in the future!
Reader Feedback: Have you tried making your own flours before? Let me know your favorite way to use almond flour in the comments below!
Hey, I’d like to hear another voice about almond flour. I went online and found “5 reasons to avoid almond flour”. The author of the article sounds like she knows what she’s talking about and some of what she says makes sense.(I think) i.e. If you start with a handful of nuts, and grind them into flour, you end with a fraction of the volume you started with. So to follow that strand of logic: One cookie could be 2 handfuls of almonds.
Can you get back to me on this?
Signed confused!
Yes, that logic makes sense, which is why you’d want to eat any almond flour baked goods in moderation. I don’t see anything wrong with eating 2 handfuls of almonds, though!
Also, I should mention that when I make my own almond flour 1 cup of slivered almonds usually makes about 1 cup of ground almond flour, so it’s not too drastic of a difference portion-wise.
Deborah, I found another voice re avoiding almond flour:
5 Reasons That Blog on Avoiding Almond Flour Missed the Mark
http://gapsdiary.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/5-reasons-that-blog-on-avoiding-almond-flour-missed-the-mark/
Hi Megan,
Have you ever tried using the Oscar Neo Juicers? They are a cold-press juicer and thus you receive the maximum amount of enzymes and nutrients that would otherwise be missing in a juicer that uses heat.
Here’s a link: http://www.oscarjuicers.com.au/neo-da-1000/
A bit expensive but it comes with 12year warranty I think. I have never looked back since I started using it! Now, I must get myself a vitamix!
I am trying to make almond milk today and it seems a bit bland,and I am trying to do the candida diet to get rid of sugar and yeast. Thoughts on the stevia amount to add or just drink it as it is?
Second, I am using the pulp of the almonds to make my own almond flour and to find a recipe in your blog to make cookies or something using the flour. I will let you know how making my own flour from pulp turns out!
I do the same thing with saving the almond “flour” from making almond milk. Regarding sweetener, I do 1 cup of almonds to three cups of water and after blending thoroughly blend in 3 Tbsp of pure maple syrup and 1.5 tsp vanilla extra (my kids like it a little sweet). It’s really good!
I just found this site today and it’s amazing…so many recipes on here I want to veganize and try 🙂 Just my two cents with the flour…make nut milk, strain it in a nut milk bag, take the leftover pulp, let your Excalibur do its thing, then take the dried pulp and grind it. I’ve used both a coffee grinder and a hand crank grain grinder (this can gunk up a coffee grinder pretty bad) This produces a very light fluffy flour rather than a meal. This works with any nuts, seeds, and coconut (I make my own coconut milk, too). Thing about the coconut, it’s not as dense, so it’ll fly all around the dehydrator. You gotta leave it inside the nut milk bag or find some other way to anchor it while it’s drying.
In my experience, the “flour” from almond pulp doesn’t bake the same way that almond meal does, but the following recipes specifically call for almond pulp flour:
https://detoxinista.com/2013/05/grain-free-fudgy-brownies/
https://detoxinista.com/2013/03/raw-cookie-dough-bites-vegan/
I bought the big bag of raw almonds from Sam’s Club. I used my food processor to make the almond flour. it is not fine like flour but definitely works for baking. It gives whatever you make a more nutty flavor. I made almond flour banana bread, I really like it!
Hi Anne,
can you send me the recipe? Is it on Pinterest?
thanks,
Jiji
I am making a carrot soufflé the Paleo way. Using almond flour in lieu of wheat flour, so my gluten free friends can also enjoy this dish for Rosh Hashanah. The packaged flour was $9.00. I used a 1/4 cup of slivered almonds, 18 seconds in the Vita Mix and voila – beautiful almond flour in seconds. Thanks for you tips.
Just wondering how long does the almond flour last until it rots?
