Do Cottage Food Labels Need a Best By Date?
One of the most common questions cottage food producers ask about labeling is whether they need to include a best by date — and the answer depends almost entirely on where you live. Unlike allergen labeling and ingredient statements, which are governed by federal rules that apply uniformly across the country, date labeling for cottage food products is regulated at the state level. Some states require it.
Some states recommend it but don't require it. A handful of states say nothing about it at all.
What makes this topic particularly nuanced is the distinction between quality dates and safety dates. "Best by," "best if used by," and "best before" are quality indicators — they tell the consumer when a product is likely to be at its peak flavor, texture, or freshness. They are not safety thresholds in the same sense that a "use by" date on raw meat or perishable dairy might be. Most cottage food products are low-moisture, shelf-stable foods where the primary concern is quality degradation, not pathogen growth.
Understanding your state's specific requirement, learning how to estimate shelf life for different product categories, and formatting your date correctly are all important parts of building a compliant, professional-looking cottage food label. This guide walks through all three.
Last updated: July 2026
State-by-State Requirements for Date Labeling
Because cottage food law is state-level legislation, date labeling requirements vary significantly. States like California, Texas, and Michigan have relatively detailed cottage food laws that specify various labeling requirements, and some of these include a date requirement. Other states have more permissive cottage food frameworks with minimal labeling specifications, leaving date labeling to producer discretion.
In states that do require a date, the requirement is usually expressed as a "best by date," "date of production," "baked on date," or "use by date" depending on the state's specific language. Some states require that the date follow a specific format (MM/DD/YYYY, or spelled out month like "June 27, 2026"). Other states simply require that a date be present without specifying format. Check your state's department of agriculture or department of health website for the current version of your cottage food law and regulations — and if you're unsure, contact the agency directly.
Even in states where a date is not legally required, including one is a professional best practice that serves both your customers and your business. A best by date tells customers when to enjoy the product for optimal quality, reduces the likelihood of a customer eating a stale product and being dissatisfied, and demonstrates that you've thought carefully about your product's shelf life. Many farmers market managers and online marketplace platforms require or strongly encourage date labeling regardless of state law.
It's also worth noting that some states have separate requirements for products that are potentially hazardous — items with higher moisture content, cream fillings, or refrigeration requirements. If your product requires refrigeration to remain safe, your state may require a "use by" date rather than a "best by" date, and may require refrigeration instructions on the label. Refrigerated cottage food products are a different regulatory category in many states.
Federal Rules vs. State Rules for Date Labeling
At the federal level, the FDA does not require date labeling on most packaged foods. Infant formula is the primary exception — federal law requires a "use by" date on infant formula because of its critical safety implications. For virtually all other packaged foods, including baked goods, candies, jams, and confections, federal law does not mandate any date on the label.
This means that date labeling requirements for cottage food come entirely from state law, not federal requirements. The USDA has published voluntary guidance encouraging standardization of date labeling language (recommending "best if used by" as the preferred quality date phrase), but this guidance is voluntary for manufacturers and does not apply as a mandate to cottage food producers.
Some cottage food producers assume that because the FDA doesn't require a date, they don't need one. This is only true if their state also doesn't require one — and state law controls for cottage food operations. A cottage food producer selling in California must follow California's cottage food labeling requirements regardless of whether the federal standard would require the same thing. Always treat your state's cottage food law as the primary compliance framework, and treat federal requirements as a floor that state law can build upon.
The practical upshot is straightforward: look up your state's current cottage food law, identify whether a date is required and in what format, and include that date in the format your state specifies. If your state is silent on the issue, use voluntary best practice: include a "Best By" date in a clear format that customers can easily read.
How to Determine Shelf Life for Different Product Types
Shelf life estimation is part science and part practical testing. For cottage food producers, formal scientific shelf life studies are rarely feasible, but you can use published guidelines, common industry knowledge, and your own quality testing to establish reasonable best-by dates for your products.
Baked cookies are one of the most common cottage food products, and their shelf life varies significantly by type. Crispy, low-moisture cookies like snickerdoodles, shortbread, and ginger snaps stored in an airtight container at room temperature are typically at peak quality for two to three weeks. Soft, chewy cookies with higher moisture content — like brown sugar chocolate chip cookies — are best within one to two weeks at room temperature. Cookies with cream or custard fillings are a different category and often require refrigeration.
Quick breads and muffins have shorter shelf lives due to their higher moisture content. A banana bread or zucchini muffin stored at room temperature is at peak quality for three to five days, though it remains safe to eat for longer. Biscotti and other twice-baked goods can remain crispy and enjoyable for four to six weeks. Brownies and bar cookies typically hold well for one to two weeks in an airtight container.
Fudge, caramels, and other confections generally have longer shelf lives due to their high sugar and fat content and low available water. Traditional fudge stored in an airtight container can remain at peak quality for two to four weeks at room temperature. Caramels individually wrapped in wax paper keep well for two to three weeks. Chocolate bark and dipped confections stored away from heat typically last three to four weeks. For jams and jellies sealed in sterilized jars, the shelf life can be one to two years for properly processed products, though opened jars should be refrigerated.
