What Can I Cook and Sell From Home?

When I first started cooking at home, I wondered if there was a way of monetizing. After some research and trial and error, I’ve put together this helpful article to explain what you can cook and sell from home.

So, what can you cook and sell from home? You can cook any food that is easy to make and has inexpensive ingredients. Examples are kebabs, ice cream, nuts, and pizza. I have included a full list in this article of some of the best foods to cook and sell from home for you to choose from. 

Before you start selling, please check local, state laws, and FDA restrictions on what you can and cannot cook at home to sell.

There is also a range of business models you could follow when selling from home. So, below I will explain them and helpful general tips about running a successful cook it at home business.

What is the best food to sell?

Apart from those already mentioned above, the following foods are good to cook and sell from home. They are very popular, and people are willing to pay decent money for quality versions of these foods and drinks.

1. Toasts

Some bread, cheese, ham, or tuna are delicious and satisfying when fried. Keeping it crispy on the outside, and salty, and nutritious on the inside. You can whip these up within 5 minutes once you get the hang of it.

The ingredients would cost you about $1.00 for top quality. So, you could sell them for $3 or more. It is so easy to reach people these days online. Once the word gets out that you have delicious toasties, you will have more demand than you can keep up with.

Although this is an easy starter recipe to get started with, there are many more that could suit you better.

2. Pop corn

Everyone loves popcorn. During a late-night Netflix session, people might want some popcorn delivered with a convenient app. If you’re in the neighborhood, you could cook up a batch.

Like any business, you will soon get repeat customers. Take 1 minute to cook it, and another minute to package it. You could sell them for $7 a pop delivered for a big carton. It would take you 2 minutes and cost you $1.

You could get creative and add gourmet toppings. Some parents will want them as a healthy afternoon snack. Once you’ve marketed your business enough, it can become a part-time side hustle, bringing in $200 a week.

3. BBQ

Charcoal barbeque, in particular, can be extremely popular and delicious. You can enjoy some barbeque and then sell some on the side to people you know. You can put a message on your Facebook page.

Once people see you a few times, they’ll be chomping to get some delicious BBQ.

4. French fries

Ever since Mcdonald’s began offering these, they have become a widespread favorite. The secret of fries is the seasoning. Chicken flavored salt, lemon pepper, and other seasonings can create an addictive experience.

Making your customers come back for more and more. You would need a deep fryer, and these can be picked up relatively cheaply on Amazon or Sheepbuy. Apart from french fries, you can also deep fry onion rings, fish, bananas, among other foods.

5. Fried onion rings

Onion rings are one of those foods that makes a perfect snack. It can also make an excellent side to your customers’ meal. They are super easy to make and package. Just deep fry them for a few minutes.

You can make them by the batch, but they taste best warm when the oil is still liquid. Once they get cold, they may taste a bit bland and soggy.

6. Fried chicken wings

Fried chicken wings take considerably longer to cook than the other foods I previously talked about. But they can be popular—especially hot and spicy types.

These are relatively easy to make, and you can experiment with different seasonings and add ons.

7. Coffee

Not everyone has a coffee machine. There is a big difference between coffee made in a plunger or on a coffee machine. Coffee lovers wouldn’t mind getting charged a pretty penny for a quality cup of joe.

You could invest in one and deliver to nearby offices or to people who work from home. You would need to sell about 30 cups to make USD$100 a day. So, think about how long that would take you and what you could realistically do.

8. Soda.

This is an add on item that you can sell on top of other foods. Because 7/11’s and other stores are so close by, it seems infeasible to only sell sodas to nearby residents.

9. Hot dogs

These are a favorite and often appear in movies. Give them a gourmet twist by cooking them on charcoal. Adding interesting and delicious sauces and toppings can set your hot dog business on the right foot.

Although they got a bad wrap for being unhealthy, you could think about branding your hot dog stand to address health concerns. You could model successful companies like Subway.

10. Corn dogs

For those who don’t know, a corn dog is a deep-fried sausage that is covered in batter. They are a common snack food at festivals, the circus, and specialty friend food restaurants.

Creating a corn dog that is a step up from what you usually get will set you apart in the corn dog niche once you make a name for yourself.

11. Grilled cheese

These are a student classic, but also a weekly favorite for many of us. These golden crunchy perfections are sure to hit the spot. There are so many toppings to choose from. Some to try are tomatoes, salmon, spinach, bacon, & olives.

You can also go the sweet route with honey, dried fruits, and jams. Hot sauce is often mandatory. You could serve these up for $2 each and sell them for up for $4. Grilled cheese is an excellent way for athletes to get calories or a satisfying meal for their family.

12. Hot chocolate

Hot chocolate is a trendy drink, especially in the morning and in winter. You could offer a custom hot chocolate making service. You could add special features such as real chocolate or a dollop of cream.

There are many nice flavors that go with hot chocolate, such as nut flavors, banana, and caramel.

Delivering one by one wouldn’t really work, but doing batch orders could work wonders, depending on the competition in your area.

As with most of these, you want to differentiate yourself by niching, and selling a more expensive product, to make it worthwhile.

13. Salads

You could create fruit salads or vegetable salads. It depends on your preference. There is a big market for meals that are delivered, especially healthy ones. 

You could even package it as a complete meal. 

This article from Goodhousekeeping.com provides over 31 recipes. You should give it a read if you are interested in making salads to sell from home. Do so by clicking here to go to the article.

