Delivering the Goods: A Look at Different Work From Home Food Businesses

This business can be done several ways. The first way is to contact restaurants and see if they are interested in you taking orders for customers. If they are interested, enter their information - manager's name, phone and fax number, email, etc. - and have them fax or email their menu to you. Don't forget any specials that they have on a weekly or monthly basis. Then contact businesses in your town, in close proximity to each other, and ask if they would be interested in you taking orders for lunches (and deliver lunches) from the various restaurants that you contacted that are close to the businesses.

If they are interested, get their fax number and other pertinent information. With this business you are acting as the middleman between the restaurants and the companies. You are helping the restaurants during their busy lunch times and helping employees get their lunch more quickly and conveniently. They don't have to go out to get their lunch and worry about wasting most of their time driving to a restaurant or standing in long lines waiting to order or pick up an order.

You will make your money by charging the restaurant per order, per fax or email. You will need to keep track of all the faxes and emails sent to you and all orders picked up by you for verification purposes and to be paid accurately, don't expect the restaurant to keep track of your business. You should agree on payment to be made at the end of the week, every two weeks, or once a month. All you need to do this business successfully is a fax machine or email address and reliable transportation. You need to be a person that is very conscious of time, reliable, and be able to be on the go between the lunchtime hours of 11:00am to 2:00pm without any interruptions. People are depending on you to bring their lunches to them on time.

The second way to operate this business is to cook your own food or sweets and deliver them to hungry employees or people who are unable or have difficulty getting out of their house to grocery shop. If you can cook, this could be a very profitable business for you. You can choose to make a complete lunch or dinner or make goodies, like cookies, bagels, or donuts. You can deliver during morning hours, lunchtime, dinnertime, or anytime. For individuals who are elderly, disabled, or sick, you may want to offer a significant discount since they may be on a fixed income.

In order to start this business you will need to contact your local government agency to find out what food regulations and laws you have to follow. In most cities and counties you will need a license to cook food for the public and insurance in case someone gets sick from your food or has an allergic reaction to a particular ingredient in your food. Inspectors will make periodic visits to your home to see if you are in compliance with the laws. You will need a kitchen used for commercial use, if that is impossible in your house you can ask your local church if you could use their kitchen and pay them a percentage of your sales.

A third business idea is to conduct food home parties or taste testing parties in your home. Similar to Mary Kay, Avon, and lingerie parties, you could invite friends and family members over for a taste testing party. You offer samples of your food for your guests to taste and at the end of the party sell various food packages. This can be a very successful business because people love to eat, especially for free. Even if they don't purchase anything at the time they will remember that you bake a delicious cheesecake and will call you to order your cheesecakes for a birthday party, family reunion, or wedding reception. You can specialize in baked goods, meats, side dishes, vegetarian or organic foods, healthy foods, or whatever food you have a knack for cooking and creating. You can make very good money with any of these types of home-based food businesses.