This process is likely different for every state in the country.
Search retail residential kitchen for (name of state) to find the regulations for your location.
Massachusetts law only allows for home production of foods that dont require hot or cold holding.
Baked goods, jams and bread are fine, but pizza doesnt pass.
Cut tomatoes arent allowed, so a home-based salsa business is a no-go.
Our team has compiled alist of creative waysyou can fatten your bank account this week.
This is a long list, so dont get overwhelmed.
Well keep it updated as offers changes or expire.
(New York only inspects if complaints are made.)
New York offers an expansivelist of approved and banned foodsthats worth examining closely for its inconsistencies.
While you’re free to repackage dried pasta, you cant make or dry your own pasta.
While cakes and cookies are OK, custom cakes and cookies for weddings or special events are prohibited.
Cottage laws in Texasare even looser.
Some areas, likeKing County, Washington, dont allow any sales of home-prepared foods.
States, including Texas and Massachusetts, require food safety training, such as ServSafe.
New York requires aHome Processing License(which is free and takes about two weeks to receive).
In addition to state laws,check local zoning regulations.
Invest in Supplies
Most states require you to package, portion and label food for sale.
That means a food scale (mineneeded to pass inspection), labels, a printer and ink.
Packaging might include bags, boxes, tins or jars, depending on your inventory.
Look forwholesalersto pare down your costs.
Yes, its more than you might think when youre scrolling for Instagram inspo.
How I did it on the cheap: thrift stores.
To avoid overwhelm, figure out where your business fits best.
I started my confectionary pop-up style, gifting friends with goodies while I worked out my recipes.
Once I was licensed, I put up an Etsy shop to test the market.
My products were a hit for the wedding demographic and the holiday season.
I expanded to local farmers markets, but the price point never worked for me.
I always had leftover inventory, which had a limited shelf life.
With Etsy, it took seconds to renew a listing and I made the product to order.
Food businesses are flexible, and theres no one right path to profitability.
Lindsey Danis is a contributor to The Penny Hoarder.
Freelancer Kent McDill contributed to this report.
(Can you sense my millennial sarcasm there?)
You know which ones were talking about: rent, utilities, cell phone bill, insurance, groceries…