14. Lemonade

Homemade lemonade goes down a treat. It is delicious and refreshing. People can easily make it for themselves but never get around to it. So, having a reputable lemonade brand that people love can be a solid side business you can do from home.

15. Smoothies

Everyone loves a delicious and healthy smoothie. Most people choose bananas and apple juice as the base for a good smoothie. On top of that, add whatever you want. Experiment with different flavor combinations to get a few winners.

Smoothies are more delicious when made with sweet fruits. Still, a vegetable smoothie or sour fruits such as oranges and lemons can get added to make a detoxing delight.

16. Nachos with hot cheese or with cheese sauce

Spice up your nacho game by adding beans, mince, onion, tomatoes, herbs, and spices. Add them together with some tortilla chips, sour cream, and cheese for a hearty meal that satisfies, and is packed with healthy goodness.

You could make a batch of beans on the day of, and add the condiments to order. You will want to advertise it ahead of time so that you have customers on the day.

As always, you want to allow a margin of error for canceled orders or have extra ready in case you have more demand than you anticipated.

17. Cookies

Homemade cookies with a cup of tea or coffee are a morning and afternoon delight. There are so many interesting and delicious cookies, for example, shortbread & macaroons.

Although you will benefit from having a baking skill, after a few batches, you can whip these up no problem.

They will be the most popular when fresh. Don’t worry if you make too many as they can be stored for some time.

18. Kebab

Kebabs are reasonably priced and take a bit of cooking. Therefore, people like these to be made for them and delivered, and are a good meal that you can cook and sell from home.

Traditional kebabs are made on a rotisserie oven with butter and are slow-cooked from the outside in.

Typically these machines are expensive to buy, although you may already have one. You get the meat from a butcher or wholesaler.

Although kebabs are a good food to buy and sell from home, they have a medium barrier to entry because you have to buy the specialist equipment for making the meat.

19. Falafel

Falafel is in the same category as kebabs. But, you can deep fry them rather than using a big meat rack. You can sell them as a wrap with salad ingredients and sauces, or in pita pockets.

20. Mini pizzas

Homemade mini pizzas are easy and delicious. Pizza is one of those foods that people adore the world over. Do some research into what types of pizzas people like best.

Then continue refining it until you have a pizza that is so good, people will be banging down your door to get it.

21. Ice creams

Homemade made ice cream, or delivered ice cream delivered is a great idea for something you can make and sell from home. Up your game on toppings, and it will be hard for people to resist.

You could do banana splits and all sorts. To market your ice cream selling business, you could make a recording of yourself making one and then tasting it. 

In an article by Countryliving.com, they show you how to make 48 different ice creams. If you are interested in making these give it a read by click here to go to the article.

22. Nuts

Suppose you have your own nut plants and trees, such as macadamia, hazelnuts, or pistachios. In that case, this can be a profitable business for you. If you aren’t sourcing the nuts yourself, you may find it hard to get them cheap enough to make a profit.

To create something unique, you could dry roast them, dip them in chocolate, or create a mix that is ideal for runners and athletes.

23. Noodles

Certain markets may love noodles. I remember I would frequent a noodle place once a week or so, because of how delicious and convenient they are. The best noodles include fried vegetables, meats, and sauces.

You could go towards the traditional Asian route and serve them in boxes with chopsticks. Sure to be a hit when you get the message out.

What are the different business models you can use when selling food from home?

You can be a personal chef, provide catering, specialty foods, be a cooking instructor, or a foodie blogger.

Personal chef

Certain people use a personal chef to cook their meals. This is because it saves them time to do so. That way, they can spend the extra time it takes to prepare food to concentrate on their daily tasks or businesses.

Personal chefs can make food at customer’s home or deliver meals daily.

According to a study done by Payscale.com, on average personal chefs make US$70,000 a year. Not bad, for a side hustle.

Catering

Catering is more of a consultative role where you take on the food for an entire function, such as a wedding, anniversary, or birthday.

You will need some help from others for most catering jobs. Because of the size of these orders, you can gain efficiency. This leads to more profit for you.

Specialty foods

These include foods that you have a talent for making, through your own life experience. For me, I make excellent chocolate eclairs, with cream and chocolate sauce.

It may be a recipe you make for yourself that you like, and other people might also enjoy it.

Cooking instructor

If you have some cooking experience, you can give classes as a video course. Many people love to cook. This is a proven business model, and it’s up to you if you think this would be a good fit for you.

Foodie blogger

You can share your recipes and food ideas on a website. Generally, you will want to sell a product with your blog to make it worth your while and to keep you motivated. Putting out well-written blogs is a proven way of attracting people and establishing yourself as an authority.

Conclusion

There is a range of foods you can cook and sell from home. Before you start selling your cooked items, check for local, state laws and FDA restrictions, so you don’t get in a bind. The limit is your imagination. Frequently with any business, you want to do something you enjoy. So, consider this when choosing what you want to sell.

Like any business, you should provide a quality product and market it. There are a few different business models you could do from home, such as being a personal chef, caterer, cooking instructor, or foodie blogger.

Recommended Blog Posts:

• How to use Sheepbuy?
• 100 Legitimate ways to make money at home.

Sources

• Subway.com: Homepage
• Goodhousekeeping.com: 31 Healthy Salads for a Very Filling, Very Un-boring Meal
• Countryliving.com: 45+ Delicious Homemade Ice Cream Recipes
• Payscale.com: Average Private Chef Salary