Well, howdy! Fried turtle feet and Sea Monkey Soup from your cart? Oh yeah!

I just got a couple of emails that got me thinking about something important for every street food vendor out there—what happens when your health department tells you no?

Maybe you've got big ideas like serving fried turtle feet and Sea Monkey Soup, only to find out your state won’t allow it.

But here's the thing—you always need to double-check.

Health Inspectors Can Get It Wrong

I got a message from a vendor in Ohio who was told he couldn't serve chili or cheese from his cart.

Helpful: Can I Serve Homemade Chili From My Hot Dog Cart?

Now, if you’ve been in this business long enough, you’ve probably heard different health inspectors say different things—even within the same state.

Some of them just assume things are against the rules when they’re really not.

Helpful: Don’t Say This to a Health Inspector!

So what do you do?

You ask them, “Can you show me that in the code?”

Helpful: Did Your Health Inspector Lie to You?

I’ve got a whole breakdown of this process over at LearnHotDogs.com/liar because, believe it or not, some inspectors will tell you something’s illegal when it’s actually just their misunderstanding of the code.

They’re not necessarily trying to trick you—they just might not have the right information.

When I started vending, I was told absolutely no chili.
Why?

Because it had meat in it.

But hot dogs have meat too!

That’s when I learned that I could do a meatless chili, and suddenly, it was allowed.

Helpful: Don’t Tell Your Health Inspector This!

Later, they told me no cheese, but they allowed cheese sauce—which is basically just a mix of chemicals and a tiny bit of cheese.

So, I got creative and worked around it.

How to Get the Answer You Want

If your health department says no to something, don’t just take their word for it—ask them to show you the exact code that says you can’t do it. If it’s truly a rule, fine.

But if they can’t back it up with a regulation, they can’t enforce it.

Another trick?
Start small.

When you first approach the health department, don’t overwhelm them with a long, fancy menu.

Keep it simple—hot dogs and basic condiments.

Get approved first.

Helpful: Health Inspector: What Not To Tell [VIDEO]

Then, once they’ve seen you’re a responsible vendor, you can start adding new things over time.

I know vendors right now who serve hamburgers, chili, cheese, and all kinds of things from their hot dog carts, even in states where the code technically doesn’t allow it.

Why?

Because they built a relationship with their inspector, proved they were following safe food handling procedures, and were eventually given the green light.

Don’t Throw Another Vendor Under the Bus

One of the worst things you can do is go to your inspector and say, “Well, Vendor Joe two counties over is doing it, so why can’t I?”

That’s NEVER gonna work.

Helpful: Bad Food Safety Made Us Sick

If anything, it might get Joe in trouble and still won’t help you.

Instead, focus on proving you can do it safely and working within the system to get the results you want.

Final Thoughts

So, what does this have to do with Sea Monkey Soup?

Well, it’s just like any other menu idea—if you don’t check the regulations first, you might find out too late that you can’t sell what you planned.

Helpful: Selling Other Things From a Hot Dog Cart!

But that doesn’t mean you give up—it means you find a way to work within the rules, challenge bad information, and get creative.

I hope this helps, and I’d love to hear your thoughts!

If you’ve ever dealt with a tricky health inspector or found a clever workaround for your menu, drop a comment below.

And if you need help figuring out your state's codes, check out VendorsUnited.com, where we’ve got a whole community of vendors ready to help.

Love ya, talk soon!
Ben

Watch full VIDEO here…