Would you recommend this idea? I was thinking of soaking my almonds first, dehydrating them and then making the almond flour in my food processor or nutribullet, it has a blade for milling. The first time I made almond flour I used the raw almonds and my food processor, the cookies came out great but the flour is more grainy. I also made almond flour banana bread the same way but again every bite is very nutty. I was thinking if I did the soak / dehydrate method it might be less grainy, any ideas are welcome, I am a newbie to whole foods like this and I am loving learning and eating more nutritiously
I’ve made my own almond flour and thought that I’d make it easy and buy some. Fresh Market had a tiny bag for 12.99! I was so shocked I walked out of the store. Not to mention I wanted Chia Seeds as well and they were a rip off too. Looks like I’m making my own almond flour from here on out.
I actually have a good recipe that makes it very close to a flour consistency!
I found that COSTCO (wholesale club) has whole almonds @ $13 for a 3lb. bag.
Also, did anyone consider the caloric count? For instance, almond flour has 45 cals. for 2 tablespoons! Be careful when preparing cakes, muffins etc. It can really add up.
Go Paleo!
Hey there! My name is Dee, I love all your recipes, I’m restricting myself day by day to a more natural, paleo like diet
However, I’ve read that almond flour is not good for you at all, if not eaten in moderation, and is only best to eat merely once every couple of weeks, this websites states more information, backed up with accurate biological significant information: http://empoweredsustenance.com/avoid-almond-flour/
Is that true? According to the website I might stick to coconut flour
I was wandering, do you happen to have a homemade coconut flour recipe made from dessicated/shredded coconut?
I imagine you can keep extra almond flour in the freezer. I put reg flour in there all the time and it keeps forever, does NOT get hard and no bug troubles. It is fresh as a daisy when you need it.
I went to Trader Joe’s yesterday, that they just opened recently near me. Their blanched, slivered almonds were $3.49 per 8 oz. bag. Not sure if this is going to be more economical for me since it’s $1.00 more per bag. Bummer!
Hi! Weird question but I have a baby bullet with a milling blade. Is that similar to the Vitamix?
Did you use the dry canister on the vitamix or the regular container? Sorry if you answered this question already.
I only own the regular canister, so I use it for everything!
Love your website and soooo much information. Do you know how long almond meal will last before going bad? And can it be frozen?
Hi Megan,
Question: Since Bob’s Almond Meal is a little too course, can I run it through my Vita Mix to make it finer like HoneyVille Farms? I have some on hand and want to use before I try making my own as you suggested above.
Thank you,
Mary
Yes, you should be able to make your flour finer by running it through your VitaMix. Happy Baking!
I love this post! I make my own almond flour too using unblanched raw almonds from Aldi. It seems like mine is either really grainy and “Chunky” or it gets a little too far and starts to butter a little bit. I use a Vitamix for mine and I think the power is just really strong but that is really the best way to do it. Any tips on how to get it not to butter? I use a liquid canister so maybe that is the issue?
I love this post though!!! Thanks for the tips!
When I use the Vitamix, I never process more than one cup of almonds at a time to make flour– if you use more than that, and the almonds on the bottom will start to turn into butter, while the almonds on top don’t get ground finely enough!
You need a Thermomix. It mills faster and finer than any other processor ( as well as being able to cook these ground nuts/ grains to make your own economical nut/grain milks.
Would a Ninja blender suffice for must of the recipes here?
Thank you for this post!! I also love almond flour but it does get pricey so it’s a good option to make your own! Will give this a try 🙂
I have a bag of sliced almonds with the skins on. Can i use these to make almond flour or must they be slivered without skins. It’s my first time trying this in a vitamix
My daughter buys almonds from nuts.com on the recommendation of her nutritionist. She has an auto-immune health issue, so it is important for her to be careful. Nuts.com offers so many varieties of nuts, dried fruits, etc., some organic, some not. The almonds she buys are from Spain, are not cross-contaminated, and are not treated with whatever most almonds are treated with that makes them relatively unsafe for our bodies. I tried the almonds she buys and did not like the taste at all, so I’m sticking with Trader Joe’s raw almonds, but she uses them to make almond milk and really likes them for that purpose.
