Homemade Texas

06/19/2026

FAQ Friday: Do I have to put something special on my labels for pickled/fermented/canned acidified foods?

Yes. The biggest difference for these products is the required batch number. To keep things simple, I recommend using the production date as the batch number, as shown in the example.

It's possible that these foods won't contain any of the 9 major allergens. If they don't, you can omit the allergen statement entirely. However, listing your ingredients is often the most customer-friendly approach. Most of us like knowing what's in our food. As always, listing ingredients is optional. The sample label shows the required information.

If you use the Homemade Texas Label Wizard, it will automatically include all of the required labeling elements, so you don't have to worry about forgetting anything.

Create a label with the wizard: https://homemadetexas.org/label-wizard/
See sample labels: https://homemadetexas.org/labels/
Rules for pickled/canned/fermented food: https://texascottagefoodlaw.com/pickle-can-ferment/

06/18/2026

Verified Sellers, our monthly Q&A is tonight! Let's talk about anything that's on your mind. Check your email for the Zoom link. Hope to see you there!

06/17/2026

One thing I want every Verified Seller (or future Verified Seller) to know:

The label review process is not a test. It's not pass/fail. It's not about catching mistakes or handing out gold stars. It's a collaborative process.

Sometimes a seller submits a label and I spot something that needs to be corrected. Maybe an allergen declaration is missing. Maybe the required statement needs a tweak. Maybe a date or address is formatted incorrectly.

When that happens, the goal is not to reject you. The goal is to help you succeed.

I've never met a cottage food producer who wasn't capable of creating a compliant label. Sometimes it just takes a second set of eyes and a few small adjustments.

So if you receive feedback from me, don't panic. You're not in trouble. You're not being judged. You're not failing. We're simply working together to make sure your label meets the requirements and represents your business well.

The finish line isn't perfection on the first try; it's a compliant label, a confident seller, and one more Texas cottage food business set up for success. ❤️

Become a Verified Seller: https://homemadetexas.org/become-a-verified-seller/
Find local food: https://homemadetexas.org/verified-sellers/
Use the free labeling wizard tool: https://homemadetexas.org/label-wizard/

06/15/2026

We were out at the lovely Lago Vista Farmers Market this weekend, a kid-friendly, indoor-outdor market perched on a hillside with lovely views of the hill country. Meet Mama T’s Bakery and Home Goods, Creation Bakery ATX, Sunnyside Sourdough & Co, and Homemade Bakery. Stick around to the end to see what I bought. 😋

06/12/2026

Cottage foods must be made in your primary residence with appliances designed for common residential useage. It's not about you, it's about the scammers.

06/10/2026

Last month, we launched the Homemade Texas Label Wizard.

Today, we're celebrating a milestone: **532 labels created in the first 30 days.**

That's 532 times a cottage food producer didn't have to wonder if they were missing something.

532 times someone got a little help navigating the Texas Cottage Food Law.

532 labels with ingredient statements, allergen declarations, business information, and the details required by law, generated in just a few minutes.

Every label represents a real Texas baker, candy maker, jam producer, or cottage food entrepreneur trying to do things the right way.

Our goal has always been to make the cottage food law easier, and the label wizard goes a long way toward doing that.

So today we're celebrating more than a number. We're celebrating **532 problems solved.**

Thank you to everyone who has used the Label Wizard, shared feedback, and trusted Homemade Texas to help make compliance a little less intimidating.

Here's to the next 532.

Try the Label Wizard: https://homemadetexas.org/label-wizard/

For an extra layer of support and review, consider joining the Homemade Texas Verified Seller program: https://homemadetexas.org/become-a-verified-seller/

Find local food: https://homemadetexas.org/verified-sellers/

06/08/2026

Butter doesn't say "milk." Flour doesn't say "wheat." Chocolate chips don't say "soy."

That's why allergen labeling trips up so many cottage food producers.

Always check the ingredient list AND the allergen statement on every package. 👀

06/07/2026

What's behind the hostility to neighborhood businesses?

After Austin launched a pilot program to make it easier for tiny home businesses to operate openly, some residents were furious. I started reading the comments and realized this debate is about much more than cookies and bread.

Watch here:

A simple neighborhood bakery stand shouldn't be controversial.But...

06/06/2026

Sooo many canceled markets this morning! 😭
If your market got canceled, what's your Plan B?

06/05/2026

Me every time I see “contains dairy” listed as the allergen 😭

🥛 Milk = allergen
❌ Dairy = not an allergen

Can we please stop this epidemic lol