Diet Food
Delivery Service

A diet food delivery service may be a wonderful business idea that is becoming very popular as consumers have become so busy with every day living, they are not finding the time and energy to shop, prepare, and eat healthy meals. 

Many times they are opting for fast food or restaurant take-out meals which the USDA indicates exceed the daily calorie, sodium, and fat limits in just one meal.  

Here is an opportunity to provide so many different benefits for your customers.  

Your business can take many paths depending upon your interests and time – put the ideas together or do them separately. 

Are you interested in providing quality, healthful food products that provide superior nutrition and good taste (leaving your customers wanting more)? 

Do you know how to find quality ingredients at reasonable prices? Do you understand different diet restrictions? Maybe you love to cook or know a great chef who prepares nutritious meals . . .

As you start your food and nutrition service, you can pick the avenues which appeal to you most.   Ask yourself which types of diets you want to focus on – weight loss, vegetarian/vegan, low-carb, low-fat, gluten-free, etc. 

Identify your customer base – healthy eaters, those wanting to lose weight, individuals on special diets for health reasons (my mother-in-law was recently diagnosed with celiac disease and is now requires a gluten-free diet), etc.  

There are a few ways to approach your diet food delivery service.

Option #1

• You can work with your clients (such as the elderly who may not be able to get out of their homes easily) and identify the foods they require.
• You do the shopping and delivery the food to them for a fee.
• Or they can order from the grocer and you pick-up the food and deliver.  

Option #2

• Help change the definition of “fast food” by encouraging your customers to fully utilize your services.
• You shop, prepare, and deliver quality ingredients/meals to your customers where they can either finish the preparation or just warm the food at their convenience.

Option #3

• Provide catering, food and nutrition services.
• You can prepare the meals and deliver them.
• In my neighborhood there are also retail businesses where nutritious food is prepared and the customer’s pick-it up.
• Partner with these retail businesses to deliver these tasty meals and become the new and improved “meals on wheels”! LOL!
  

Niche Notes!!

This is such a terrific idea with a lot of different ways to differentiate yourself and attract customers to your diet food delivery service.

1)  Specialize in healthful, nutritious diets specifically designed for athletes and extreme sports activists.  Include shopping for supplements at the local health food store to eliminate this time from their busy schedules.

2)  Take the mobile idea one step farther -- buy a motor home or RV and convert it into a “meals on wheels” nutritional experience preparing healthy meals.  

3)   Combine your diet food delivery service with your nutritional consulting business.

4)   Focus on seniors who have restrictive diets, but are unable to leave their homes easily.  

5)   Offer additional personal shopping services to your busy clients and deliver everything in one trip.   

6)   Prepare quality, tasteful meals for your customers and deliver them in containers they can warm when they're ready to eat -- minimizing shopping, cooking, and preparation time (estimated to be 15-20+ hours/week).   

So here's a great infograph on Obesity -- and being able to conquer it!  This has some great information is you're thinking about starting this type of service in your neighborhood.  

Obesity:  Complex but Conquerable [Infograph]

Diet Food Delivery Service -- What's It Take?

Interests/Skills:  

• Health, Wellness, and Nutrition Lifestyle
• Flair for identifying nutritious foods
• Food preparation skills (or partner with a chef)
• Ability to educate and encourage people to eat healthy
• Communication skills
• Organization skills
• Time management

Resources:  A good vehicle for your diet food delivery business will be needed to make the deliveries for your food/meals. Purchase quality food carriers to hold groceries or warm/cold foods to keep them from spoiling. If you decide to prepare foods, you’ll want to find a commercial kitchen and work with your local health department to make sure you follow all appropriate requirements for food preparation. Check with both your attorney and insurance agent to determine any additional requirements which may be applicable for your business and locale.  

Time Required:  15-20 hrs/week; can work full-time 30-40+ hrs/week

Training:  Your training will depend upon how you approach your diet food delivery service – you can attend free seminars at local health food stores, cooking retailers, and food shows.  There may be some terrific learning opportunities for your food and nutrition service at your local recreation center and colleges/universities will provide terrific environment for learning about nutrition and the latest research. Of course, the internet is full of fun new recipes and will keep you trying new things all the time.  

Market:  Athletes, Healthy Eaters, Individuals Losing Weight, Families, Customers On Restrictive Diet, Busy Professionals

Home Based:      Yes

Internet:              No

Location:              Local

Start-Up Costs:    $500 - $2,500

Minimizing Start-Up Costs:   As you start your diet delivery service, find a dedicated space in your home for your office and to store any products. Using your current transportation while you grow your business will also keep your costs reasonable.  Get a terrific magnetic sign/artwork for your car to draw attention to your new diet food delivery service.  As you do your deliveries, you'll have your "rolling billboard" to get the word out about the services you offer.  

Meet with your customers either over the phone, via the internet, or in their home/office to determine their specific dietary wishes. When delivering the food, plan to spend a few minutes on each visit to discuss preparation, nutritional values, and help them to put away food (in the case of the busy professional or the elderly).

Work directly with local farmers, organic grocers, and others to develop relationships and purchase your foods at wholesale prices.

Nutrition Consulting

Personal Shopping

Personal Trainer

Food Delivery Business

Business Ideas. . .

Mobile Business Ideas . . .

Diet Food Delivery Service to Health and Fitness Business Ideas . . .