With the rise of the internet, most people are shifting to online hustles, either full-time or part-time, to make extra bucks from the comfort of their homes. Some online jobs include article writing, tutoring, making videos on YouTube, and digital marketing, to mention a few. Among the lucrative yet overlooked online business ideas is selling eBooks - specifically meal plans.
In today's health-conscious era, nearly everyone is looking for manageable ways to stay healthy and streamline their meals. So, whether you are a chef, a nutritionist, or simply have mastered the art of healthy meal prep, you can take advantage of the increasing demand for personalized plans and make income from them.
Selling meal plans online is a great way to earn passive income. This article will tell you everything you need to know about how you can start making an income with this easy digital product idea.
Why Sell Meal Plans Online?
As earlier mentioned, the demand for meal plans is rising and shows no signs of going down, with a CAGR of around 15%. There are many companies that capitalize on the physical aspect of meal planning, with subscription services like HelloFresh offering consumers an easy way to make cook meals thanks to done-for-you recipe and ingredient boxes. But the easiest way to make money in the meal planning market is to sell digital, downloadable meal plans. You can create these plans once and sell them over and over again, earning you true passive income.
Let's take a look at some of the key benefits of selling meal plans online.
Low production cost
Among the top benefits of any online business is low overhead costs. First, you don't need to lease a physical store to store your inventory, significantly lowering the starting capital. You also forego the cost of packaging and shipping. With digital meal plans, you only need a computer and the internet - create a single copy and sell it repeatedly without incurring more production costs.
Your main investment will be a computer, if you don't already have one. Then, pay for design software (you may also opt for a free option like canva) and a payment processor, and you will be ready.
Constantly growing demand
As more people become conscious of their health the market for meal plans is rapidly growing. Consumers are looking for easy meal plans for specific diets, like Keto or Paleo, and customized nutrition plans to meet their specific lifestyles, dietary needs, and health goals. You can take advantage of that and tailor different plans to attract people from different age groups and demographics.
For instance, you can create a meal plan for individuals with diabetes or heart problems, another for those on a weight loss/gain journey, and another for weight lifters. The ideas are endless.
Easily scalable
Here's a hot tip - you don't have to stick to just selling meal plans. As your customer base grows, you may add complementary products such as recipe books or even a one-on-one coaching program. You may also ask your customers to subscribe to your weekly newsletter at a small cost. More customers and more products equals more income!
Passive income earner
We've touched on this already but it is so important that we will explore it here again. Online businesses have no geographical limits. You can reach people from all over the globe, and you can sell a single copy repeatedly without worrying about inventory. This makes it a perfect way to generate passive income while potentially working on other businesses.
Easy to build a personal brand
Remember how we mentioned that you don't have to stick to only selling meal plans? Selling meal plans online is an excellent way to establish and grow your brand. Whether you're a nutritionist, a fitness influencer, or a chef, offering meal plans as a product helps position you as an authority in your niche. As your brand grows, you can expand your offerings to include additional products like recipe books, coaching services, or cooking classes.
How to Start Selling Mean Plans Online in Six Steps
If you are ready to turn your expertise into a profitable venture, here are six steps to make that plan a reality.
1. Refine your niche
You have limitless options to choose from when deciding the kind of meal plan to sell. First, identify your target audience to help you determine the type of meal plan such that the product resonates with that specific group.
The ideal niche depends on what you are most passionate about. For example, if you are a diabetes patient or have a loved one living with a particular ailment, you will most likely focus on that niche. If you are taking care of a senior parent, you have lived experience of the type of foods that best support the aging process. Similarly, if you are a breastfeeding mom, you can tailor your meal plan around nutritious meals to keep your milk supply strong.
Some common niches include:
- Keto Meal Plans: These plans are suited for individuals who want to shift to a ketogenic diet, perhaps to lose weight or for health purposes. Keto has become an incredibly popular diet, so you are targeting a large market here.
- Paleo Meal Plans: Athletes often opt for a paleo diet to boost their performance. You can easily make a living from targeting this market if you are passionate about it.
- Weight Loss Meal Plans: These plans are the most common and aim to help individuals looking to lose weight through dieting, but they are usually tailored to each individual as you calculate a person's macros.
- Vegan Meal Plans: The vegan diet is gaining popularity, especially among the younger generation. You can make easy-to-follow plant-based plans suitable for beginners.
Once you decide on your niche, you can focus on making plans that will set you apart from other sellers of similar products.
