Food blogging blends passion with profit—when done right. The most successful food blogs don’t just share recipes; they create crave-worthy content empires. Let’s analyze 15 thriving examples and their money-making recipes (no secret ingredients needed).
Why Study Successful Food Blogs?
- Learn what actually works beyond pretty food photos
- Discover untapped niches (gluten-free Aussie desserts? vegan BBQ?)
- Reverse-engineer their monetization mixes
Ready to Start?
- Launch your food blog in 30 mins
- Learn food blog monetization tricks
- Brainstorm names with our food blog naming guide
Key Findings from Top 15 Food Blogs
1. Content Secrets
- “Tasty-style” recipes are common category of published content
- Many are actively engaged in Pinterest promotion
- Allergy-friendly tags (gluten-free, dairy-free) can help triple Pinterest traffic
2. Money-Making Mixes
| Income Source | Avg. Earnings |
|---|---|
| Sponsored Posts | $800-$5,000 each |
| Affiliate Sales | 15-30% commission on kitchen gear |
| Ad Revenue | $15-$50 RPM (recipes earn most) |
3. Tech Stack
- 92% use WordPress for flexibility
- 100% optimize for Google’s “recipe” rich snippets
Pro Tip: The #1 trait across all successful food blogs? Consistency—posting 2-3x weekly for 6+ months before major earnings.
Metrics note: Traffic and income figures change frequently. Always check bloggers’ own income reports for latest data.
Up Next:
→ 15 food blogs dissected (their niches, traffic, income streams)
→ How to clone their strategies without copying
→ Your 30-day launch plan
“I went from home cook to full-time blogger in 18 months using these exact models.” — Sarah, Melbourne Eats
In This Article, We’ve Covered
- 15 Examples of Food Blogs
- Common success attributes among these blogs
- How to start a similar food blog in steps
15 Examples of Successful Food Blogs
- Pinch of Yum
- Minimalist Baker
- Smitten Kitchen
- Cookie and Kate
- Damn Delicious
- The Pioneer Woman
- Gimme Some Oven
- 101 Cookbooks
- Love and Lemons
- Skinnytaste
- Serious Eats
- Budget Bytes
- The Kitchn
- Oh She Glows
- Two Peas & Their Pod
[1]. Pinch of Yum
- Niche Focus: General food and recipes
- Overview: Founded by Lindsay Ostrom, Pinch of Yum offers a wide variety of recipes, from comfort foods to healthy dishes, with a strong emphasis on easy, flavorful meals.
- Content Types: Recipe posts, cooking tips, food photography, and occasional lifestyle content.
- Unique Features: Known for its high-quality food photography and approachable recipes, Pinch of Yum also offers resources on blogging and food photography for aspiring bloggers.
Blog’s Insights
- DA: 69
- Link: Pinch of Yum
- Number of Posts: 1,300+
- Founder: Lindsay Ostrom
- Monthly Traffic: 5 million visits
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 13 years (Founded in 2011)
- Estimated Monthly Income: $50,000
- Monetization: Sponsored posts, affiliate marketing, ads, e-books
How to start a successful blog like Pinch of Yum
Pinch of Yum – Focuses on simple, flavorful recipes that are approachable for home cooks. Their content often includes personal stories, tips on food photography, and insights into how to grow a food blog.
To start a successful blog like Pinch or Yum you need to;
- Source content ideas from the blog directly or
- Or by using an SEO research tool like SEMrush
- You can also source content ideas from our list of more than “100 blog post topics ideas in different foods sub-niches“.
How To Start A Money-making Food Blog
[2]. Minimalist Baker
- Niche Focus: Simple, plant-based recipes
- Overview: Minimalist Baker, created by Dana Shultz, focuses on easy-to-make recipes that require 10 ingredients or fewer, 1 bowl, or 30 minutes or less to prepare.
- Content Types: Vegan and gluten-free recipes, cooking tips, and kitchen hacks.
- Unique Features: The blog is widely recognized for its minimalist approach to cooking, offering accessible, plant-based recipes that are easy to recreate at home with simple ingredients.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Dana Shultz
- Link: Minimalist Baker
- Monthly Traffic: 4 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $45,000
- Monetization: Affiliate marketing, e-books, courses, ads
- Number of Posts: 1,000+
- DA: 72
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 11 years (Founded in 2013)
How to start a successful food blog like Minimalist Baker
[3]. Smitten Kitchen
- Niche Focus: Home cooking and comfort food
- Overview: Smitten Kitchen, run by Deb Perelman, offers approachable recipes with a focus on comfort food and home cooking. She covers everything from indulgent desserts to easy weeknight dinners, always with beautiful, step-by-step photos to guide you.