Thanks for this. I just started being completely grain free and this will help me cuz almond flour is so expensive.
Trader Joe’s now sells ground almonds for either 3.99 or 4.99/ 16 oz.
I made almond flour for the first time today and I am in the process of making coconut flour as well. I’m so excited to try new things on my quest to a healthier lifestyle. Thanks Megan for sharing your wealth of information with us!
Does almond flour have to be refrigerated or is it okay to leave it in a sealed jar in the pantry? I want to keep it as fresh as possible! Any tips?
Hi Megan,
just found your site and am super excited about so many of your recipes.
Another reason to make your own almond flour is that you have control over which almonds to use.
Unfortunately all almond orchards that are not organic are sprayed with Glyphosate. And it penetrates the entire plant.
So, even though I only heard wonderful things about honeyville flour, unless it becomes organic I will pass it.
thanks again for all the wonderful recipes.
I really like your blog, I’ve tried a few things so far pretty good!
I make almond flour a little differently, I just dry the left over meal from when making almond milk. Once the almond meal is totally dried (I air dry it for a day or two by spreading it out) I simply process it to a fine powder/flour consistency…so I not only make milk but almond flour.
I wonder if there’s a major difference between our different techniques…
Thx!
I call that “almond pulp flour” because it bakes VERY differently than regular almond flour, as much of the fat and flavor are removed when you make almond milk. I wouldn’t substitute almond pulp flour in recipes calling for traditional almond flour, as the results will not be the same, but I do have a couple recipes on this website that were developed specifically for using leftover almond pulp flour.
Trader Joe’s sells almond meal at $4.99/lb. Doesn’t seem worth the effort to buy the slivers at $2.49 for 8 oz and grind them.
Almond meal and blanched almond flour produce different results in baking, especially with cookies, but I actually prefer the cakey-texture that almond meal provides. If you want a crisp or shortbread-like cookie, grinding your own blanched almonds may be worth the extra effort.
For those of you who process a lot of seeds/ nuts into flour or butter, I highly recommend an omega nutrition center which is an auger style juicer. It crushes the nuts and seeds rather than chopping them and keeps them at a fairly low temperature. It will also crush raw cacao nibs, juice hard vegetables and leafy greens, and extrude pasta! The truly wonderful thing about the auger function that sets the omega apart from other juicers, and even the vitamix, is that since it crushes instead of chops and swirls, it does not oxygenate the juice. The micro nutrients and live enzymes are preserved also due to the low heat. A good deal of the fiber is separated from the juice in the process which can be added back in or set aside for use in soups and other recipes. I HIGHLY recommend one as a tool in any organic kitchen. I have been juicing vegetables from my garden and making almond, sunflower seed, cashew and other butters for years.
I tried to make coconut flour today from desiccated coconut. It is VERY coarse. I took it through the food processor and then a coffee grinder. Any suggestions? Can I bake with it? Also, what Vitamix do you use? I know this is an old entry (2012?) haha! Well, I have been googling “coconut and almond flour” today and reading lots of different posts & suggestions. I am new to Paleo and really want to make the most of this by cooking and baking with variety. Thanks for your help!
I’m sorry people, non of the almonds mentioned above are really raw. The reason they are so inexpensive is that they have been pasteurized. The FDA demanded that the California growers pasteurize their almonds but that they could continue to label them raw. So many of the health benefits of almonds have disappeared in the process. If you look for almonds from Spain or Italy – they do not do that. A handful of almond growers who protest this mandate have their raw almonds in a “roadside cart” on their website. Really raw almonds are available in health food stores and are labeled – non pasteurized. They run about $10.00 a lb.
I soak, dry and vitamix these to get great healthy almond flour.