Format for Dating and Where It Goes on the Label
The format of your best-by date affects both legibility and compliance. For states that specify a format, follow that format exactly. For states that do not specify, the most readable and unambiguous format includes a written or abbreviated month name rather than a numeric month: "Best By June 27, 2026" or "Best By Jun 27 2026" is less prone to international date format confusion than "Best By 06/27/2026," which could be read as June 27 or as the 6th day of the 27th month in some contexts.
On product labels, the best-by date can appear on the information panel, on the bottom of the package, or on a separate sticky date label applied to the bottom or back of the primary label. What matters is that it is legible at the applicable type size and clearly associated with the product. Some cottage food producers print their labels without a date and then stamp or handwrite the date at time of packaging — this is acceptable as long as the date is clearly legible.
The most common terms you'll encounter and use are "Best By," "Best Before," "Best If Used By," and "Baked On." "Best By" and "Best Before" are quality dates that tell the consumer the product is at peak quality until that date. "Best If Used By" has been endorsed by the USDA as the preferred consumer-friendly term for quality dates. "Baked On" is an alternative that informs customers of production date rather than projected expiration — some states prefer this format.
"Use By" is typically reserved for perishable products where the date has safety implications, not just quality implications. For shelf-stable cottage food products like cookies, candies, and jams, "Best By" or "Best If Used By" is the more accurate and appropriate term. Using "Use By" on a shelf-stable product can create unnecessary alarm in consumers who may interpret it as a strict safety cutoff.
The Difference Between Quality Dates and Safety Dates
Understanding the difference between quality and safety dates is important for both labeling accuracy and customer communication. A quality date — best by, best before, best if used by — tells the consumer when the product is at its peak in terms of flavor, texture, color, and overall sensory experience.
After this date, the product may still be safe to eat but may have declined in quality. For most cottage food products, quality degradation precedes any safety concern by a wide margin.
A safety date — use by, expires on — is appropriate for products where microbial spoilage or food safety risks increase meaningfully after the date. Fresh dairy-containing items, refrigerated goods, and some high-moisture products fall into this category. For the typical cottage food lineup of baked cookies, brownies, fudge, jams, and dry goods, safety dates are rarely necessary and may be misleading.
This distinction matters for customer expectations. If a customer sees "Use By June 27" on a bag of shortbread cookies and then eats one on June 28, they may worry they've consumed an unsafe product — when in reality the cookie is simply slightly less crispy than it was a week ago. Using the correct quality date language sets accurate expectations and prevents unnecessary food waste.
From a liability perspective, the date you put on your label is a representation about your product's quality or safety. Setting conservative, defensible best-by dates — dates you are confident your product will still be at good quality — is a protective practice. If a customer complains about a stale product that was consumed within your stated best-by window, that date becomes relevant. Set dates based on your own quality testing: package a product, store it under typical conditions, and evaluate it at intervals. The date at which it no longer meets your quality standard is your best-by date.
Common Questions
It depends on your state. Some states require a best-by, best-if-used-by, or "baked on" date on every cottage food label; others recommend it without requiring it; a handful say nothing about it.
Check your state's cottage food statute directly, since this is one of the labeling elements that varies the most from state to state — unlike allergen labeling, which is federally standardized.
No. Federal law does not require date labeling on most packaged foods, including baked goods, confections, and jams.
The only federally mandated food date label is on infant formula. For cottage food products, date labeling requirements come entirely from state cottage food laws, which vary significantly.
Some states require a date in a specific format; others are silent on the issue. Check your state's current cottage food law to determine your specific obligation.
Shelf life for cookies depends primarily on moisture content and fat levels. Crispy, low-moisture cookies like shortbread and ginger snaps stored in an airtight container typically maintain peak quality for two to three weeks at room temperature. Soft, chewy cookies are best within one to two weeks.
The most reliable way to set your own best-by date is to bake a batch, seal it under typical packaging conditions, and evaluate it at regular intervals — one week, two weeks, three weeks — until quality declines to a point you wouldn't be proud to sell. That interval is your shelf life.
"Best By" is a quality date indicating when the product is at its peak flavor, texture, or freshness. After the best-by date, the product may still be safe to eat but may have declined in quality. "Use By" is more commonly associated with perishable products where food safety is a concern after the date — it suggests the product should not be consumed past that point. For shelf-stable cottage food products like cookies, brownies, and fudge, "Best By" or "Best If Used By" is the appropriate term. "Use By" should only be used for products where safety — not just quality — is the concern.
Yes, handwriting a date on a label is acceptable in most states, provided the handwriting is clearly legible and the date is prominently displayed. Many cottage food producers print batch labels without dates and then hand-stamp or write the date at the time of packaging.
This approach is practical for small-batch production where print runs are small and dates change frequently. Just make sure the handwritten date is large enough to read easily and uses an unambiguous format — writing the month name (even abbreviated) rather than using all numbers helps avoid date format confusion.
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