Home Work at Home Ideas Selling Home Baked Goods
Selling Home Baked Goods Print
Work From Home - WAH Ideas

There are many women who want to start up their own home business but simply do not know where to begin. Many feel that they need a huge amount of start-up capital when this is simply not the case. For women who desire the flexibility and freedom to work from home in their own business one of the first things to consider is what they love to do and what they do well. If you are one of the many women who want a home business but have no idea where to begin then consider what you already do at home. Baking is one of the things that many women do well.

If your family events have everyone begging you to create something simply because they know how delicious your baked goods are then put that skill to work for you. You can begin a home business selling your delectable home baked goods. There are several ways that you can begin a home baked goods business that require very little to no money to begin.

You can use your cooking and baking skills to begin a catering service. Catering services can be run completely from home. You simply need to make a list of any supplies and equipment that you need. Incidentally if you cook much at all you probably already have all the supplies that you need to begin a successful catering business at home. You can simply advertise your catering services and when you have customers call and tell you what they need you cook it. You can have them come by at a specific time and pick up their order or you can invest a little extra money into a van or SUV and deliver it yourself. If you are planning to deliver you should charge a little more for your service to offset the costs of gasoline and automobile repairs when needed.

You can also simply open a home based bakery. People love home baked pies, cookies and cakes. You should inform customers of what your services entail as far as bakery selections and give them a specific time frame for orders. For instance you should not expect your customers to call and request several pies with only a few hours notice. Be sure to outline in your advertisements or brochures what you bake and how much advance notice they should give you for orders.

Again, you may already have all the equipment and supplies that you need to begin either of these services. You should allow some startup money for food ingredients but you can always demand a deposit be made before you begin cooking. This will not only give you the funds for grocery supplies but will also ensure that your customers will not back out on the orders that they place.

Advertise locally in your newspaper or other publications, by word of mouth and even over the internet. You can offer home baked goods over the internet and possibly have more business than you can handle. Be sure to find bakery boxes that will protect your products if you need to ship them. You can typically pick up bakery items at craft or department stores.

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written by Stephen, July 23, 2008
Be aware that many states do not allow at home bakeries without a permit and many will not allow goods to be sold from a home kitchen at all.
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need a little more help .
written by Marion, September 29, 2008
I need to know what permits or lisences I will need . who do I talk to , to get these . Do I need a food handlers certificate?
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get all the information you can before starting from home....
written by KD, January 29, 2009
for where i am .. you can apply for a permit through state tax office, where they should be able to direct you to where you need to be for food services. Also in my state, like in the first comment you are not allowed to sell baked goods to the public from your personal family kitchen; they require you to have a seperate kitchen altogether, as well havew that inspected and meet the codes they have in place. kinda difficult here to do such ventures due to you almost always never pass that inspection.. espcially if you have any indoor pets...and the list of what will make it difficult is ratehr large.. so for me even though i would love to do this type of work it wil cost me more to start then it will pay off in a year so its not a good venture for me .. on a larger profitable level..
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YOU CAN DO THIS!!
written by S.F, March 05, 2009
smilies/smiley.gif Rest assure, I have looked extensively into this project and yes you can sell baked goods from your home without having any inspections. What you need to do is contact your local food and agriculture office and tell them what you ar elooking to do and they will mail you an application to fill out. This is a FREE process and all it requires is a little paperwork then you will be able to sell your baked goods in your state only but to grocery stores, individuals and restuarants. Good luck with your dreams!!
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written by b.a.s., March 26, 2009
Unfortunately that is not the case if you live in CT. My sister and I contacted our local health department and were told that they haven't certified home kitchens in many years. We were told if we want to start a 'home baked goods' business we have to find a commercial kitchen with all commercial appliances (plus other regulations). Without any capital our plans are on hold until we find someone with a commercial kitchen who is willing to donate it because we don't have the funds to lease or rent it! Good luck!
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What about in New York
written by Michael, April 01, 2009
Does anyone know what NY requires?
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written by Wanda, May 02, 2009
I feel so sad about these restrictions. This is cutting back on my dreams to have my own home baking business. smilies/sad.gif
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written by DM, May 05, 2009
Although my state (KY) does allow you to sell baked goods from home. You first must have a kitchen that is not connected in amy way to your living quarters. A basement or someites a garage converted into a kitchen will work. You are also required to pass a health and safety inspection and to pay a license fee. Your best bet will be to look for a church that has an already licensed kitchen that they will rent to you.
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church
written by C.L, June 28, 2009
Contact your local church and find out if you are able to work something out to use their certified kitchen. Good luck!
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Not in Colorado!
written by TNS, July 29, 2009
As in CT, Colorado requires a commercial kitchen. The laws are very specific in prohibiting selling any food product produced at home, unless that commercial kitchen is in your house (not likely, since the startup equipment alone is $100,000+), and inspections are very difficult to pass - need I say "impossible" if based in your home. They require no pets, no wood floors or carpeting, separate ventilation systems, separte entrance, etc.
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baking brownies
written by tiana b, August 13, 2009
I love to make many brownies from my kitchen how can i do so
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No Info!
written by Roberta, August 14, 2009
I still can't figure out what permits I need to start this! It didn't mention a thing about permits.
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written by Shannon, October 15, 2009
You may not be able to start your business right away but i started by just baking for friends and family and word spreads fast! I even opened up a little baking liners online store too. This helps advertise my baking and baking liners while showing off my work and bringing in a little extra money too. It can't hurt!
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cookies
written by Joan, November 02, 2009
Did anyone find out what the restrictions are in New York
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written by starr, December 10, 2009
smilies/smiley.gif
what are the regulations in maine for home based baking business?
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Home-Based Food Business
written by Mimi Shotland Fix, December 31, 2009
Greetings! In New York State the Dept of Agriculture and Markets is responsible for home baking permits. It's surprisingly easy to begin using your home kitchen. There are requirements, but most kitchens will pass inspection. I started my home business 30 years ago. Just remember that you will be running a business not just baking for family and friends. Look for my book "Start & Run a Home-Based Food Business" published by Self-Counsel Press. It details everything you need to run a successful business.

