Legal requirements for selling homemade food?

Question

I make fantastic homemade chili. Everyone I know likes it a lot and I have been asked to make a batch and they would pay me for it.
If I wanted to make a few huge batches and put it in jars and see if any local stores will sell it (I know about hot-canning, don't worry) do I have any legal requirements if I want to sell it? Do I just need to get the nutritional information and ingredients list together?

Thanks

Answer 1

Legally you can not sell anything made from your home kitchten, its a sanatiation issue. To sell your chili you would have to get a professional kitchen space. I don't know why the rule is like that but it is. You're better off just selling it to your friends, because you can lose a whole lot of money trying to make it a business

Answer 2

Gee thats funny...all the people here seem to think you need to play by rules. Take a drive on the other side of the tracks and see how many people are selling food in front of their houses and in the street. The mexicans make tamales and sell them door to door and make upwards of $1000.00 a week, with no gourmet kitchen or license. The Government needs to but out. These people have been doing it like this for years and they will continue to, so why cant "we"? I would say go nuts, get some orders and make your chili. When things take off and you need more space and a bigger kitchen to keep up with the demand THEN you can do it the way the Government demands, BUT, just starting out I would do it outta your own kitchen,

Answer 3

I'm sorry to say, but usually it's not worth the time and effort to sell 'home made' goods. You're better off selling the recipe, or selling your services for a few hours, going to their house and making it for them.

If you can even get past all the laws, and find a kitchen that will allow you to produce your product to sell, I don't even know if 'hot-canning' as you say, in a Mason or Bell type jar - (Lid and Ring style closure) is a legal form of food storage due to sanitation and safety issues.

Good luck!

Answer 4

you have to produce and can the chili in a restaurant grade kitchen - so not in your own home kitchen - to abide by the food safety laws in most cities. you might be able to work a deal with a local church, synagogue or school kitchen to rent time in their facilities for your production. check with your local health department for all the specific food health code regulations.

in addition, you will need to list at the very least the ingredients and possibly the calories per serving. if you wish to show the nutritional information, there are state services that will (for a fee) analyze your food & give you those numbers.

Answer 5

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