Not a lot of people know this, but, you can actually make money selling recipes, and we are going to share with you some essential information on how you can actually do that.
Who doesn’t love food? Everybody loves food, right?
But let’s face it, not a lot of people are gifted with the talent for cooking. More so, not so many cooks are gifted with the ability to create a personal, delectable recipe.
If you are one of the few, though, then, this one’s perfect for you!
As mentioned earlier, we are going to share with you ways on how you can make money selling recipes, because you can!
Surely, it’s not like a regular job that will provide you income every single month, but, it’s absolutely one of the best ways to make use of your talent and make money out of it.
Okay, maybe you’re thinking this might be a crazy idea, but seriously, it’s worth a try. Who knows really if it’s going to click or not unless you try, right?
Just so you know, a lot of people still use and rely on someone else’s recipe — especially the beginners, the novice ones.
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Unlike in the past though when aspiring cooks buy hardbound cookbooks, today, with the internet and the rise of digital content, a lot of cooks and chefs and publishers took the leap of providing information via the digital platform.
According to an article published by NBC News, “Cookbook sales for the first six months of 2018 were 21 percent higher than for the first half of 2017.” Furthermore, the report says that there were an estimated 17.8 million cookbooks sold in the United States in 2017 alone.
You see, reports like this only show that there is money in recipes. The good thing, though, is that there are a couple of ways you can actually make money from it online, and we, as promised, going to share them with you in the next sections.
Now, before we even talk about the different ways you can make money selling recipes online, here are a few things you need to know first:
- What is a recipe?
- How to write a recipe?
- What do you need to start selling recipes online?
- How much does a recipe cost?
- How to make money selling recipes?
WHAT IS A RECIPE?
First of all, we thought it’s just right that we define what a recipe is all about before we even start talking about selling them.
It is important that you know and fully understands what a recipe is. That way, you know what you are getting yourself into. Take note that for a recipe to be effective, it has to be right. Meaning, right not only in writing but as well as in taste.
Moving on —
According to America’s most trusted culinary resource, What’s Cooking America, the word recipe is defined as “a set of instructions used for preparing and producing a certain food, dish, or drink. The purpose of a recipe is to have a precise record of the ingredients used, the amounts needed, and the way they are combined.”
A recipe serves as a guide to anyone who wants to recreate a dish created by someone. By using it, that person should be able to come up with the very same (or at least, closest to the) dish.
Meanwhile, if you want to know more about what’s behind a recipe, particularly the process of developing a recipe, you may check the very informative video below by Glen & Friends Cooking:
Now, in the next section, we share with you the important parts of writing a recipe. Basically, what will make it an effective one.
HOW TO WRITE A RECIPE?
As mentioned above, in this section, we are going to share with you the different parts of a recipe, and how to actually write one.
This information is very important especially if you want to make money selling recipes. Please note that in order for your recipe to sell, apart from ensuring it tastes delicious, it has to be well-written.
Based on What’s Cooking America, an effective recipe has to have the following information:
- Recipe Name
- List of Ingredients
- Amount of Ingredients
- Preparation Instructions
- Variations (Optional)
- Storage (Optional)
Now, let us define each item for you to have a better understanding what each of these means —
Recipe Name – The name of the recipe will basically tell what the dish is. Normally, authors would just write it as it is, or in some cases, writers would include personal information about the recipe so the reader will have a better understanding of its origin or how it came about.
List of Ingredients – The list of ingredients is actually one of the three major components to a recipe (amount of ingredients and preparation instructions are the other two). The list of ingredients is obviously a list wherein you will find what ingredients you need to make the dish. In some cases, authors are very specific with the brand of the ingredient, though mostly, it would be generic.
Amount of Ingredients – The amount of ingredients is also another major component of a recipe. It basically states how many cups or tablespoons or pieces you need per ingredient to be able to recreate the dish. This component is very critical as this will either make or break a recipe.
