2026 labeling guide
Cottage food labeling requirements, explained.
Every cottage food state in the US requires a label on each package you sell. The rules vary by state, but the bones are the same. Here's exactly what belongs on a compliant cottage food label — and how to stop hand-writing them.
1. The 6 required label elements
Across all 50 states, six pieces of information appear on nearly every cottage food label. Get these right and you're 90% of the way to compliance in any state.
Producer name & address
The legal name (or registered business name) of the baker, plus the physical address of the home kitchen. This is how inspectors trace any complaint back to you. A PO Box is usually not enough — most states want a street address.
Product name
The common name of the food, prominently on the front. "Chocolate Chip Cookies," not just "Cookies." Must accurately describe the product — no misleading claims like "healthy" or "low-sugar" without backing.
Ingredient list, descending by weight
Every ingredient, heaviest first. Sub-ingredients of mixes go in parentheses: chocolate chips (cocoa mass, sugar, soy lecithin, vanilla). Many states require a minimum font size — Ohio mandates 10pt, others say "legible."
Allergen 'Contains:' statement
List any of the 9 FDA major allergens present: milk, eggs, wheat, soy, tree nuts, peanuts, fish, shellfish, sesame. Format: Contains: Wheat, Milk, Eggs. This statement is required even when the allergen already appears in the ingredient list.
Net weight
The weight of the food itself (not the packaging), in ounces. Most states also accept or require grams. This lets buyers compare prices and portions honestly.
Home-kitchen disclaimer
The line that makes cottage food legal. Specific wording is set by your state and cannot be paraphrased away. See the next section for state variations.
2. The home-kitchen disclaimer
Most states use a variation of the FDA's model language:
"Made in a home kitchen that is not subject to routine government food safety inspection."
A few states phrase it differently. California Class A producers must use "Made in a Home Kitchen" and include their CFO permit number. Texas requires "This food is made in a home kitchen and is not inspected by the Department of State Health Services." Always check your state's statute — see our state-by-state law guide for the exact wording.
3. Allergen statements — what FDA actually requires
The Food Allergen Labeling and Consumer Protection Act (FALCPA), updated by the FASTER Act in 2021 to add sesame as the 9th allergen, sets the rule every state inherits. There are two compliant ways to declare allergens:
- "Contains:" statement immediately below the ingredients (most common): Contains: Wheat, Milk, Eggs.
- Inline parenthetical after each ingredient: flour (wheat), butter (milk), lecithin (soy).
Cross-contact warnings ("May contain traces of peanuts") are voluntary but recommended if you bake multiple recipes in the same kitchen.
4. Common labeling mistakes
- ✗ Listing ingredients alphabetically instead of by weight.
- ✗ Skipping the "Contains:" line because allergens are "obvious" from the ingredients.
- ✗ Paraphrasing the state disclaimer ("Made at home" is not enough).
- ✗ Using a PO Box instead of a physical address.
- ✗ Forgetting net weight on small items like cookies and macarons.
- ✗ Printing ingredients in 6pt font to fit a small label — many states require 10pt minimum.
5. A compliant label, end-to-end
Here's what a real cottage food label looks like:
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sweet Pea Bakery
123 Maple Street, Austin, TX 78704
Ingredients: Enriched wheat flour (wheat flour, niacin, iron, thiamine, riboflavin, folic acid), butter (milk), brown sugar, chocolate chips (cocoa mass, sugar, soy lecithin, vanilla), eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt.
Contains: Wheat, Milk, Eggs, Soy.
Net Wt. 4 oz (113 g)
This food is made in a home kitchen and is not inspected by the Department of State Health Services.
Stop hand-writing labels
6. Automate compliant labels with Siftii
Siftii pulls your recipes, scales ingredients by batch, calculates net weight, derives allergens from your ingredient pantry, and pastes in your state's exact disclaimer — then outputs a print-ready PDF sized for standard Avery sheets.
- Ingredients auto-sorted by weight
- "Contains:" statement built from the FDA's 9 major allergens
- State disclaimer detected from your address — no copy/paste
- Net weight calculated per package size
- Print to Avery 5163, 22806, or custom sheets
FAQ
What must be on a cottage food label?
Producer name & address, product name, ingredients in descending order by weight, a "Contains:" allergen statement, net weight, and a home-kitchen disclaimer. Some states add a permit number or production date.
Is the 'made in a home kitchen' disclaimer required?
Yes — in nearly every cottage food state. The exact wording is set by statute; don't paraphrase it.
Do I need to list allergens if they're already in the ingredients?
Yes. FDA FALCPA rules require a separate "Contains:" statement for any of the 9 major allergens, even when they appear in the ingredient list.
Can I print cottage food labels at home?
Yes. Avery sticker sheets and a home printer are fine as long as the label is legible (often 10pt minimum for ingredients) and survives normal handling.
What about online sales and shipping?
Labeling rules are the same whether you sell at a farmers market or ship. But whether you can ship at all varies by state — see the state-by-state guide.
Labeling specifics differ. Pick your state for the exact disclaimer wording, permit requirements, and font-size rules.
This guide is informational only and not legal advice. Always verify requirements with your state's Department of Agriculture or Health before selling.