If you’ve seen people selling food online and are tempted to do the same, you may have some questions. You may wonder – Do I need any license to sell homemade food? How much does a food license cost?

Read on as we answer these questions about selling homemade food.

Which license do I need to sell homemade food?

Though homemade food businesses encounter fewer compliance issues than a full-fledged setup, an FSSAI food license is essential to run any food business in India. Obtaining this license is critical to an F&B operation making less than Rs 12 Lakh annual turnover.

What other licenses do I need to run a homemade food business?

Other than the FSSAI license, if you are planning to do homemade food business in a bigger scale, then you may also need these licenses –

Shops and Establishment license

If you employ more than ten people for your business, you are required to register under the Shops and Establishment Act of the state where you are running the business.

Health trade license

Since the food you make at home directly impacts the consumers’ health, your homemade food business requires a health trade license. This health license is given by the Municipal Corporation or the state’s health department.

Environmental clearance

Homemade food cooking may lead to smoke emissions, and how you dispose of the food waste can also have an environmental impact. So you need an environmental clearance license from the Pollution Board of your state.

Signage license

You need a signage license from your local Municipal body before you put any board or banner to promote your business. If you are thinking of starting a Dabba business, you will need this license before you put any sticker or label of your business on your dabbas.

NOC from your society

Before you start any business from your home, you need a no-objection certificate from your resident’s welfare society. The nearby residents may raise objections if you do not take this NOC.

Note – You only require FSSAI license if your turnover is less than Rs. 12 Lakhs

How can I register for an FSSAI license for a homemade food business?

Open FSSAI’s online portal, FosCos, and create an account with them. Once you have created the account, navigate to the left section of the home page and select ‘New application’ from the drop-down menu.

You need to fill out application form A or form B, depending on the turnover of your business. Form A is for businesses with a turnover of less than 12 Lakhs, and form B is for those food businesses with a turnover of more than 12 Lakhs.

After you have filled up the FSSAI form with the necessary personal and business details, you will have to submit the following documents –

• 2 Passport Size Photograph
• PAN Card of the Food Business Operator
• Proof of ownership of the Premises
• Partnership Deed
• Certificate of Incorporation
• List of food items the unit will process
• Declaration Form
• Authority letter
• Form IX

Once you have completed the filing procedure, the FSSAI officials will proceed with the verification process. An officer may also visit your place of business and verify before you are issued the license.

What is the validity of the FSSAI license?

The FSSAI license is valid for one to five years. As a homemade food seller, you need to apply for the renewal of your license 30 days before the date of expiry of your license. You have to pay a penalty of Rs. 100 per day if you apply after your license has expired.

What happens if I sell homemade food without a license?

According to the State Food Safety Department, any unregistered domestic food-selling business may pay a fine of up to Rs 5 lakh and be imprisoned for up to 6 months.

Some other penalties include –

• Any food business selling bad quality items can be fined up to Rs. 5 lakhs.
• Any food business selling misbranded products will be fined up to Rs. 3 lakhs.
• Any food business selling items containing any exotic substance will be fined Rs. 1 lakh.
• If there is a death due to the consumption of a food item, then the food business operator is held responsible. Depending on the severity, the business owner can be fined up to Rs. 5 lakh or even imprisonment.

Final thoughts

While selling homemade food is a lucrative business, you do need to follow specific regulations and obtain the required licenses. Once these procedures are over and you comply with all the regulations, the sky is the limit for your business.

The post Do I Need a License to Sell Homemade Food? appeared first on mealawe.

If you also love to cook for your family and friends, you can take advantage of this trend and start a tiffin service from home. Read on for the complete guidelines on how to start a tiffin service from home.

Step #1 – Research the market

Research the market to see who your competition is. Find out what dishes are the most in-demand and at what cost your competitors sell them.

Think about the people you would be feeding – college students, corporate employees, or people living in PGs in your area.

Step #2 – Make a business plan

After identifying the target audience for your tiffin service, it is time to create a business plan. Decide whether you want to start with a bang or start small and gradually grow your business. Decide if you’re going to do it all on your own or hire employees. Estimate your potential revenue and expenses. Identify bulk suppliers for the groceries that you will need.

Also Read – How to Choose the Best Tiffin Service?

