How Kids Who Love to Cook Can Make Money
Lots of kids love to cook. Here’s how kids who love to cook can make money from their passion.
To see a full list of ways kids can make money see: How to Make Money as a Kid
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“I come from a family of cooks. We’re just always cooking, I felt like I just didn’t want to wait.” Eliana de Las Casas explains after mentioning she began cooking at age four.
And her passion didn’t end there. By eight years old, Eliana began a cooking blog for kids and made her own spice blend. By age fourteen she had published three cookbooks and began hosting her own radio show. Today at age 16, Eliana is a contestant on the Food Network’s Chopped Teen Tournament. She was also named one of the “Top 10 Most Famous Kid Critics and Cooks” in the world by The Daily Meal.
While her passion for cooking drove much of her success, the Louisana native says she’s had a lot of help along the way: Eliana’s mother is also an author and helped her daughter create a business plan, manage inventory and network with new contacts while her dad works on distribution and re-orders.
There’s no doubt Eliana’s plans for the future are to aim high. After graduating from a four-year culinary high school in New Orleans, Eliana hopes to attend the prestigious Culinary Institute of America in New York. “Many famous chefs graduated from CIA and I want to be one of them!”, Eliana says.
How Kids Who Love to Cook Can Make Money
Eliana de Las Casas has dedicated most of her life to cooking and has built a business around her passion. Maybe you’re not quite as passionate about cooking as Eliana. But if you enjoy being in the kitchen and wouldn’t mind making some extra money, here are a few ways kids who love to cook can also make money:
Sell baked goods at farmers markets, fairs, etc.: If you love to bake, consider selling breads, muffins, pastries, cookies, cakes and brownies at a farmers market. Baked goods can also be found at fairs, school events or other social gatherings. Creating a brand name and logo will add to the prestige of your products. Be sure to fully educate yourself on your state’s health codes before getting started. See: How to Run a Bake Sale (Kids)
Baking cookies and making candy during the holidays: The December holiday season is busy! Cookie exchanges and holiday parties are popular this time of year, but finding time to make treats can be tricky. Help adults out by offering to make a specified number of cookies or brownies for them to take to parties. Placing the baked goods in decorative containers will help add to the professionalism of your product.
Serving food at parties: Throwing a party is a lot of work! And hiring a caterer can be expensive. Advertise your services to help set-up, serve, and replenish food during a party so the hosts can relax and enjoy spending time with their guests. High-quality customer service is of utmost importance in this line of work so make sure you are prepared to make your clients happy.
Making jams and jellies: Homemade jams and jellies are delicious – much better than store-bought! During berry season, find a farm that will let you pick berries for less than it would cost you to buy them in the grocery store. Then, take multiple pounds of the berries home and make jam or jelly. You’ll also need to buy pectin, glass jars, and create labels with your brand and a description of your product. It may be difficult to find a store that will sell your jams and jellies but local farmers markets and fairs are a good place to start. While they weren’t kids, the founders of Stonewall Kitchens began their business selling blueberry jam at a farmers market in Portsmouth, NH. and now their company is worth at least $70 million!
Write a cookbook: If you’ve been cooking for a while and have amassed a collection of recipes you think other kids will like, why not write a cookbook? If working on a hardcopy book is too intimidating, an e-book is an easy way to get started. See this tutorial on how to begin writing an e-book: How to Write an E-Book
Begin a cooking blog for kids: Maybe your cooking adventures haven’t taken you as far as to write an entire book. But if you’re still inclined to share your cooking stories, recipes, and connect with other kids, starting a blog can be another way to make money. While it can take time to build a following, some blogs can eventually be very profitable. To see what other kids are doing in this space see: Top Ten Kid Food Bloggers.
Offer cooking classes for other kids: Are you known as the kid who loves to cook? If you’ve gained enough cooking skills that you think you can teach other aspiring young chefs begin a cooking class. Advertise your class locally among friends or in publications. Of course, if you plan to run your classes out of the family kitchen you’ll need permission from your parents first.
Sell garden produce: While there’s no cooking involved, selling garden produce capitalizes on the growing demand for fresh vegetables and fruit. But beware – farming takes work and a lot of patience. Add to that unpredictable weather conditions and there’s no telling how much produce your home garden will really yield. If you live on a busy street, you could sell your produce right out your front door, but farmers markets are also a good way to get your harvest in front of eager buyers.
Bake pet treats: Who says all cooking has to be for humans? Pet owners spent a record $60 billion on their pets in 2017 – that’s a lot of market opportunity! Baking dog treats is easy and dogs are less fussy foodies than humans. For recipe ideas check out this cookbook: Dog Treat Cookbook: 20 Homemade Recipes Your Dog Will Love
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