Preparation Instructions – The preparation instructions is the component of a recipe wherein the author writes down the process of cooking the dish. In most well-written recipes, this part includes the cooking temperature, the size of the pan (or the tools) needed for the recipe, and so on. This basically is a guide that people will follow to come up with the output.
Variations (Optional) – This one’s optional because not all dishes may have variations. However, you will mostly see it in baking recipes. An example of a variation is a substitute for a particular ingredient if that is not available.
Storage (Optional) – Well-written recipes include instruction on how to properly store the dish to ensure it stays fresh or edible until a certain period of time.
WHAT DO YOU NEED TO START SELLING RECIPES ONLINE?
Now, if you are ready to start sharing your delicious creations with other people by selling your recipes particularly online, the perfect time is now.
However, there are a few important things that you need to be able to start selling recipes online.
First, you have to have knowledge of at least basic culinary terms and cooking measurements. This is very important for you to be able to write a recipe that is clear and easy to follow.
Second, make sure to test the recipe first and make sure it works. Needless to say, make sure it tastes right.
Third, when writing a recipe, make sure all ingredients are listed. Keep in mind that your reputation is at risk when writing a recipe. If a recipe doesn’t work the way it should, then no one will believe you the next time. Also, make sure to avoid confusing instructions as it may lead to a disappointing result.
Fourth, if writing recipes for baked goods, make sure everything is on point. Compared to cooking dishes, baking is more of exact science, which means errors are unacceptable. In fact, one error could ruin the whole recipe.
Fifth, produce good quality photos. If you want your recipes to sell, you better invest in photos. You can hire a food photographer if you want to come up with the best food photos possible. Photos are the ones that actually sell the recipe.
Now, if you do not have the budget to hire a food photographer, you can always ask a friend who’s willing to do it for free, or you can always check out some food photography videos online.
That’s it! To be honest, all of the above are doable — so, just make sure they’re all covered and you are going to surely come up with concise, and easy to follow recipes that end in seriously delicious meals.
HOW MUCH DOES A RECIPE COST?
Of course, you would be very interested to know how much a recipe is worth, right? After all, we are talking about making money on selling recipes.
Here’s the thing –
It’s kind of hard to particularly pinpoint an exact amount. Technically speaking, how much a recipe is worth depends on the kind of gig, the requirements, etc. Needless to say, in some cases, your credibility as a food writer may also have to be considered in determining your recipe’s worth.
To give you an idea though, for bloggers and freelancing stints, a recipe writer may earn anywhere between $10 and $20 for both the rights to a recipe and the photos that go with it.
Now, if you are going to publish your own recipes on your own blog, or publish an electronic cookbook, these are totally different stories. What we can assure you though is that these routes may earn you more. Of course, it will take time to start earning, and you got to work hard to get people to visit your blog or buy your eBook, but in the end, if you do it right, it’s going to be financially fulfilling.
Now, apart from these options, you can also make money from joining recipe contents, or by being a contributor to a food magazine or food blog/website.
You see, with such a variety of platforms where you can sell recipes, it’s kind of really hard to tell how much you can make. But, one thing’s for sure – your recipe is worth something.
HOW TO MAKE MONEY SELLING RECIPES ONLINE?
Now, the most awaited part —
In this section, we are going to share the different ways available to make money selling recipes online. The list may be overwhelming, but you’ll surely find the best way or the best platform for you —
Having said that, below are the different ways on how you can make money from your recipes online:
Get Online Gigs
First on the list is by getting gigs online.
While there are a lot of online platforms where you can get gigs for recipe writing, one way to connect with people who may buy your recipe is by joining Facebook Groups.
There are a lot of Facebook Groups out there that bring people of the same interest together. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a group of food lovers or recipe makers, you may also consider joining groups of bloggers, content creators, virtual assistants, etc. In some cases, these people may need recipe writers or may be able to connect you with someone who needs your expertise.
Although most of these groups are private, you can always send a request, and most likely, you will be accepted.
Freelance Writing Platforms
Job listing sites like Upwork, Freelancer, FlexJobs, and more do cater to recipe writing job posts. Yes, it may be surprising, but there are actually companies or individual clients who look for recipe writers.