Raw almonds aren’t really necessary for making almond flour, since most recipes require it be baked at 350F, but there’s also a great discussion on raw almonds here: https://detoxinista.com/2012/08/are-your-almonds-truly-raw/
Well, I am officially a fan!!! I had no idea I could make all these treats and not feel guilty or bad about the ingredients. I am now making my own almond milk, butter and flour for baking treats. I also made my own coconut flour and cant wait to bake with that! thank you!!!!
Thanks so much for the tip! I’ve made three batches in my Cuisineart hand blender/chopper attachment and it worked great! It might be a little heavy on the motor, though, so I wouldn’t recommend using it often. The slivered almonds are so much easier to process than whole almonds. I look forward to trying more of your ingenious recipes!!
Oops – I thought this was the post on almond butter. I’ve made three successful batches of that, but almond flour is super easy in my little machine!
i was also trying to find a cheaper way to make almond flour, but at this price, why not just buy the bag of almond meal from traders at $4.99 a pound! same price and already ground! it’s the cheapest ive found!
5lb bag of Almond Flour $48.98 (1.26.2016) from Amazon.
almond meal and blanched almond flour are very different in baking. The latter is a a lot lighter, both in color and texture
I’ve thought of using the almond meal leftover from my almond milk making to create almond flour. Have you done this? I hate to see all of that almond pulp go to waste in the compost bin!
You sure can! You just have to dry it REALLY well first-I’ve found spreading it out on a baking sheet and putting it in the oven on rather a low temp possible for an extended period of time (check it regularly, but it takes a while) will work well. Once it’s dry you can grind it right up. Unfortunately, a lot of the almond-ness of those nuts went into that delicious milk you made-the fats, liquids, and a lot of the flavour. That means it doesn’t taste-or bake-quite like regular almond flour. There are some recipes that specifically call for it. Otherwise, I’ve found that mixing one part of the “pulp flour” with anywhere from one to three parts regular almond flour (or almond meal if you prefer) works very well depending on what you’re making. It’s all trial and error. Luckily, the errors are almost always delicious!
Use it to thicken soups and stews. Mix with yogurt fof breakfast, lunch or dinner or in your own veggie burgers so you don’t even need to dry it.
Can you use the almond pulp that you are left with after making almond milk as a substitute for almond flour in most recipes? Thank you!
Has anyone tried a Bamix? I tried and it didnt turn out so well-it turned to paste
You just let it go too long-you have to give it little quick pulses and watch it carefully. You can check it ten or fifteen seconds in and if it’s still too gritty and grainy you can give it a few more pulses. Trial and error, mate! If you end up with pasty stuff again though, mix it a bit longer and you’ll have almond butter (although some like a pinch of sugar in their almond butter-I like it as-is).
Are Almond Blend Flour and Almond Flour the same?
I’ve never heard of Almond Blend Flour, but you can check by just looking at the ingredient list– if the only ingredient is ground almonds, it should be the same!
Oh my, I have been trying to make perfect macarons, but I’m SO hesitant to make them because almond flour is so dang expensive! I was about to grind some whole almonds, but thanks to you, I won’t be breaking my processor tonight!
Just recently found your site after searching to see how to make my own Almond Flour – I’ll do anything to help save some money.
I have a Vitamix 5200 with the 64-oz container – but do not have the dry container.
I wanted to know if you’ve ever made amaranth flour from grains? Would my wet container work like you said it did for the almonds?
Thanks.
[I had a Vitamix years ago then sold it (yeah, really dumb move) and recently purchased the 5200 – very similar to my 1st one. Thought I wanted the smaller container & would work for smoothies but I’ve been ‘cooking’ with mine & too often I’m glad I have the 64-oz]
I have made amaranth flour in the Vitamix, but I found it to have a very bitter taste, so I didn’t like using it for baking. I don’t have the dry container, either– I use the wet one that it comes with for everything!
Thank you so much for your prompt reply.
-I don’t think I’ll be baking anything with Amaranth But I’ve not looked over all the recipes. – I’m beginning a 2-wk or more Anti-Fungal diet. So I’ll be staying away from sugar and the usual flours.
