For many Americans, the nearest full grocery store is a long drive away. Federal researchers track that distance because the USDA's Economic Research Service says distance to the nearest store may be a barrier to food access for some people. Cottage food, the baked goods, jams and other foods that home cooks may sell under state law, is not a replacement for a grocery store. It is one more local source of food, and the rules for how a home baker can reach buyers matter most in places where stores are far apart.
Note: This article is general information, not legal advice. Law details come from each state's guide on Cottage Food Directory, which links to the official statute and agency pages. The Florida guide was last reviewed Oct. 12, 2026, and the Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee and Texas guides were last reviewed Oct. 13, 2026. Rules change, and the state or local agency has the final word.
What federal data says about distance to food
ERS maps food access in its Food Access Research Atlas. ERS uses different distance thresholds for urban and rural areas. In its main measures, a census tract counts as low access when a significant number or share of residents live more than 0.5 mile or 1 mile from the nearest supermarket, supercenter or large grocery store in an urban area, or more than 10 or 20 miles away in a rural area. A tract also must meet income criteria, such as a poverty rate of at least 20 percent, to count as low income. Source: ERS, Low-Income and Low-Foodstore-Access Census Tracts, 2015–19 (EIB-236).
That 2022 ERS report, which uses a 2019 directory of food stores, found that 33.2 percent of low-income individuals lived more than 1 mile from the nearest supercenter, supermarket or large grocery store. It also found that 33.6 percent of households taking part in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, lived more than 1 mile from a food store in 2019, compared with 34.2 percent in 2015. ERS says limited access to stores or other sources of healthy and affordable food "may impede the ability of some people living in the United States to eat a healthy diet." Source: ERS EIB-236.
What the numbers leave out
ERS is clear about the limits of its own maps. The atlas measures only one part of food access, geographic distance, and does not capture affordability, store quality or what a store actually stocks. It does not account for online purchasing, food pantries or food banks. The newest version of the atlas, which maps distance to stores that accept SNAP, leaves out farmers markets because they do not necessarily operate year-round or keep regular hours. Source: ERS, Food Access Research Atlas documentation.
Home bakers and other cottage food makers fall outside those counts too. That does not mean they close the gap. Most cottage foods are breads, cookies, jams and similar items, not the full range of groceries a household needs. It does mean that in a rural county, a local maker who sells at a weekend market or delivers to a nearby town can be a source of food that the federal maps do not show.
How state rules shape access for rural buyers
Because distance is one barrier to food access, the sales methods a state allows matter. A law that permits phone orders, online sales and mail delivery lets a maker reach buyers who live far from any market. A law limited to in-person sales keeps the buyer driving. The rules differ widely, even among neighboring states.
- Florida: Since July 1, 2021, cottage food operations may sell in person, online or by mail order, with delivery in person, to an event venue or by U.S. Mail or a commercial carrier. Source: Fla. Stat. 500.80(2). See the Florida cottage food law page.
- Alabama: Sales may be made in person, by phone or online, as long as the buyer is in Alabama, and delivery may be in person, by an agent or by mail inside the state. Source: Ala. Code 22-20-5.1(a)(2). See the Alabama cottage food law page.
- Georgia: The law allows sales directly to buyers online and by mail order. Sources: O.C.G.A. 26-2-472; GDA Cottage Food Update: HB 398 FAQ. See the Georgia cottage food law page.
- Tennessee: Shelf-stable homemade foods may be sold by phone or online and delivered by the producer, an agent or a third-party carrier to buyers in Tennessee. A third-party vendor, such as a retail shop or grocery store, also may sell them. Source: Tenn. Code Ann. 53-1-118(b), (c)(5). See the Tennessee cottage food law page.
- Texas: Internet sales are allowed in Texas only if the operator, an employee or a household member personally delivers the food. SB 541, effective Sept. 1, 2025, struck the words "or by mail order" from that section. Sources: Tex. Health & Safety Code 437.0194; SB 541 (2025). See the Texas cottage food law page.
- Mississippi: Makers may advertise online and on social media, but sales over the internet and by mail order are not allowed. Source: Miss. Code Ann. 75-29-951(2). See the Mississippi cottage food law page.
Other states fall somewhere along that range. Each state's guide on Cottage Food Directory, listed on the all states page, has a section on where and how sales may happen, with links to the official text.
Tips for buyers far from a store
- Search by county, not just by city. Rural makers often serve a whole county or several small towns. Cottage Food Directory lists makers by state and county. Start at the all states page.
- Ask how ordering and pickup work. Depending on the state, a maker may take phone or online orders, meet at an agreed spot or mail the order. A maker who cannot ship under state law may still sell at a market on a set day.
- Check local markets and events. Farmers markets and seasonal events are common places to find home bakers in person. For the seller's side of market rules, see Selling at Farmers Markets: What to Bring and What to Ask.
- Read the label. The label names the maker, lists ingredients and carries the state's home-kitchen statement. What a Cottage Food Label Tells You as a Buyer explains each part, and How to Find Legal Home Bakers Near You covers other signs that a maker follows the law.
Frequently asked questions
Can I order cottage food online and have it delivered to a rural home?
It depends on the state. Florida allows online and mail-order sales with delivery by U.S. Mail or a commercial carrier, and Alabama allows online sales and mail delivery to buyers in Alabama. Mississippi does not allow online or mail-order sales. Sources: Fla. Stat. 500.80(2); Ala. Code 22-20-5.1(a)(2); Miss. Code Ann. 75-29-951(2).
Can I buy cottage food at a local store?
Some states allow it. Tennessee allows a third-party vendor, such as a retail shop or grocery store, to sell shelf-stable homemade foods, and since July 1, 2025, Georgia has allowed sales to retail food sales establishments such as grocery stores, unless the county or city has adopted an ordinance that bans sales through third-party vendors such as stores. Mississippi does not allow sales to stores. Sources: Tenn. Code Ann. 53-1-118(b)(1)(B); O.C.G.A. 26-2-472 and 26-2-478; GDA Cottage Food Update: HB 398 FAQ; Miss. Code Ann. 75-29-951(2).
Does the federal government count home bakers in its food access maps?
The federal maps do not count them directly. ERS says its atlas measures distance to brick-and-mortar stores and does not account for online purchasing, food pantries or food banks, and its newest store-access map leaves out farmers markets. Source: ERS, Food Access Research Atlas documentation.