Passive income: NO

Earning passive income directly from a meal prep business is challenging. Most people in this side hustle actively prepare and deliver meals, which requires ongoing effort. To make it passive, one would need to establish a system where meal preparation and delivery are outsourced or automated. This could involve hiring staff, using commercial kitchens, and setting up a delivery network. However, achieving this level of automation is rare and typically only feasible for those who scale significantly. Most meal prep businesses remain active endeavors, with passive income being more of an exception than the norm. Many people on platforms like Reddit and YouTube share experiences of hard work and active involvement, with only a few outliers managing to create passive systems. Misleading expectations often arise from underestimating the effort and investment needed to automate or outsource effectively. Realistically, passive income from meal prepping is more attainable for those with significant resources and business acumen, rather than the average side hustler.