Actually searching for this diet and contents has taken me to sites like this one and I’m learning a great deal about what to eat (or not eat).
And how to make my own milk, flours, etc (Almond, Coconut, etc.) as well as how to make my own Vanilla. Has been interesting and exciting.
Thank you for having this site so that we can all learn how to eat & live correctly.
Hi,
I really love your recipes but I recently read that almond flour is not so great because it slows your metabolism. I forget where I read this but they strongly recommended coconut flour. do your know anything about this?
on another note, do you have a low carb recipe site?
Thanks!
J
You mentioned that 1 cup slivered almonds makes 1 cup almond flour. But then you said an 8oz package (usually 1 cup) makes 2 cups almond flour. Is 8oz of slivered almonds 2 cups instead thus 4 cups per pound of slivered almonds?
It’s been a while since I’ve made almond flour using these slivered almonds, but all of the measurements are rough estimates and can vary depending on how finely you grind the almonds. If you were to blend the whole bag of almonds into a butter, the 8 oz. would make just one cup of almond butter, but thanks to the airy and fluffy texture of almond flour it tends to take up more volume. On average, 3 cups of whole almonds equals 16 oz. but in my experience the slivered almonds have a different volume when compared to whole almonds. To be on the safe side, I usually grind more almonds than I think I’ll need, just to make sure I have enough almond flour for a recipe. The extras can be stored in the fridge or freezer to extend shelf life.
Okay . . . So, I know it’s been almost TWO years since Cynthia posted her question, but for others that come through here and see this comment/question raised about quantities of flour created from the quantity of nuts, I’d like to point out/remind people of something that is really SUPER easy to forget!
She says that from ONE CUP of slivered almonds she got ONE CUP of almond flour. She’s talking about ONE VOLUME CUP to ONE VOLUME CUP.
She then goes on to say that from an EIGHT OUNCE BAG of slivered almonds she got TWO CUPS of almond flour. HERE in THIS instance you have to remember the EIGHT OUNCE BAG IS BY WEIGHT NOT VOLUME and the TWO CUPS of almond flour created is TWO CUPS BY VOLUME! You have to pay attention to whether something is being measure by weight or by volume.
I know it can get really confusing! I get myself turned around frequently, and then have my AH-HAAA! moment a few seconds later when I realize I’m trying to compare apples to oranges! It makes it SO much easier when you compare your apples to apples and your oranges to oranges . . . so to speak. 😉 I hope this helps clear up anyone else’s confusion about the measurements! Sure hope my dribble is helpful to someone!
Great site, by the way! I too just found you after doing a Google search to see what I could find about making my own almond flour. I’ve been making my own almond butter in my food processor, but for some reason, it hadn’t occurred to me until just a couple of days ago that I might be able to make my own flour and save myself some money. NOW, what I’m REALLY interested in is to go and compare the prices of the nuts for blanched vs. non-blanched. I’m guessing that if you blanch the nuts yourself , that it will be even cheaper. I followed the link for your Honeyville brand and I was SHOCKED to see that it had gone up in price by $12.00 and change in the last FOUR YEARS since you had made this post. Unbelievable!
How long do you leave the almonds in the vitamix and what speed? I get so scared that I’ll end up with almond butter.
Also check out Buy Fresh California Almonds. I’ve purchased them and was very happy. No engine oil to sanitize them.
Thank you so much …. I work retail and stock/order almond flour! The thought of going paleo has been on my mind and finally jumping in 100%, but was scared to cut out the bread that I THINK my body craves! I have tried making my own almond flour in the past and find my food processor works better than my nutribullet, and found it to be a bit grainy/chunky. Reading your blog has encouraged me to keep trying and not give up ….. trial and error makes a lot of yummy things along the way.
Looking forward to seeing some insane results to my workouts with this new dietary change.
costco has a huge bag of raw almonds for about $16. 3lbs of almonds! That’s a huge savings!