Meal Prep Business Startup Guide
Cook it, portion it, and hand it over — you're selling back somebody's Tuesday evening, not just food. This 23-page guide walks through why cottage food law does not cover prepared meals, the four legal paths around it (starting with the personal-chef model, which needs almost no capital), the cold chain, and pricing — plus six working templates to run it with.
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What It Covers
See why prepared meals do not qualify under cottage food law in almost any state, and which of the four legal paths — personal chef, commissary rental, licensed caterer, or home kitchen permit — fits your capital and goals. Build a pre-order system and manage the cold chain safely. Price meals using the guide's cost and margin method.
Six Working Templates
- Startup checklist
- Equipment and budget worksheet
- Pricing and estimate template
- Invoice template
- Job log and lead tracker
- Compliance and safety page
This guide gives you the framework. The full Meal Prep Business Plan ($22) adds the four legal paths to selling prepared meals, the six questions to ask your county health department, FDA cold-chain rules with a cooling log, a cost-per-meal calculator, and a 90-day launch plan. See what’s inside the plan →