Good luck and happy new year!
Mimi Shotland Fix
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help!
written by nikola, March 15, 2010
i live in ma. and i want to start to sell my baked goods for mail order and in fairs and stuff and i need to know if i need a permit to sell online but i cant find anything online about it.
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written by mary jane smith , March 16, 2010
my dauhgter and i want to earn a little money for the summer mainly my 12yr old daughter and i want to support her but i can't seem to find all the regulations
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KEEP IN MIND
written by Siera, March 16, 2010
If you do this, and the law in your state prohibits this practice...you can leave yourself open for a lot of different things. Not to mention that if you provide a service and "for any reason" a person gets sick (even if it wasn't your food) if they know you are oporating illegally--they can sue you...DON'T DO IT unless its out of a PRO kitchen AND you have insurance!
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baking
written by katie, May 01, 2010
what about making dog treats/foods and selling them ??
i heard that publix gets all thre bakery goods from home catererssss , people that cook and sell to ppublix , how can i accomplish this
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New York
written by Tina DiGregorio, May 16, 2010
I live in Brooklyn, New York. I just want to make and sell cakes out of my home. I can not find out how to do this!!! Is it legal to sell out of your home? Do I have to have a seperate kitchen???? I did not see anything on the NYS Dept of agriculture website>

Thanks
Tina DiGregorio
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NY
written by Nikki Slocum, May 27, 2010
I don't know much about the rules in New york yet, But I do know that my grandmother has been baking pies, cakes, breads, cookies, and all that yummy stuff for years, right from her own kitchen, and selling it. I haven't spoken with her yet on what she did but at least you know in most cases you can do it in your own kitchen, She has a very very small kitchen that is right in the middle of her house and there are not any walls to make it seperated it is completely open to the hallway, living room, and dining room.
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SUFFOLK COUNTY, NY (LONG ISLAND)
written by Jennifer S., June 17, 2010
Okay, I ready the comment "YOU CAN DO THIS!!" (written by S.F, March 05, 2009) - I called my local Health Dept. (I am in Suffolk County, NY - 631-852-5998 - here is their link - http://www.co.suffolk.ny.us/de...ction.aspx) - I was told they do NOT provide permits to sell cake out of a home, but that the NYS Agriculture & Markets DOES. So, I called them (718-722-2876) and the woman I spoke to said I was misinformed. She said that they JUST had a meeting about this with the Suffolk County Dept. of Health, and she doesn't know why they're still giving out incorrect information. She the Suffolk County Dept. of Health can allow Catering from home (which includes cakes, but you would have to have a facility to do that) - not an option for this stay-at-home mom! The NYS Agriculture & Markets does Not allow Catering from home, but they DO allow selling in wholesale to retail stores & farmers' markets... reason being: when people buy home-made goods (ex: cakes, jams...), there is a certain level of expectation that it's not regulated the same way that it would in other facilities. You don't have to sell in bulk to do this, but you cannot make special orders. I also asked if it's legal to sell cakes like that if you're using boxed mix (since my specialty is in the decorating and I don't bake from scratch), and she said YES... her words were "Duncan Hines is a wholesaler; they're EXPECTING for their products to be resold." It's unfortunate news to stay-at-home moms like myself, who have no other way of making any money in this disgusting recession we have, especially when we cannot afford childcare. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration, a Certificate in Medical Transcription, and years of experience as a Customer Service Supervisor of a large Long Island company, and I STILL cannot find a job from home!!! What a shame. There are people out there selling CRACK from their homes, and yet I could get in trouble for making a $20 profit on a cake!!!??? Disgusting.