Step #3 – Meet the legal requirement

As per sections 31(1) & 31(2) of the FSS Act, 2006, every food business operator in India is required to be licensed or registered under the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). It is an easy online process that doesn’t take much time.

Having an FSSAI saves you from penalty. It is a symbol of credibility and is good for your brand image.

An FSSAI registration also makes getting loans for your business much easier.

You will also have to take GST registration and a no objection certificate from the society where you will set up your tiffin business.

Step #4 – Find funds to set up your business

Ensure you have enough funds to set up your business and cater to the customers’ needs. Even if you start small, you will require a basic set-up like gas, stove, mixer, pots, and pans. There is also the recurring expenditure of groceries, electricity, and gas that you need to cater to.

You can start a tiffin service catering to up to 15 people per day with an investment of Rs. 10,000 and scale up later as more orders start coming in.

You can also take a micro-loan to start your home business. Many banks and organizations offer women entrepreneurs such loans at manageable interest rates.

Step #5 – Insure your business

Just like you take medical insurance in case something goes wrong with your health, you need to insure your business against any damage or theft. Meet your local insurance agent to discuss what insurance policy is best suited for you.

Step #6 – Safety and hygiene

As a tiffin provider, it is paramount that you maintain safety and hygiene in your kitchen. Make sure the work area is always clean. Get regular pest control done. Always wash the vegetables before chopping them. Always use gloves.

Check the temperature of all those who handle food regularly. Make sure everyone uses hand sanitizer and soap and wears masks.

Step #7 – Delivery strategy

As a tiffin service, you are responsible for cooking the meals and delivering them promptly. You may be able to do this on your own if you are catering to the people in your neighborhood, or you may hire someone to deliver the tiffins for you.

You can also partner with a homemade meal delivery service like Mealawe. This Pune-based company believes in empowering home chefs to earn from their daily cooking.

Partnering with them will make you more discoverable and broaden your outreach. You will be able to grow your consumer base much faster through Mealawe.

Step #8 – Advertising and promotion

Advertising and promotion are vital for the success of any business. Here are some ways in which you can promote your tiffin business-

• Start a Facebook page for your tiffin service.
• Share your menu on the WhatApp group of the neighboring societies
• Create a Local Google Business Listing
• Team up with homemade food delivery apps like Mealawe

Step 9 – Take feedback

The success of every business depends on how connected you are with your customers. So take feedback about your food once a week from your customers.

Mention the ingredients used, so you don’t have any complaints about allergies. Change your menu regularly and ensure that it is tasty, healthy, and nutritious.

Step 10 – Register on Mealawe

Mealawe is one such platform that only focuses on homemade food delivery. You can register here as a home chef and start selling your homemade food right away. This platform will give you daily new users and also provide you delivery services right from your doorstep. The platform is as easy as counting 1,2,3.

Final thoughts

As more people understand the importance of freshly prepared, hygienic, and tasty homecooked meals, the demand for tiffin services is rising. Follow the nine steps mentioned above and give your entrepreneurial dreams the wings to soar. You can also register with Mealawe as a home chef and earn and grow with them.

The post How to Start a Tiffin Service from Home? appeared first on mealawe.

If you want to enjoy these healthy meals without the bother of having to cook them, Mealawe is the right choice for you. This homemade food delivery service offers you a range of thalis, including North Indian thali, Tamil Iyer thali, Gujarati thali, and non-vegetarian thali.

But before you do that, let us learn some more about the science behind the Indian thali.

According to Ayurveda, the presence of all six tastes in a meal are essential for a nutritious diet.

Having each of these tastes in a particular order also helps the digestive process. These six tastes are –

1. Madhura – sweet
2. Amla – salt
3. Lavana – sour
4. Katu – pugent
5. Tikta – bitter
6. Kashaya – astringent

Combining one grain, one lentil, some vegetables, sour chutney or pickle, curd, tempering, ghee, and spices makes the thali wholesome. Let us break these down further to analyze what makes thali the perfect nutritionally balanced meal.

Rotis/rice/dosa

Dishes like chapati, dosa, thepla, pulao, and khichdi are a must in every thali. These dishes contain carbohydrates from whole grains like wheat, makki, jowar, bajra, and rice. Whole grains contain complex carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins, and minerals like iron, selenium, magnesium, folic acid, riboflavin, thiamin, and niacin. They help reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, colon cancer, and stroke.