Opportunities for freelance recipe writing vary from developing to drafting menus to serving a long-term writer for cookbook companies.
How much you make in these types of jobs will depend on various factors like your expertise, as well as years of experience, as well as the task involved. Usually, easier projects are paid on an hourly basis, while upper-level work pays a higher flat rate per post or per project.
Join a Recipe Contest
This may sound crazy, but joining a recipe contest is another way of making money with your recipes!
Although not all recipe writing contests give cash prizes, you may still bring home some equally amazing goods.
If you are interested, you may check out ContestCook or CookingContestCentral. Please note that these websites serve as a directory for recipe contests as well as sweepstakes. There surely is no harm in trying.
Publish a Kindle Cookbook
Earlier, we mentioned how electronic cookbooks are coping. As you may have read, it has grown over the years given the fact that people nowadays prefer eBooks or any electronic references.
Anyway, one of the best ways to make money selling recipes is by publishing your very own cookbook.
If you have been dreaming of becoming an author, this is the best choice for you.
Compile all your recipes and publish an eBook out of it. We bet you’ll love not just the process but the possible result of this project. Needless to say, publishing an e-cookbook can be financially fulfilling.
Start Your Own Food Blog
If you love writing in general, starting your own blog would be one of the best ways to make money with your recipes.
Starting your own blog may require a little investment, but don’t worry it’s not that much.
With your own blog, there are endless possibilities of earning. You can earn through ads, affiliate marketing, sponsorships, donations, as well as collaborations.
If you opt to start a blog, here’s a few reminders to keep in mind:
- Find your niche – Recipe writing is a niche, but you can even be more specific like baking recipes, family meal recipes, etc.
- Post a recipe regularly – Regular posting of a blog is helpful to increase your traffic
- Advertise your blog – To increase traffic, which is the secret to earning from blogs, make sure to advertise it through social media channels like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, etc.
Sell Recipes to Blogs
Another way to make money selling recipes is to sell them to blogs. If you do not have time or are not interested to build your own blog, you can sell your recipes to blogs particularly food blogs instead.
Professional bloggers are too busy to create their own unique recipes, so what they do is they buy food content to help save time, effort, and avoid stress.
If you do not mind other people being credited for your work, then this one’s perfect for you.
Selling recipes to blogs can earn you somewhere between $10 and $20 per recipe.
Sell Recipes on Etsy
Etsy is another platform where you can sell recipes and make money.
Fortunately, Etsy is one of the sites that provides foodies the opportunity to build their own e-commerce shop without having to worry about cost — because it’s for free.
Most shops in Etsy’s Food & Drink category sell a variety of products from various ingredients, to condiments, sauces, and even pet food! So, yeah, basically, a recipe falls under this category.
When it comes to recipes though, those that are sold individually appeal more to customers as opposed to an electronic cookbook.
When it comes to prices, it varies as well. We highly recommend checking Etsy first, and see how other shops price their recipes to get an idea of how much you are going to sell yours.
Sell Recipes to Food Companies
Another way to make money selling recipes is by selling recipes to food companies.
Yes, you read it right. There are food companies that constantly look for new recipes especially the ones using their products. That is actually something to keep in mind if you want your recipes to be bought by food companies.
Unfortunately, we do not have figures as to how much you can make from selling recipes to food companies, but, it varies though depending on the company.
Sell Recipe to Food Magazines
Last but not the least on our least is making money by selling recipes to food magazines.
There are lots of food magazines that pay people for their recipes. Some of them are Healthy Living, Cooking Light, Taste of Home, as well as Eating Well.
Although it’s given why food magazines buy recipes, other magazines with different niche may also buy recipes.
Keep in mind, however, that magazines will not automatically pay you for submitting your recipes. They will have to accept your entry first for your recipe to be published and get paid.
FINAL THOUGHTS ON HOW TO MAKE MONEY SELLING RECIPES
There you have it! You see, your recipes could actually turn into cash. You just have to find the right platform. Amazing, right?
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