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Arizona home baked goods
written by Jamie, July 11, 2010
Does anyone know the regulations on selling baked goods from my home in Arizona. Having a hard time finding information
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Find more help on the phone!
written by Laura in Ohio, July 18, 2010
Trying to find useful home-baking info online will be frustrating and time-consuming. Try getting on the phone: call your local Agricultural Department, Health Department, even a local Chamber of Commerce to get the information you need. Keep making calls until you get your questions answered. Every state has different laws, sometimes even different counties have different laws.

I live in Ohio, and the County Health Department here regulates what/how I can bake at home, and what I can not. For example, if I want to sell 'cream-based items' (anything containing cream fillings, cream cheese, different kinds of cheese) I am required to have a commercial license, pay a fee for that license, be inspected, and have a seperate facility other than my family kitchen. BUT...I CAN make and sell (with the required labeling) any other baked good I want. Everything must be packaged and labeled...no serving from trays anymore. Know your laws before you start-you may have to adjust what you want to bake to what you are allowed to bake.

Also...if you have a local Farmer's Market the President should know what the local baking rules are and who to contact for info. I sell my baked goods at a Farmer's Market here in Ohio, and am doing very well. It's amazing how many regular customers I have already, in my first season!

Don't give up! You can figure this out. Good luck to all of you...

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License for CT
written by Ryan, July 21, 2010
In CT you need a license. Typically cost between $20-$200 based on the number of people baking. The main thing is you need a seperate kitchen from the one your family meals are cooked in to run the bakery out of your home. I do believe there are inspections to be done when license is applied for.
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Runaround from Health Dept
written by Randi, August 09, 2010
I was just told by the health department in Nassau County that I would be able to get a permit to sell foods baked from my kitchen. They told me the NYS Agricultural and Markets are the people to call, and they are very selective. There has so be some legal way around this. Any advice???
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found NYC information!
written by BakedfromtheHeart, August 16, 2010
http://www.agmkt.state.ny.us/F...essor.html
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Just called NYC/NYS dept of agriculture
written by SSK, August 16, 2010
In NYC you can absolutely have your kitchen health inspected and sell goods that you make here. I just spoke with them.

They said that you have to make specific goods (they can give you a list--anything with raw eggs is out, for ex) only.

You have to package the materials you are selling and give it a label with your address (of the inspected kitchen), the ingredients in order of weight, net weight of product and name of product.

Once you have your labels, you mail them to the dept of agriculture and they approve them and set up a time for the inspector to check out your kitchen. They said that the turn around is generally very quick--you might only have to wait a few days.

During inspection they are really only looking for basic cleanliness. Additionally, if you have bugs or rodents, the deal is off--forever. So don't. Also, you need to have hot water, soap/dish soap, gloves for touching already baked items, and your hair needs to be covered!

Last of all, because the Internet and phone open up sales to other states, you cannot advertise online or have a website for your baked goods. This is why many people choose to rent already approved restaurant kitchens. But if you only sell at markets, fairs, stores, etc, it's totally kosher.

Hope this helps!
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Does anybody know anything about hamebaked goods in Alabama?
written by Paige, August 16, 2010
I want to start a simple homebaked goods business but from looking at other comments it may not be easy. If anyone knows anything let me know I really would appreciate it.

Thanks ya'll!
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