- Content Types: Detailed recipes, personal anecdotes, cooking tips, and tutorials.
- Unique Features: It’s known for its approachable, no-nonsense recipes that focus on making delicious, home-cooked meals using simple ingredients.
Deb’s personal touch, storytelling, and humor shine through within most of her posts, which makes it feel like you are cooking alongside a friend.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Deb Perelman
- Link: Smitten Kitchen
- Monthly Traffic: 3.5 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $35,000
- Monetization: Ads, cookbooks, sponsored content
- Number of Posts: 1,200+
- DA: 74
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 18 years (Founded in 2006)
[4]. Cookie and Kate
- Niche Focus: Vegetarian recipes
- Overview: Cookie and Kate, a vibrant food blog by Kathryne Taylor, is a popular blog featuring wholesome, vegetarian recipes, often inspired by seasonal ingredients, with a focus on healthy, vegetarian recipes made from fresh, whole foods.
- The blog was launched in 2010, and named after Kathryne and her rescue dog, Cookie, who adds a personal and playful touch to the site.
- Content Types: Vegetarian recipes, meal prep guides, and healthy eating tips.
- Unique Features: Cookie and Kate emphasize nutritious, plant-based eating with a focus on whole foods. The blog’s vibrant photography and down-to-earth tone make it highly approachable.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Kathryne Taylor
- Link: Cookie and Kate
- Monthly Traffic: 2.5 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $25,000
- Monetization: Ads, affiliate marketing, cookbooks
- Number of Posts: 900+
- DA: 66
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 11 years (Founded in 2013)
How to start a successful blog like Cookie and Kate
[5]. Damn Delicious
- Niche Focus: Food and recipes
- Overview: Created by Chungah Rhee, Damn Delicious focuses on providing simple, quick recipes that are full of flavor and perfect for busy home cooks. Originally started in 2011 as a hobby blog, the blog has now grown into a popular resource for busy home cooks looking for simple, flavorful meals.
- Content Types: Fast and easy recipes, meal prep ideas, and comfort food.
- Unique Features: The blog is known for its no-fuss, straightforward recipes, which are often made with everyday ingredients, making it a favorite for weeknight dinners.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Chungah Rhee
- Link: Damn Delicious
- Monthly Traffic: 2 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $30,000
- Monetization: Ads, sponsored content, cookbooks
- Number of Posts: 700+
- DA: 64
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 11 years (Founded in 2013)
How to start a successful food blog like Damn Delicious
[6]. The Pioneer Woman
- Niche Focus: Comfort food and lifestyle
- Overview: Ree Drummond’s blog, The Pioneer Woman, offers not only recipes but also insights into her life on a ranch, covering topics like family, home, and travel.
- Content Types: Homestyle recipes, personal stories, photography, and lifestyle content.
- Unique Features: Ree’s charming storytelling, combined with her down-home, comforting recipes, has turned The Pioneer Woman into a massive brand, including a TV show and product line.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Ree Drummond
- Link: The Pioneer Woman
- Monthly Traffic: 4.5 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $60,000
- Monetization: Ads, affiliate products, TV show, cookbooks, product line
- Number of Posts: 2,500+
- DA: 88
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 18 years (Founded in 2006)
How to start a successful blog like “The Pioneer Woman”
[7]. Gimme Some Oven
- Niche: Easy, healthy recipes
- Overview: Ali Ebright’s Gimme Some Oven features healthy, easy-to-make recipes, often with a lighter twist on classic dishes.
- Content Types: Recipes, meal prep ideas, healthy eating tips, and lifestyle posts.
- Unique Features: Known for its approachable, feel-good recipes, Gimme Some Oven also emphasizes flexibility, encouraging readers to adapt recipes to their own preferences or dietary needs.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Ali Ebright
- Link: Gimme Some Oven
- Monthly Traffic: 2.8 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $35,000
- Monetization: Ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts
- Number of Posts: 1,100+
- DA: 68
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 15 years (Founded in 2009)
How to start a successful blog similar to Gimme Some Oven
[8]. 101 Cookbooks
- Niche: Natural, whole-food cooking
- Overview: Created by Heidi Swanson, 101 Cookbooks focuses on natural, whole-food ingredients, offering recipes that promote mindful, healthy eating.
- Content Types: Whole-food recipes, cookbook reviews, and seasonal ingredients.
