Updated 2026-09-12. This page is not legal advice.
Do cottage foods need a Nutrition Facts panel?
Most do not. Federal rule 21 CFR 101.9(j) exempts small businesses from nutrition labeling. A home baker who sells a few thousand units a year is far under the limits. Every state cottage food law we have checked follows the federal rule and does not add a panel requirement.
What are the federal small business limits?
There are two exemptions. One covers businesses with fewer than 100 full-time employees that sell fewer than 100,000 units of the product a year in the United States. This one needs a notice filed with FDA. The other covers low-volume products from businesses with fewer than 10 employees and fewer than 10,000 units a year, with no notice required. Check the current text of 21 CFR 101.9(j)(1) and (j)(18) before you rely on either.
What cancels the exemption?
A nutrient content claim or a health claim. If your label or your listing says “low sugar”, “high protein”, “gluten free” with a nutrient claim, “healthy”, or “good source of fiber”, you owe a full Nutrition Facts panel with accurate values. The word “homemade” is not a claim. The word “keto” is not a defined claim, but it invites questions.
What does my state still require?
Every cottage food state requires some label. The common items are the product name, the ingredient list in order by weight, the allergen statement, your business name and address or permit number, the net weight, and a state disclaimer. See your state page under cottage food laws.
For example, the California cottage food law asks for your Class A or Class B number on the label.
For every step from permit to price, read how to start a cottage food business.
Should I add a Nutrition Facts panel anyway?
Only if you can make it accurate. Some buyers and some markets ask for one. If you add it, the values must match the food within FDA’s tolerances, and the panel must follow the FDA format. The Nutrition Label Maker prints the format for free. It does not compute the values from your recipe.
To get the numbers, learn how to calculate nutrition facts for a recipe from the weight of each ingredient.
Your serving size starts from the FDA reference amounts customarily consumed for your type of food.
Before you fill in the panel, calculate the serving size from the FDA reference amounts.
To see the layout first, use the free Nutrition Facts label template.