La Grange Farmers Market
The La Grange Farmers Market welcomes vendors operating as Illinois Cottage Food Operations, provided they comply with all applicable state and local requirements. The guidelines below are intended to help vendors understand what qualifies as cottage food, what is permitted for sale, and what is required to participate in the market.
What Is a Cottage Food Operation?
A Cottage Food Operation is a small food business that prepares certain low-risk food products in a registered home kitchen, as permitted under the Illinois Cottage Food Law.
Cottage food operations are allowed to sell approved food products directly to consumers, including at farmers markets, without operating from a licensed commercial kitchen—provided all legal requirements are met.
Cottage food operations are regulated at the local level by county or municipal health departments.
Where Cottage Food Products May Be Prepared
All cottage food products must be:
- Prepared and packaged only in the vendor’s registered home kitchen
- Produced in compliance with Illinois Cottage Food regulations
- Fully prepared, packaged, and labeled prior to arrival at the market
On-site food preparation, portioning, or packaging is not permitted at the La Grange Farmers Market.
What Types of Foods Qualify as Cottage Food?
Only non-potentially hazardous foods are permitted as cottage food products. These are foods that do not require refrigeration or temperature control for safety.
Common Examples of Allowed Cottage Food Products
(Non-exhaustive list)
- Breads, cookies, muffins, cakes (without cream or custard fillings)
- Brownies, bars, and pastries
- Dry mixes (baking mixes, soup mixes)
- Granola, popcorn
- Jams, jellies, fruit preserves
- Candy and chocolate (without fresh dairy fillings)
- Dry spice blends or seasonings
Foods Not Permitted as Cottage Food
The following may not be sold as cottage food at the market:
- Foods requiring refrigeration or temperature control
- Cheesecakes, cream pies, custards, or frostings with dairy
- Meat, poultry, seafood, or dairy products
- Acidified or canned foods not specifically approved
- Prepared foods intended for immediate consumption
- Any food produced in a commercial kitchen and represented as cottage food
Vendors offering products outside the scope of cottage food must be properly licensed as a commercial food operation.
Labeling Requirements
All cottage food products offered for sale must be fully labeled, with labels affixed to each individual item.
Labels must include:
- Product name
- Net weight or volume
- Complete ingredient list in descending order by weight
- Clear allergen disclosure (milk, eggs, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, etc.)
- Producer name and city
The following required statement:
“This product was produced in a home kitchen not inspected by a public health department.”
Incomplete or missing labels may result in products being removed from sale.
Registration & Documentation
Cottage food vendors must maintain a valid cottage food registration with their local health department and be able to provide proof upon request. Vendors will also need to upload documentation during the application process.
Vendors are responsible for ensuring they remain compliant with:
- Registration requirements
- Annual gross sales limits
- Any additional local health department rules applicable to their operation
Insurance Requirements
All cottage food vendors must follow the same insurance requirements as other vendors, outlined on this page.
Market Oversight & Compliance
The La Grange Business Association reserves the right to:
- Verify documentation and labeling
- Require corrective action for non-compliant products
- Remove products from sale if they do not meet cottage food guidelines
- Suspend or revoke participation for repeated or serious violations
Questions
Vendors with questions about cottage food eligibility or requirements should contact Tess Lewandowski at tess@lgba.com or 708-582-6510.