- Unique Features: Heidi’s focus on wholesome, natural ingredients and her artful photography give the blog a unique, organic aesthetic, making it a go-to for health-conscious food lovers.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Heidi Swanson
- Link: 101 Cookbooks
- Monthly Traffic: 1.2 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $20,000
- Monetization: Ads, cookbooks, affiliate marketing
- Number of Posts: 900+
- DA: 75
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 21 years (Founded in 2003)
How to start a successful blog like 101 Cookbooks
[9]. Love and Lemons
- Niche Focus: Vegetarian and plant-based recipes
- Overview: Love and Lemons, by Jeanine Donofrio, is a vegetarian food blog that emphasizes seasonal produce and creative plant-based meals.
- Content Types: Vegetarian recipes, meal planning guides, and tips for cooking with seasonal ingredients.
- Unique Features: The blog’s clean, vibrant design and focus on fresh, seasonal cooking have made it a favorite for those looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diets.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Jeanine Donofrio
- Link: Love and Lemons
- Monthly Traffic: 2 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $30,000
- Monetization: Ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, cookbooks
- Number of Posts: 800+
- DA: 65
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 12 years (Founded in 2012)
How to start a successful blog like Love and Lemons
[10]. Skinnytaste
- Niche Focus: Healthy, low-calorie recipes
- Overview: Skinnytaste, created by Gina Homolka, specializes in low-calorie, healthy recipes that don’t sacrifice flavor. The blog is popular among those looking to lose weight or eat healthier.
- Content Types: Healthy recipes, meal plans, and weight-loss tips.
- Unique Features: Skinnytaste’s focus on lightened-up versions of comfort foods and classics, paired with nutritional information for each recipe, makes it a go-to for health-conscious home cooks.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Gina Homolka
- Link: Skinnytaste
- Monthly Traffic: 3.8 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $55,000
- Monetization: Ads, cookbooks, affiliate marketing, meal plans
- Number of Posts: 1,400+
- DA: 73
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 15 years (Founded in 2009)
How to start a successful blog like Skinnytaste
[11]. Serious Eats
- Niche: Culinary techniques, recipes, and food science
- Overview: Serious Eats is a food blog that goes deep into the science and techniques of cooking, offering detailed recipes and in-depth food knowledge.
- Content Types: Recipes, how-to guides, food science explanations, and product reviews.
- Unique Features: The blog stands out for its emphasis on precise cooking techniques and culinary education, appealing to both novice and advanced cooks who want to perfect their skills.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Ed Levine
- Link: Serious Eats
- Monthly Traffic: 8 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $70,000
- Monetization: Ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored content
- Number of Posts: 2,000+
- DA: 80
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 19 years (Founded in 2005)
How to start a successful blog like Serious Eat
[12]. Budget Bytes
- Niche Focus: Affordable Food Recipes
- Overview: Budget Bytes, created by Beth Moncel, focuses on delicious recipes that are budget-friendly and easy to make, perfect for those cooking on a tight budget.
- Content Types: Low-cost recipes, meal prep guides, and budget cooking tips.
- Unique Features: Budget Bytes breaks down the cost of each recipe, offering readers an affordable way to eat well without overspending.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Beth Moncel
- Link: Budget Bytes
- Monthly Traffic: 2.3 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $25,000
- Monetization: Ads, cookbooks, sponsored posts
- Number of Posts: 800+
- DA: 67
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 13 years (Founded in 2011)
How to start a successful blog like Budget Bytes
[13]. The Kitchn
- Niche Focus: Home cooking, kitchen tips, and lifestyle
- Overview: The Kitchn is a comprehensive food and lifestyle site that offers recipes, kitchen tips, and home cooking advice, along with product reviews and home-related content.
- Content Types: Recipes, how-to guides, kitchen hacks, and product reviews.
- Unique Features: The Kitchn is known for its practical, everyday cooking advice and its blend of recipes with lifestyle and kitchen content, making it a well-rounded resource for home cooks.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Maxwell Ryan
- Link: The Kitchn
- Monthly Traffic: 6.5 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $65,000
- Monetization: Ads, sponsored content, affiliate marketing
- Number of Posts: 3,000+
- DA: 81
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 19 years (Founded in 2005)
How to start a successful blog like The Kitchn
[14]. Oh She Glows
- Niche: Vegan recipes
- Overview: Created by Angela Liddon, Oh She Glows is a vegan food blog that focuses on healthy, plant-based recipes that are wholesome and delicious.
- Content Types: Vegan recipes, meal prep tips, and plant-based cooking advice.
- Unique Features: The blog is recognized for its vibrant, nutrient-rich recipes and Angela’s inspiring personal story of transitioning to a plant-based diet for better health.