Dal

Every thali contains dal cooked in some form. Some whole dals like green moong, horse gram, and chana are soaked and sprouted to make salads. Moong, masoor, urad rajma, lobia, and toor dal are some common dals used to prepare the thali. Dals contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and protein.

Vegetables

No Indian thali is complete without a few vegetable dishes. You will find sarson ka saag in a Punjabi thali, a Bengali thali may contain Potol bhaja, a Gujarati thali will have shaak, and a Maharashtrian thali will contain batatyachi bhaji. The variety of vegetables in the thali provides phytonutrients and fiber. They help prevent micronutrient malnutrition, cardiovascular disease, cataract, and cancer.

Pickles

Pickle is an essential component of Indian meals. Some of India’s most commonly used pickles include mango pickles, gooseberry pickles, lemon pickles, carrot pickles, ginger pickles, garlic pickles, and onion pickles. Pickles are usually made by fermentation and are rich in nutrients and antioxidants required by the body.

Papad

The humble papad has a vital place in every Indian thali. Generally made from dried lentils, it can either be fried or roasted. It is a good appetizer. Roasted papads help absorb the fatty materials from the mouth. They are gluten-free and rich in protein and fiber.

Chutney

Chutney is integral to every Indian thali, be it Punjabi, Gujarati, or South Indian. Made from fresh herbs, vegetables, fruits, and spices, a chutney can add a zing to every meal. Tomato chutney, coconut chutney, mint chutney, or date tamarind chutney are popular accompaniments to meals and snacks. The sterol and flavonoids in chutney help in improving insulin sensitivity. They also provide probiotics, which increase good bacteria in the gut.

Curd/raita/ buttermilk

These milk-based foods are a part of the Indian thali. They cool the body and help meet the calcium requirement of the body. Curd has good bacteria that enable good digestion.

Non-vegetarian dishes

If you opt for a non-vegetarian thali, you will be treated to a wide variety of non-vegetarian dishes like butter chicken, fish gravy, prawn cadline curry, pork vindaloo, machher jhol, rogan josh, and yakhni. These dishes are rich in proteins.

Sweets

The Indian thali will satiate your sweet tooth as well. Since a limited amount is served in the thali, you need not worry about the calorie content too.

The average calorie content in a vegetarian thali

1.  Rice (1 cup)– 206 calories
2. Chapati (1 unit)– 80 calories
3. Dry vegetable dish ( 1 cup) – 150 calories
4. Dal (1 cup) – 106 calories
5. Raita (1 cup) – 46 calories
6. Sweet (1 unit) – 150 calories

Total –  736 Calories

The average calorie content in a non-vegetarian thali

1. Rice (1 cup)– 206 calories
2. Chapati (1 unit)– 80 calories
3. Chicken curry ( 200 gms) – 270 calories
4. Dal (1 cup) – 106 calories
5. Raita (1 cup) – 46 calories
6. Sweet (1 unit) – 150 calories

Total – 858 calories

The bottom line

Indian cuisine varies from region to region as it uses local spices and herbs. However, the one unifying factor here is the use of thali to serve the food. Using a combination of locally sourced foods in the correct quantity and with the right spices yields maximum health benefits. So, go ahead and try this wholesome meal from Mealawe.

The post The Science Behind the Indian Thali appeared first on mealawe.

Why is it essential for your employees to eat healthily?

1.     Less absenteeism

Healthy food equals healthy employees, which means fewer people miss the office. Frequent absences from work reduce productivity and also increases the cost of healthcare.

2.     Better concentration

Nutritious food can improve your brain power and make you more alert. When you are healthy and energetic, your ability to concentrate improves.

3.     Happiness

Healthy homemade food at the office will be seen as an office perk. Healthier options like thalis, dosas, palak paneer, etc., are excellent low-cost options that can make your employees happy.

4.     Fewer health issues

A healthy diet that includes fruits and vegetables reduces the risk of stroke, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.

5.     Fitter workforce

Unhealthy eating can lead to obesity. Obesity is linked to severe medical conditions like high blood pressure, heart disease, back pain, and impaired sleep.

