07/06/2025
LEWISVILLE, TEXAS – July 6, 2025 – Big changes are coming to small kitchens! Starting September 1, home-based food entrepreneurs will enjoy a wave of new freedoms that dramatically expand what can be made and sold from their private residences. And for many in Lewisville, it’s a long-awaited moment of opportunity.
It All Started in 2011…
The idea of turning a home kitchen into a legally recognized business began modestly in 2011, when the first Texas Cottage Food Law was introduced. At that time, Lewisville residents could only sell simple shelf-stable items like cookies, cakes, breads, jams, and dried herbs—nothing that required refrigeration, and only through direct, face-to-face sales.
Over the years, the law quietly evolved. In 2013, more products were added, such as pickles and candy. A few years later, rules relaxed to include fermented foods, frozen fruits, and internet sales within Texas. With each change, more families began baking, canning, and crafting their way into part-time or even full-time business—all without stepping outside their homes.
Now, the latest update represents a giant leap forward, allowing Texans to sell products that were once off-limits—including refrigerated goods, wholesale items, and much more.
What’s New for Lewisville’s Home Food Makers
The newest version of Texas’s cottage food regulations brings sweeping updates. Here’s what you can expect:
✅ Expanded List of What You Can Sell
Home kitchens can now offer:
Baked goods that require refrigeration (cheesecakes, cream pies, custards, etc.)
Frozen produce
Fermented vegetables and pickles
Homemade pastas
Honeycomb and other raw sweet goods
Still off the table: meat and poultry, seafood, dairy-based drinks, low-acid canned goods, raw milk, and foods with CBD or THC.
💰 Sales Cap Jumps to $150,000
Home producers can now earn up to $150,000 per year—triple the previous limit. And for the first time, that cap will adjust annually for inflation, allowing businesses to scale naturally over time.
🛒 Wholesale is In
Cottage food makers can now sell their goods through third-party vendors, like cafes, grocery stores, and farm stands. While the vendor will need to register with the state, the producer can simply focus on making quality goods.
🧊 Refrigerated Foods Allowed
Foods that need to stay cold (called “time and temperature controlled for safety,” or TCS) are finally legal—if labeled and handled properly:
Must be registered with the state (process still being finalized)
Must have a production date and a clear “safe handling” statement
Must stay cold until sold or consumed
🏷️ More Flexibility on Labels
Producers no longer have to include their home address on labels. Instead, they can apply for a unique producer ID from the state. All products must still include:
Business name
Item name and ingredients
Disclosure that the product was made in a home kitchen not inspected by the government
🍪 Samples and Donations Now Welcome
Sampling at events like farmers markets or festivals is now clearly permitted, so long as food safety practices (like gloves or tongs) are followed. TCS samples must stay below 41°F or be eaten within two hours. Also new: donating non-refrigerated items to charity events or community functions is explicitly allowed.
🛑 No More Local Red Tape
The City of Lewisville can no longer require cottage food producers to obtain special permits or pay local fees. That means no more surprise regulations at the local level—Lewisville home cooks will operate under one clear statewide set of rules.
From Side Hustle to Serious Business: Meet Teresa Martinez
Lewisville resident Teresa Martinez always loved sharing her grandmother’s sweet tamales and lime pies during the holidays—but now she’s taking things full-time.
“Before, I couldn’t sell my tamales because they had to stay cold,” Teresa explains. “Now I just have to register and follow a few steps. I’m finally able to do this the right way.”
Teresa is launching her new business, Casa Dulce TX, from her own kitchen. She’ll offer small-batch pies, pickled jicama, and frozen guava paletas—all labeled and delivered safely to customers around Denton County.
What’s more, she’s teaming up with a local market in Old Town Lewisville to sell her non-refrigerated goods wholesale—a new option made possible by the latest rule changes.
A New Chapter for Texas Kitchens
For years, cottage food producers in Lewisville and across Texas have quietly built small businesses with limited tools. Now, with more freedom to grow, protect privacy, and offer new types of food, the home kitchen may become one of the state’s most exciting new business frontiers.
As Teresa puts it, “This isn’t just about cookies anymore. This is about freedom, family, and finally being able to say, ‘Yes, I can sell that.’”