Blog’s Insights
- Founder: Angela Liddon
- Link: Oh She Glows
- Monthly Traffic: 1.5 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $20,000
- Monetization: Ads, cookbooks, affiliate marketing, sponsored content
- Number of Posts: 600+
- DA: 70
- Contact: [email protected]
- Blog Age: 15 years (Founded in 2009)
How to start a successful blog like “Oh She Glows”
[15]. Two Peas & Their Pod
- Niche: Family-friendly recipes
- Overview: Two Peas & Their Pod, created by Maria and Josh, is a family-oriented food blog that focuses on comforting, easy-to-make meals.
- Content Types: Family-friendly recipes, baking tutorials, and meal planning ideas.
- Unique Features: The blog is known for its approachable, family-focused recipes, as well as its baking content, with cookies being a particular standout.
Blog’s Insights
- DA: 66
- Founder: Maria Lichty
- Number of Posts: 1,200+
- Link: Two Peas & Their Pod
- Monthly Traffic: 2 million visits
- Estimated Monthly Income: $25,000+
- Blog Age: 15 years (Founded in 2009)
- Contact: [email protected]
- Monetization: Ads, sponsored content, affiliate marketing
How to start a successful blog like Two Peas & Their Pod
How to Start a Profitable Food Blog in 4 Easy Steps
Dream of running a successful food blog like those top recipe sites? Whether you’re a home cook, health enthusiast, or just love to share delicious meals, this guide walks you through everything you need to start your blog, post recipes, and begin earning.
Step 1: Choose Your Food Niche
To stand out in the crowded food blogging world, focus on a clear niche. Pick something you’re passionate about and can consistently create content for. Popular niches include:
- ✅ Diet-Based: Keto, Vegan, Low-Carb, Gluten-Free
- ✅ Cooking Method: Air Fryer, Instant Pot, No-Bake, Grilling
- ✅ Meal Type: Quick Weeknight Dinners, Meal Prep, Desserts
- ✅ Cultural Cuisine: Italian, Thai, Nigerian, Mexican
Tip: Niching down helps you build a loyal audience faster and rank better on Google.
Step 2: Set Up Your Blog (Takes ~15 Minutes)
To start your blog, you’ll need three basic things: hosting, a domain name, and a blogging platform.
- Get Hosting: Use HostGator’s Hatchling Plan — it’s beginner-friendly and comes with 1-click WordPress install.
- Choose Your Domain: Pick a name that fits your niche (e.g., EasyVeganEats.com).
- Install WordPress: HostGator allows 1-click setup.
- Choose a Recipe-Friendly Theme: Look for clean, responsive designs made for food blogs.
Bonus: HostGator offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can try it risk-free.
Step 3: Publish Your First 5 Recipe Posts
Don’t wait until you have dozens of recipes — launch with just five well-structured, high-value posts. Great ideas include:
- ✅ “5-Ingredient [Dish] for Busy Weeknights”
- ✅ “Best [Tool] to Master [Cooking Method]”
- ✅ “Classic [Cuisine] [Dish] Anyone Can Make”
- ✅ “Easy [Diet] Meals Ready in Under 30 Minutes”
- ✅ “How to Freeze or Store [Ingredient] the Right Way”
Pro Tip: Use high-quality images and include step-by-step instructions to boost engagement.
Step 4: Start Monetizing From Day One
There are multiple ways to start earning from your blog — even in the early stages:
- 💰 Sponsored Posts: Partner with food brands for recipe collaborations
- 💰 Affiliate Marketing: Recommend kitchen tools, books, or ingredients
- 💰 Display Ads: Sign up for ad networks like Ezoic or Mediavine once you get traffic
Set up your blog with HostGator and begin your journey to building a profitable food blog today!
Explore Other Examples of Succesful Blogs in Other Niches
Food & Cooking Focus
Examples of food blogs (All culinary niches)
Specialized Cuisines
Examples of mom blogs (Family meals/kid-friendly recipes)
Examples of travel blogs (International cuisines)
Examples of health blogs (Healthy eating)
Food Photography & Styling
Examples of photography blogs (Food photography)
Examples of fashion blogs (Styling inspiration)
Kitchen Tech & Tools
Examples of tech blogs (Kitchen gadgets)
Examples of product review blogs (Appliance reviews)
Monetization & Business
Examples of affiliate blogs (Cooking products)
Examples of business blogs (Food startups)
Lifestyle & Entertainment
Examples of lifestyle blogs (Entertaining/meal prep)
Examples of sports blogs (Sports nutrition)
Examples of gaming blogs (Gamer snacks)
Complete Collections
Examples of successful blogs (All categories)
Examples of real estate blogs (Kitchen design)
