Louisiana Cottage Food Law: Do You Need Food Safety Training?

Selling homemade food can be a great way to share your products and earn extra income, but every state has its own rules you need to follow.

Each state sets its own cottage food laws that define what you can make, where and how you can sell it, and whether you need food safety training.

This article explains Louisiana’s cottage food law and whether you need food safety training to sell homemade food.

Louisiana cottage food law

Louisiana allows you to make and sell many types of homemade, low-risk foods from your home kitchen without needing a license, permit, or inspection.

Low-risk foods include:

• Spices
• Candies
• Cane syrup
• Dried mixes
• Sauces and syrups
• Jams, jellies, and preserves
• Pickles and acidified foods
• Honey and honeycomb products
• Baked goods like breads, cakes, cookies, and pies

These foods must be non-hazardous and safe to store at room temperature. Louisiana law specifically allows cream-filled and custard-filled pastries, but you must follow strict preparation and cooling rules if you make them at home.

You cannot sell foods that contain any animal muscle protein or fish protein, such as meat, poultry, or seafood products. You also cannot sell low-acid canned goods, fermented foods, or any food containing CBD unless the FDA approves it as a food additive.

You can sell most low-risk foods to retail stores, restaurants, and other businesses for resale. However, if you make breads, cakes, cookies, or pies, you can only sell those directly to consumers and not to any retail business for resale.

Do you need food safety training to sell homemade food in Louisiana?

Louisiana does not require food safety training or a food handler card to sell homemade food.

Still, completing a food safety course is a smart way to protect your customers and build trust in your business. Some farmers markets, event organizers, or even insurance providers may ask for proof of training before allowing you to participate.

If you decide to get trained, choose an ANSI-National Accreditation Board (ANAB)–accredited food handler course so your training meets recognized national standards.

FoodSafePal’s Food Handler course is ANAB-accredited, fully online, and takes about 90 minutes to complete. Once you pass, you’ll get immediate access to your food handler card and certificate, plus the option to order a printed version for display at markets or for your records.

Labeling requirements

Louisiana only requires one item on your label — a statement clearly indicating that the food was not produced in a licensed or regulated facility. This statement must be easy for buyers to see. Raw honey is the only product exempt from this rule.

While not required, it’s good practice to also include:

• Your name or business name
• The name of the product
• A simple ingredient list in descending order by weight
• Allergen information if the product contains a major allergen

Including this information helps customers understand what they’re buying and gives your products a more professional appearance.

The bottom line

Louisiana’s cottage food law allows you to sell a wide range of low-risk homemade foods without a license or inspection. You can sell almost anywhere, including online and by mail.

Food safety training isn’t required, but completing an ANAB-accredited course from FoodSafePal can strengthen your business and increase customer confidence.

All products must be properly labeled with the required statement, and, while not required, it’s good practice to include other information about the product, such as the ingredient list and allergen information.