What Governs Cottage Food Labeling?
Cottage food labeling is governed by two overlapping frameworks: your state's cottage food law (which specifies the required home kitchen disclaimer language and other state-specific fields) and the FDA's food labeling regulations (which apply to most packaged food and specify ingredient lists, allergen disclosure, and net weight requirements).
Most state cottage food laws exempt producers from the full FDA Nutrition Facts panel requirement — but the other federal labeling standards generally still apply.
Required Fields on Every Cottage Food Label
1. Producer Name
Your full legal name as the individual who produced the food. A business name is fine to include, but your personal name must be present. Example: "Sarah Mitchell" or "Sarah Mitchell / Mitchell's Kitchen."
2. Producer Address
Your physical home address — the address where the food was produced. Must include street number, street name, city, state, and zip code. A P.O. Box alone is not sufficient — the physical production location must appear. Example: "142 Magnolia Lane, Savannah, GA 31401"
3. Product Name
The common or usual name of the food. Be specific. "Peach Jam" is correct. "Jam" is too vague. "Georgia Peach Preserves" is better — more specific and more marketable.
4. Ingredient List
All ingredients in descending order by weight — the ingredient that weighs the most goes first. Sub-ingredients must be disclosed. Example: if you use chocolate chips as an ingredient, you must declare the chocolate chip components (sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, milkfat, soy lecithin, vanilla) either in parentheses or by expanding the ingredient list. Format: "Ingredients: Sugar, Peaches, Pectin, Lemon Juice, Cinnamon"
5. Allergen Disclosure
The 9 major food allergens must be declared on the label whenever present: Milk, Eggs, Fish, Shellfish, Tree Nuts (specify the type: almonds, pecans, walnuts, etc.), Peanuts, Wheat, Soybeans, Sesame. You can disclose allergens in the ingredient list or with a separate "Contains:" statement. Example: "Contains: Wheat, Eggs, Milk"
6. Net Weight or Net Volume
The amount of product in the package by weight (solids) or volume (liquids). Express in both US customary and metric units per FDA convention. Place in the lower third of the principal display panel. Example: "Net Wt. 8 oz (227g)" or "Net Contents 8 fl oz (236 mL)"
7. Home Kitchen Disclosure Statement
Every state requires a statement that the product was made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the state. The exact language varies by state — see your state's page for the specific required wording. Do not paraphrase or abbreviate the required language.
What You Do NOT Need
- Nutrition Facts panel (cottage food is generally exempt)
- UPC barcode
- Lot number (though useful for traceability)
- Expiration date (a "best by" date is a good practice but not federally required for most cottage food)
- A business license number
Label Design Tips
- Minimum 6pt font for most fields; some states specify minimum sizes
- Contrasting colors — dark text on light background, or vice versa
- The disclaimer must be visible — don't bury it
- Canva, Vistaprint, and Avery all offer food label templates compatible with cottage food requirements