The federal baseline: what every food label needs
In the US, the FDA's Fair Packaging and Labeling Act and the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act set the core information every packaged food label must carry, no matter which state it's sold in:
- Statement of identity — the common or usual name of the food (e.g. "Blueberry Jam", not just a brand name).
- Ingredient list — every ingredient, in descending order by weight, using the ingredient's common name.
- Net quantity of contents — the amount in the package, in both US customary and metric units (e.g. "Net Wt. 8 oz (227 g)").
- Name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor.
- Nutrition Facts panel — required on most commercially manufactured food, though several exemptions exist for very small producers (see below).
- Allergen statement — under FALCPA, any of the nine major allergens (milk, eggs, fish, shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat, soybeans, and sesame) present in the product must be declared in plain language, either in the ingredient list or in a separate "Contains" line.
What changes for cottage food sellers
Every US state that permits cottage food sales — homemade, low-risk foods like baked goods, jams, and dry mixes sold direct to consumers — carves out a state-level exemption from full commercial food licensing. That exemption usually loosens one federal requirement (the Nutrition Facts panel is commonly waived for small home producers) but does not remove the others. The ingredient list, net weight, allergen statement, and producer name/address are still required in nearly every state, and most states add one thing store-bought labels never carry: a disclosure sentence telling the buyer the product was made in an uninspected home kitchen.
That disclosure sentence is where cottage food labels differ most from state to state — both in exact wording and in whether it needs to appear in a minimum type size. California, Texas, Florida, Michigan, Ohio, and New York each specify their own required phrasing; see the state pages linked below for the verbatim text and official source for each.
Required elements at a glance
- Product name
- Ingredients, listed by weight, heaviest first
- Net weight or volume (US + metric)
- Allergen statement for any of the nine major allergens present
- Producer's business name and address (or a permit/registration number where the state allows it)
- State-required cottage food disclosure statement
Example: a compliant cottage food label
A jar of home-baked cookies sold under a cottage food exemption might read: "Chocolate Chip Cookies. Ingredients: Wheat Flour, Sugar, Butter, Eggs, Chocolate Chips (Sugar, Cocoa Butter, Milk), Vanilla Extract, Baking Soda, Salt. Contains: Wheat, Milk, Eggs. Net Wt. 8 oz (227 g). Jane's Kitchen, 123 Main St, Anytown, ST 00000. Made in a home kitchen that has not been inspected by the state." The exact disclosure sentence at the end is the one part that must match your state's required wording exactly, not a paraphrase.
Federal rules vs. state cottage food rules
Think of it as two layers. The federal layer (name, ingredients, net quantity, allergens, producer info) applies everywhere and doesn't change based on where you sell. The state cottage food layer sits on top of it: it typically exempts you from full commercial licensing and the Nutrition Facts panel, but it adds its own disclosure sentence, and sometimes a sales cap, permit number, or minimum type size requirement. Always check both layers — meeting your state's cottage food rule alone doesn't satisfy the federal allergen and ingredient requirements, and vice versa.
Use the free label generator to build a label with the right elements and your state's disclosure wording already filled in, or get the Cottage Food Label Kit for 20+ pre-built printable layouts, an allergen sheet, and a 15-state requirements cheat sheet.