6.     More energy

Eating healthy makes your employees feel better. It gives them the fuel to perform their daily office work and still have the energy to enjoy their personal time.

How can you get your staff to eat healthier food?

While you can’t force your employees to follow a specific diet, you can undoubtedly make eating healthier easier with the following steps –

1.     Improve knowledge

Many of your employees may not know that they are ruining their health with their food choices. Invite a nutritionist to your office and organize a talk on healthy eating. Organizing such talks costs very little but can make a huge difference. You can also add some articles about health and nutrition to your company newsletter.

2.     Make it easy

Many people prefer to eat cafeteria lunches as they find getting homemade food to the office cumbersome. Make it easy for people to bring food from home by providing microwaves and refrigerators. They can store their food in the fridge and reheat it whenever possible.

When employees get food from home, they make healthier choices.

3.     Team up with homemade food services

Homemade food delivery services like Mealawe provide healthy food to your homes and offices. They have a team of talented neighborhood chefs who provide you the same food they serve their families. This ensures that your food comes with an added dose of nutrition and taste.

4.     Encourage potlucks

Assign one day a week for healthy potlucks. Encourage the people at your office to bring a dish they love to cook at home. Encourage them to think traditional and wholesome. Not only will this improve camaraderie in the office, but it will also push the employees toward eating healthy food.

5.     Get office parties and events catered by home chefs

Stay away from the regular pizza, burgers, and nachos for your company events. Instead, get the food catered by home chefs from your neighborhood. You can also order the food from Mealawe and get it delivered to your office without putting in any extra effort. Here you can look for your choice of authentic regional home kitchen and place your order. All the home kitchens at Mealawe are 100% FSSAI certified.

6.     Start a healthy food program

You may find a few of your employees who are keener to eat healthy, while the others want to stick to their pizza diet. Don’t be disheartened. Let this voluntary group organize healthy menus and plan more nutritious food for meetings and catered events at your workplace.

Final thoughts

Not all food that we put in our bodies is good for us. Food like bread, pasta, and sodas lead to a burst of energy, followed by a slump. It is not what you want for your office lunch. Burgers and pizzas are high in fat, providing sustained energy, but they can make you groggy post lunch when you have an important meeting. The best option for your employees is a healthy homemade lunch from homemade food delivery services like Mealawe. Several companies are reaping the benefits by emphasizing healthy eating. As more and more employees turn to healthy eating, they will improve their mental and physical health. A happier and healthier workspace is a more productive workspace.

The post You are What Your Employees Eat appeared first on mealawe.

There are several messes, cloud kitchens, eateries, home kitchens, etc. around you that offer tiffin services. But selecting the best tiffin service which caters to your need, such as good taste, healthy, cost, etc., is not easy. To start with, you may have to rule out places which are commercialized setups such as restaurants, cloud kitchens, messes, etc. There are other criteria as well.

Let’s delve further into this article as we will enable you to take an informed decision and choose the best tiffin service where you stay.

Choosing between healthy & unhealthy

When you are going ahead with daily meal service, such as tiffin service, you cannot compromise on the quality of food. People often get carried away with cheap meal options and offers. Messes, restaurants or any other commercialized kitchens can never serve you quality food which is healthy for your stomach.

You may get the taste but in the longer run, the food will affect your stomach big time. Commercialized kitchens hardly care for hygiene, quality of raw materials, etc. Usually, to meet the cost of food (after deducting offers), they cut down on –

Food preparation time

When you talk about commercial kitchens, everything is money in the chain of food preparation. Sometimes, they may even skip raw material washing or may prepare different curries and refrigerate them for days.

They use high flame cooking to prepare food fast for a larger customer base. High flame cooking takes away all kinds of nutrients from the prepared food.

Raw material quality

Restaurants and messes merely take care of food raw material quality. Everything is purchased in bulk and sometimes they even use cold storage to keep perishable items fresh for months. You cannot expect healthiness in tiffin or meals if they are made up of such kind of raw materials.

Another important factor in food preparation is the use of cooking oil. Small restaurants and messes use 10-20 times fried cooking oil which comes at a price point of Rs. 20-30/- per litre. Food prepared in such oil would be unhealthy.

