Weekly ready-meal prep and delivery
Cook ready-to-heat meals in a licensed kitchen and deliver them to local households.
- $1.5k-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 prepare a small menu of portioned, labeled meals each week in a licensed commercial or commissary kitchen, then deliver them or arrange pickup for local subscribers.
Your first three steps
- Find a licensed commissary or shared kitchen near you and ask about hourly rates and rules
- Check with your state and county health department which permits you need to sell prepared meals
- Test a 4-meal menu with 5 to 10 pre-orders from friends and local social media groups
Who pays
Busy families, professionals, new parents and people following set eating plans who want home-style food without cooking.
How it makes money
Clients pay per meal or a weekly bundle. Revenue depends on how many subscribers you can cook for each week and on keeping ingredient and kitchen rental costs under control.
Skills that help
- Batch cooking and portioning
- Food safety and labeling
- Menu costing and pricing
- Organizing orders and delivery routes
Watch out for
- Cottage food laws in many states cover only certain low-risk foods, fully cooked refrigerated meals often need a licensed kitchen, check your state's rules
- Health department permit and inspections
- Allergen and nutrition labeling requirements, check what applies to you
- General liability and product liability insurance
- Safe cold storage and delivery to avoid food safety problems
- Sales tax on prepared food, check with your state revenue department
Deep research report · US
Everything you need to start: weekly ready-meal prep and delivery
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 ready-meal prep and delivery business?
Startup costs are typically around $1,500 to $8,000, depending on kitchen access, packaging, cold storage, insurance and permits. These are estimates, so get local quotes for kitchen rental and supplies before you commit.
How much can a meal prep business earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on how many subscribers you serve, your menu pricing and your delivery area. This is an estimate, and ingredient, kitchen and delivery costs come out of it.
Do I need a licensed kitchen to sell ready meals?
Cottage food laws in many states cover only certain low-risk foods, and fully cooked refrigerated meals often need a licensed kitchen, so check your state's rules. Also check health department permits, inspections, allergen and nutrition labeling, and sales tax on prepared food.
Other ways to run this business
Similar food ideas
Small-batch soda wholesale from home
Supply a handful of local shops, food trucks and event organizers with specialty sodas, ordered ahead and delivered in your own car.
- $1.5k-8k
- Side hustle
- From home
Food packaging and consumables supplier
Source jars, labels, pouches and boxes from wholesalers and sell them to small local food makers.
- $1.5k-8k
- Side hustle
- From home
Pop-up teahouse at markets and events
Run a tea table or pop-up teahouse at markets, bookshops and events before committing to a permanent space.
- $1.5k-8k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Vegetarian pop-up dinners
Test your menu with weekend vegetarian meals in borrowed or rented spaces before you commit to a restaurant.
- $2k-8k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Online private-label coffee wholesaler
Source coffee packed under your own brand and sell it in bulk to shops, gift stores and offices, with orders shipped for you.
- $1.5k-8k
- Side hustle
- Online
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