2. Decide on your product
You can decide how to structure your plan to suit your audience. Note that this part significantly affects your selling price. Some plans may suit a general audience, while others are customized to cater to specific individual needs.
- Recipe eBook
An ebook could include organized recipes for different meal times, such as breakfast, snacks, lunch, and supper. Create special yet healthy recipes for people looking to revamp their diets or spice up their family meal times.
Each recipe should include the necessary ingredients with measurements, as well as the amount of heat and time needed to prepare the meals. - Weekly/Monthly Meal Plans
Some households are looking to budget for their meals, but that's only achievable with a guided plan. Prepare a meal plan including daily meals and ingredients. Add a comprehensive shopping list at the end of the week or month, for everything they need to prepare those meals. Besides fostering a routine, such a plan makes it easier to decide how much one needs for food in a week or month. - Meal Planning Guides
In addition to providing recipes, you can offer a comprehensive guide that teaches customers how to plan their meals for the week, create efficient shopping lists, and manage portion control. - Custom Meal Plans
Offer premium, personalized meal plans based on an individual's dietary preferences, nutritional needs, or fitness goals. This option allows for higher pricing and can be sold as a one-time purchase or through a subscription.
3. Make your digital meal plan
Creating a high-quality, visually appealing meal plan is crucial to attracting and retaining customers. While content is critical, design is significant in making your product professional and easy to use. Some steps for creating the plan are:
- Research and Organize Your Recipe
First, gather and test the recipes you wish to include in your meal plan. This step gives you confidence in what you are selling. You then organize the plans into various categories: breakfast, snacks, lunch, and dinner. Ensure each category has clear instructions, ingredient lists, and nutritional information. - Create Meal Schedules
Depending on your niche and product types, you may develop daily, weekly, or monthly meal schedules. For instance, for body builders, you may include 'cut' weeks and 'bulk' weeks to suit a training schedule and goal. - Design Your Product
Luckily, you have various tools to choose from that will help you design a meal plan, like Canva and VistaCreate. The layout must be clean and well-organized. Add high-quality images of the meals, and use clear fonts and ample white space to make the meal plans appealing.
4. Choose the right platform to sell your meal plans
Deciding where to sell your meal plans is one of the most critical steps in the process. There are several options available, each with its own advantages and drawbacks. Here are some platforms to consider:
- Your Own Website
Selling meal plans through your own website gives you complete control over the customer experience, branding, and pricing. However, it also requires you to set up ecommerce functionality, which can be time-consuming and costly. Platforms like Shopify or WordPress with WooCommerce are good options for building an online store, but make sure to consider the associated costs. - Third-Party Marketplaces
If you want to get started quickly without dealing with the technicalities of running a website, selling through a third-party marketplace is a great option. Whop, for example, is a platform designed specifically for selling digital products like meal plans, and you can choose to sell on the Whop marketplace or simply create your own whop hub and share that link in your bio. It's easy to set up, and you can start selling within minutes. Other platforms to consider include Etsy, Gumroad, and Fiverr. - Social Media
Many entrepreneurs sell meal plans directly through their social media profiles, using platforms like Instagram, TikTok, or Facebook. With features like Instagram Shopping and TikTok Live Shopping, it's easy to direct followers to purchase meal plans directly from your profile. All you have to do is create your whop hub and direct your customers to it.
For most people, starting with a third-party platform like Whop is a smart move because it allows you to focus on creating and selling your product rather than worrying about the technicalities of running an online store.
5. Price your products
Deciding how much to charge for your meal plans is a critical step in the process. Pricing too low can undermine your expertise and reduce profitability, while pricing too high may alienate potential customers. Here are a few factors to consider when pricing your meal plans:
- Market Research
Start by researching how much similar meal plans are being sold for in your niche. Look at competitors' pricing and consider offering introductory rates or packages to attract early customers. - The Value of Your Time
If your meal plan includes personalized consultations or custom plans, be sure to factor in the value of your time. Due to the additional work required, add ons like one-on-one coaching should be priced higher than general meal plans. - Your Audience's Budget
Consider your target audience's budget. If you're selling meal plans to busy professionals, you may be able to charge a premium. However, if you're targeting college students or budget-conscious consumers, you may need to adjust your pricing accordingly. - Upsell Opportunities
Consider bundling your meal plans with additional products or services to increase the price. For example, you could offer a monthly subscription with weekly check-ins, recipe updates, and exclusive content.
