How do I document my meal-prep company’s rotating menu and recipes?

Start with the rotation itself. Show how the menu cycles, how new meals are chosen and retired, and which ones customers ask for again and again. Note seasonal swaps and which meals depend on a supplier that is hard to replace. A buyer will want to understand the logic, not just the current list.

Then build the recipe records. Each should include the supplier or product used, the batch size, the yield, the cooking and cooling steps, how long it keeps and how it is labelled. Include allergen information and the substitutions you have made when something was out of stock. Photographs of the finished portion help staff cook it the same way.

Finally, check whether the records work without you. Hand a few to a staff member and watch them cook. Fix what is unclear. Keep the files in one organized place and decide who owns them after the sale, since recipes you developed with others may involve their contribution. Your lawyer can say how recipes and menu names should be dealt with in the agreement. Date every version, so you know which recipe is current.

Key takeaways

• Write each recipe as a full specification, including yield and storage.
• Document the rotation calendar and the reasons behind it.
• Test the records by letting someone else cook from them.
• Add allergen details and photographs of the finished portion, so staff cook each meal the same way every week.