1. Quiz
  2. Your result
  3. Your plan
  4. Your guide

Step-by-step guide

Home food sold on WhatsApp and social media: from your first menu to your first paid order

Cook meals or bake from home and sell through WhatsApp and social media, with pre-orders so you only cook what is paid for. This guide covers published 2026 meal prices, the free Certificate of Acceptability, costing a dish, scripts and a 14-day plan.

  • 26 lessons
  • 5 modules
  • about 2 hours in total

Is this guide for you?

Good fit if

  • You cook well and people already ask for your food.
  • You can keep a clean kitchen and stick to order cut-offs.
  • You want to start small with pre-orders and grow week by week.

Think twice if

  • You cannot keep raw and cooked food apart or keep food cold.
  • You do not want to deal with your municipality's health inspector.

Honest expectations

  • Your first orders usually come from people you know within the first week or two.
  • Published 2026 examples of frozen home-style meals sell for about R85 to R100 a meal.
  • Profit depends on costing every dish properly and cooking only what has been paid for.

What is inside

  1. Module 1

    Is this right for you?

    What it involves, who pays, and honest expectations.

    1. How selling home food online worksFree · 5 min
    2. Honest expectations4 min (in the full guide)
  2. Module 2

    Set up and price

    What you need and what to charge.

    1. Your startup kit, costs and skills5 min (in the full guide)
    2. Set up step by step: ready for your first order6 min (in the full guide)
    3. Pricing and getting paid: real 2026 prices5 min (in the full guide)
    4. Your numbers: a worked example in rands5 min (in the full guide)
  3. Module 3

    Your first week

    The first steps, in order.

    1. Your first week, step by step6 min (in the full guide)
    2. Week one, step 2: Set up a WhatsApp Business catalogue with photos and prices3 min (in the full guide)
    3. Week one, step 3: Run one pre-order day3 min (in the full guide)
    4. Finding your first customers: where to look5 min (in the full guide)
    5. Your 14-day first-order playbook6 min (in the full guide)
    6. Messages to copy: your first customers5 min (in the full guide)
  4. Module 4

    Your first month

    A routine that brings in customers.

    1. Your first 30 days: build a routine4 min (in the full guide)
    2. Month one, task 1: Set one fixed order day a week3 min (in the full guide)
    3. Month one, task 2: Apply for your Certificate of Acceptability3 min (in the full guide)
    4. Month one, task 3: Ask every customer what they would order again3 min (in the full guide)
    5. Common mistakes home cooks make4 min (in the full guide)
  5. Module 5

    Months two and three

    Repeat what works, grow and stay safe.

    1. Days 31 to 90: repeat what works and grow4 min (in the full guide)
    2. Months two and three, task 1: Offer a weekly menu to one workplace or shop3 min (in the full guide)
    3. Months two and three, task 2: Drop the dish that earns least for the time it takes3 min (in the full guide)
    4. Months two and three, task 3: Publish a weekly pre-order menu3 min (in the full guide)
    5. Months two and three, task 4: Ask regular customers to share your menu3 min (in the full guide)
    6. Free courses to fill your skill gaps4 min (in the full guide)
    7. Getting paid safely and spotting scams4 min (in the full guide)
    8. Tax: what to put aside, with worked examples6 min (in the full guide)
    9. Risks, rules, tax and staying safe5 min (in the full guide)

What it costs to start

R0 to get started, from our research

What you will use:

  • Containers, labels and ingredients for the first pre-order day
  • Certificate of Acceptability

Prices change and differ by area, so check two places near you before you buy.

Try it before you buy

Lesson one is free. If it helps, the whole guide is R149 once-off.

Start the free lesson

Reviewed 26 October 2026 by the Earn Path team. Next review due 26 April 2027.