Packaging quality

Sometimes you may end up getting tiffin in plastic bags, silver foil bags, thermocol containers, etc. Are they good when it comes to food containers? Absolutely NOT! Non-recyclable plastic containers, bags, etc. react with hot and cold food they alter the chemical composition of food. Even healthy food contained in plastic bags turns into unhealthy food for consumption.

On the other side, if you choose and order homemade tiffin from any home kitchen, then you can rest assured that you will get authentic homemade food. These home kitchens are nothing but families like yours and mine. There are several home kitchens around you in every city.

All these home kitchens mostly consume what they serve to people. They are not a typical commercial setup where they can compromise on quality. However, they might charge you Rs. 10/- to Rs. 20/- more than what messes or any restaurant or Dhaba may charge. But at the end of the day, you will get authentic, tasty, and healthy homemade food.

Regional taste and menu

There is no point in ordering tiffin from a Gujarati home kitchen if you belong to Maharashtra. Eating once from a cross-cultural region is fine, but eating daily such food would bore you.

Check home kitchen’s regional roots and style of cooking. If possible, you can also ask for a variety of menus that you would get on a day-to-day basis. Most of the good home kitchens can also provide you with all kinds of menu items that you will get in tiffin on a weekly basis.

You can go for a tiffin subscription once you are convinced with the style and region of cooking of that particular home kitchen.

Tiffin cost

In today’s world, everything boils down to money. But you have to remember that quality and tasty food won’t come at a cheap price. After all, it is about health! I do recommend you to spend a few rupees more on health.

Also, there are a variety of tiffin options available with home kitchens. If you are light on a budget then I would recommend you to stick to budget tiffins such as Roti/Chapati and Sabzi. It is wise to consume healthy combo as Roti and Sabzi (Vegetable) or Dal, Chawal, and Sabzi.

People get carried away with a variety of items offered in tiffins such as Roti, Dal, Chawal, Sabzi, Salad, and Sweet. This option is good but it will come at an additional cost. The typical price of tiffin would look as follow –

• Budget Veg Tiffin (3 Roti, Sabzi, Salad) – Rs. 70/- to Rs. 80/-
• Budget Non-Veg Tiffin (3 Roti, Non-Veg Curry, Salad) – Rs. 90/- to Rs. 110/-
• Deluxe Veg Tiffin (2 Roti, Rice, Dal, Sabzi, Salad) – Rs. 90/- to Rs. 120/-
• Deluxe Non-Veg Tiffin (2 Roti, Rice, Dal, Non-Veg Curry, Salad) – Rs. 120/- to Rs. 140/-

The above price point may again vary based on the type and quantity of food items. Please make a note that this is not a benchmark.

Delivery service

Gone are the days when you have to physically go to restaurants for takeaway orders. Once or twice is fine but when it comes to daily tiffin service, you have to look for options where home delivery of tiffin is possible.

Mealawe is a homemade food delivery service where you get a dedicated rider for delivering every tiffin to your doorstep. Again, delivery comes at a price, so do not negotiate with the home kitchen for adjusting delivery cost in tiffin cost.

Remember, they will compromise on food quality to serve you a cheap meal. 

Number of tiffins in subscription

Once you narrow down to your favourite home kitchen, it is vital to try their meal or tiffin. The kitchen shall provide you with an option to order one tiffin for tasting purposes. Mealawe is a platform where there are a number of home kitchens that serve homemade tiffin subscriptions.

Once you like any home kitchen, you shall have an option to select a certain number of tiffins. It is not always for users to go for 30 tiffins on a monthly basis. Mealawe offers you options to go for 10, 20, and 30 meal subscriptions. We also have a provision to reschedule any day to some other day if you miss a tiffin in between.

Final words

It is not so difficult to choose the best tiffin service anywhere in the city. But it is important to keep restaurants, messes, restaurant delivery apps, cloud kitchens, etc. at bay as they cannot serve you healthy food in tiffin or meal subscription.

Go for home kitchens as they are family and mostly they serve what they eat. You cannot get more quality assurance other than this. Mealawe has a beautiful tagline which says “isme hai, maa kaa pyar”. Also, be ready to spend a few more bucks; after all it is your health. People eat outside unhealthy food for days and become ill in the longer run. So, be wise and choose home kitchens.

The post How to Choose the Best Tiffin Service? appeared first on mealawe.