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Did you know there is growing demand in the food delivery business for fresh, home cooked food made by skilled cooks in their own kitchens? With the right location and local demand, this can be an effective way to make extra cash or explore options for a catering business. Let’s take a look at how selling home cooked food works, and how you can get started!
Selling food from home may be easier than you think, especially if you have excellent food ideas to sell online. First, you’ll want to check your state laws to see if you are legally allowed to sell food from a home-based business and if you need certification (more on this below). Certain states, like California, make it very easy to sell home cooked food as long as you follow the law. Next, you will find a homemade food marketplace, learn how to sell your homemade snacks online, and start to create listings for potential buyers in your area to view.
It’s a good idea to settle on one specialty food item in the beginning, since this makes preparation easier and allows for more focused branding and sales. For example, if everyone you know loves your blueberry muffins (especially with the secret ingredients you add), it’s a good idea to simply give your muffins a classy name and start selling that one product. Don’t branch out too quickly, and only offer complementary foods when you do.
Once you’ve learned how to sell home cooked food online, you will need to make sure you have plenty of ingredients in stock, plenty of availability, and a schedule for delivering orders in a timely manner. That’s where technology comes in!
A home cooked food app is the perfect companion for selling homemade food online. These apps allow you to set up an account, make schedules, secure payments, add photos, set prices, and receive ratings. They can also suggest easy food to sell to make money and give advice on where to set prices.
If you’re interested in a home cook delivery app, here are several options to start with. Remember, it’s a good idea to check if the app is active in your area, and what restrictions or fees they may have before making a final decision:
Cottage laws are state regulations that often restrict food ideas to sell from home to only foods that are low-risk for problems like foodborne illnesses, which means selling dinners out of your home isn’t always an option (and some states ban all home food sales). Fortunately, allowed foods include many popular options like baked goods, jams and jellies, and pickled goods. Vegetable and meat dishes are not allowed.
Check the details of your cottage laws to see any restrictions involving kitchen space, pets, and refrigeration – laws can vary, and some are stricter than others. No matter the law, you will always need to keep your kitchen space immaculately clean and observe professional cleaning guidelines (gloves and hairnets are also a good idea). See if you need a permit to sell food from home, or specific training for selling home cooked food to the public.
States also have specific requirements beyond your kitchen and foods. Selling food from home Texas, for example, does not require a food license, but other states may require one. Selling food from home in California in 2020 is particularly easy with guidelines for Microenterprise Home Kitchen Operations (which include home inspections), but not all states have such guidelines, so it’s important to do your research!
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The Cake Whisperer
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Castiron provides me a professional site to my customers increasing my credibility and value while giving me the tools to effectively market and manage my business in an easy, user-friendly manner.
Wesley's Treats Hallie's Sweets
Castiron has made my cottage bakery shine, and my business easy to manage. As a platform they care about my business as much as I do.
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Easy to start, created specifically for local, handmade food: Castiron’s website builder was created to help you grow. Create a website in minutes with our templates, sell where and how your customers want to buy, and look professional without being technical. Keep customers coming back with email marketing tools, customer records, and more.
Food entrepreneurs, this is your moment. Your community is more and more conscious about what they buy and where it is from. They want food made with love. With ingredients they can pronounce. And they want to support their community while doing it.
Castiron is the best fit for your food business because we're not a one-size-fits-all tool. Selling local food is different from pre-packaged warehouse products. Whether you sell cooking classes, need local pick up, utilize pre-sales to plan inventory, or need a fully custom order form — we got you.
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