A standard pricing strategy for meal plans is to offer tiered pricing. For example, you might plan a basic plan for $10, a more comprehensive plan for $30, and a premium plan with personalized coaching for $70. This allows you to cater to different customer needs and budgets while increasing your revenue potential.
6. Marketing your meal plans
Once your meal plans are ready to sell, it's time to focus on marketing. Here's how to effectively market your meal plans to reach a broad audience:
- Build an Email List
Email marketing is preferred as it helps marketers send personalized content to their target audience. In return, creating an email list helps you build a solid relationship with both prospects and actual buyers. The trick is to ensure you send helpful content and promote your meal plans directly to your audience.
Strive to grow your email list, which is achievable by creating a free lead magnet such as a sample meal plan or a downloadable guide on healthy eating. Offer this in exchange for people signing up for your email list. Once you have a list, you can send regular newsletters with valuable tips, recipe ideas, and promotions to drive sales. - Leverage Social Media
Social media platforms are dominating the digital marketing sector, and it's for the right reasons. The platforms are visually appealing, allowing you to create and post high-quality photos of your meal plans. You may also create quality behind-the-scenes videos to engage your audience or even collaborate with social media influencers to advertise the meal plans to their followers.
You may also leverage these platforms to share customer reviews or testimonials, which increases trust with prospects. - Optimize for SEO
Optimizing for search engines (SEO) is crucial to driving organic traffic if you're selling your meal plans through your website. Use keywords that your target audience is likely to search for, such as "vegan meal plans," "keto meal prep," or "meal plans for weight loss." You can also create blog posts and content that provide value while driving traffic to your product pages. - Paid Advertising
Paid advertising is the best way to reach a larger audience. Platforms such as Facebook and Instagram have proven to offer highly targeted ad options, allowing you to get specific demographics, interests, and behaviors. Besides these social media platforms, Google Ads comes in handy for targeting people who are specifically searching for meal plans. - Upselling and Cross-Selling Strategies
Once you've established a customer base, upselling and cross-selling are essential strategies for maximizing the lifetime value of your customers. Here are a few ways to upsell and cross-sell your meal plans:
Offer Coaching Services: Once someone purchases a meal plan, offer them the option to add on a one-on-one coaching session for personalized advice and support.
Sell Recipe Books: Create a collection of exclusive recipes that complement your meal plans and offer them as an add-on for an additional price.
Subscription Services: A monthly subscription provides customers with new meal plans, recipes, and access to exclusive content.
Selling Meal Plans With Whop
There you have it - everything you need to know about selling meal plans online. When you're ready to start selling, be sure to sell with Whop. Whop is a powerful platform for selling digital products like meal plans, coaching, and community access, making the process easy and accessible for anyone.
When selling meal plans with Whop you can:
- Create Your whop: You start by creating your own whop, which is your online hub. This is an online space where you upload and sell your digital products using native whop apps, making it extremely easy to get set up.
- Upload Your Meal Plans: Uploading your meal plans is easy using the file app, you simply add the app and upload your ebooks, templates, and trackers.
- Add the Chat App to Talk to Customers: A great way to make money with meal plans is to create a community. By adding a community, your customers can communicate with one another (and you) about their favorite meals and recipes that they would like to see. Whop makes this easy with a whop chat app - just add this to your whop and start talking.
- Add Suggestion App: To scale your business, you can leverage a suggestions app to get new meal ideas from your community. This also helps your community to feel involved and connected.
- Offer Giveaways: Whop has a feature that lets you plan for giveaways to engage your customers and keep them coming back.
- Host Webinars: You can make your business more engaging by hosting webinars on meal planning in your whop, using the video calls app.
- Sell an online course: Why not teach others the art of meal planning with an online course? Just add the courses app to your whop to create and start selling your course.
- Implement an Affiliate Program with Whop: Affiliate marketing is one effective way to increase traffic to your shop. The whop affiliate program lets other people post your product on their site with a link that leads them to your whop.
Once you've created your whop you can paywall part or all of it. Simply attach a product to a whop or a whop app, and offer a variety of payments including tiered, once-off, and subscription payments. You can even offer buy-now-pay-later services and have Whop act as your merchant of record.
Start Making Money With Whop Today
Selling meal plans online offers tremendous potential for anyone passionate about food and nutrition. By using Whop you can streamline the process, reach a broader audience, and build a successful business quickly.
The best part is that Whop doesn't charge any upfront fees. Whop takes only 3% of your payments, meaning we only make money when you make money.
