Weekly meal prep delivery from a licensed kitchen
Cook ready-to-heat meals in batches in a licensed kitchen and deliver them to local customers each week.
- $2k-8k
- Side hustle
- Own premises
- Licence or permit needed
Estimates for a small start in the US, not guarantees.
Official data
13,222 US businesses with employees in this field, +1.4% in a year
NAICS 722320 “Caterers”. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, County Business Patterns 2023.
What it is
You cook a small weekly menu of ready-to-heat meals, such as lunches, family dinners or fitness-style portions. Customers order ahead and you deliver them in sealed containers. Most states do not let you sell this kind of meal from an ordinary home kitchen, so plan to rent time in a licensed commissary or shared kitchen unless your state or county confirms otherwise.
Your first three steps
- Call your county or state health department to ask what rules apply to selling ready meals. Cottage food laws usually cover only low-risk foods like baked goods, so you will most likely need a licensed commercial or shared kitchen
- Find a shared or commissary kitchen near you and ask about hourly rates, storage and what permits they require
- Test a menu of 4 to 6 meals, work out cost per portion, and set a price with a margin after packaging, kitchen rental and delivery
Who pays
Busy professionals, families, new parents, older adults and people following a set eating plan.
How it makes money
Customers pay per meal or per weekly bundle. Repeat weekly subscribers make your shopping and cooking easier to plan.
Skills that help
- Batch cooking
- Food safety habits
- Planning and time management
- Customer communication
Watch out for
- Check your state and county rules before selling anything: ready meals are usually not allowed from a home kitchen, and the rules vary widely
- A food business or food establishment permit from the health department is likely needed, along with a food handler card or food protection manager certification depending on your state
- Ask your insurer about general liability and product liability cover, and check your auto policy for business delivery driving
- Labeling rules for ingredients and allergens apply to packaged meals, so check them with your state agency
- Sales tax on prepared food varies by state, so check with your state revenue department
- Shared kitchen fees, permits and insurance are ongoing costs to build into your prices
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: weekly meal prep delivery from a licensed kitchen
Researched with live web search for United States: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a meal prep delivery business?
Startup costs are estimated at typically around $2,000 to $8,000, depending on shared kitchen fees, permits, insurance, containers and delivery setup. Shared kitchen fees, permits and insurance are ongoing costs, so build them into your prices.
Can I sell meal prep from my home kitchen?
Check your state and county rules before selling anything, since ready meals are usually not allowed from a home kitchen and rules vary widely. A food business permit from the health department is likely needed, plus a food handler card or manager certification depending on your state.
How much can a meal prep delivery business earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated around $1,500 to $6,000, depending on your menu, prices and how many weekly customers you serve. Plan on at least about 12 hours a week. Also check labeling rules and sales tax on prepared food with your state.
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