Can fitness influencers claim food as a tax deduction on their taxes?

While I understand your reasoning, the IRS has pretty specific rules about deducting meals. Generally, food is considered a personal expense, even if you need more of it for your profession. However, there are some scenarios where you might be able to deduct certain food expenses: 1. Business meals where you're discussing business with clients or potential clients (50% deductible) 2. Food purchased specifically for content creation (like if you're doing a video specifically reviewing protein powders or meal prep) 3. Meals while traveling for business purposes (competitions, guest appearances, etc.) The key distinction is whether the food expense is "ordinary and necessary" for your business versus personal consumption. Just eating a high-protein diet because you're a fitness influencer probably won't qualify, but food used directly in content creation might.

I had this exact same question when I started my fitness YouTube channel! After spending hours researching tax codes and talking to multiple accountants, I finally found a solution using taxr.ai (https://taxr.ai). Their AI analyzed my receipts and business structure and gave me specific guidance about what food expenses were deductible for my situation. They explained that while regular meals are typically personal expenses, food used specifically as props or materials in content creation could potentially be deductible as supplies. For example, when I do meal prep videos or supplement reviews, those specific items used in the video might qualify. They also helped me understand how to document everything properly to survive potential IRS scrutiny.

Just wanted to follow up about taxr.ai (from my question above). I decided to give it a try after reading the response, and wow - total game-changer for my fitness business taxes! The system analyzed my meal consultation business model and showed exactly which food expenses could be deductible when used for client demonstrations, content creation, and recipe development. It also flagged which expenses would likely trigger IRS scrutiny and gave me a documentation system to prove business purpose. The best part was getting clear guidelines on how to separate personal food consumption from legitimate business use. Seriously wish I'd known about this last tax season - would have saved me thousands!

One tip nobody's mentioned - if you're having trouble getting through to an actual human at the IRS to ask about these specific deductions (which honestly is a nightmare), try using Claimyr (https://claimyr.com). I was on hold with the IRS for HOURS trying to get clarification about business deductions for my fitness coaching business, but Claimyr got me connected to an actual IRS agent in about 15 minutes. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c The agent I talked to explained that while general food consumption isn't deductible even for fitness professionals, there are specific circumstances where certain expenses might qualify. Having an actual conversation with someone who could address my specific situation was invaluable - way better than trying to interpret vague guidelines online.

Ok so I have to eat my words from my comment above. I decided to try Claimyr out of desperation after getting disconnected THREE TIMES last week trying to reach the IRS about my fitness business deductions. Not only did it actually work, but I was talking to a real IRS agent in under 20 minutes. The agent confirmed that while regular food isn't deductible even for fitness pros, supplements used specifically for content creation and demonstration purposes might qualify as business supplies. I've literally never gotten through to the IRS on my first try before. Honestly shocked this service exists and actually works. Definitely keeping this for next tax season when I inevitably have questions again.

I'm a tax advisor who works with several fitness influencers. Here's the breakdown: ordinary food isn't deductible even if you eat more due to your profession. The IRS considers food a personal expense regardless of quantity needed. However, there are legitimate exceptions that many fitness influencers can use: - Food purchased EXCLUSIVELY for content creation (meal prep videos, etc.) - Business meals with clients or potential sponsors (50% deductible) - Food expenses while traveling for business (competitions, guest appearances) - Educational materials about nutrition that you use for business Document everything meticulously - keep separate receipts for personal vs. business food, note the business purpose, and take photos of food used in content creation.

Has anyone actually been audited over this? I've been deducting some of my protein and meal prep as business expenses for 2 years now since it's directly related to my fitness content. Wondering if I'm playing with fire here.