Shelf-stable foods are the bread and butter of Utah's Cottage Food Program — quite literally. Almost every product permitted under the traditional cottage food path falls into this category. This page covers what counts as shelf-stable, what Utah's sales rules look like, where you can sell, and how to handle storage in a home kitchen.
A shelf-stable food is one that doesn't need refrigeration to remain safe. It can sit on a pantry shelf for weeks or months without spoiling, growing dangerous bacteria, or producing toxins. The technical term used by UDAF and the FDA is non-potentially hazardous food (non-PHF) — also called non-TCS, where TCS stands for Time/Temperature Control for Safety.
Federal food safety standards use two measurable thresholds to determine whether a food is shelf-stable. A product that falls below either of these is generally considered safe at room temperature:
A product that falls into the safe range on either measure can usually be sold under Utah's Cottage Food Program — but UDAF has the final say, and some recipes near the threshold must be tested by a Process Authority before they can be approved.
Utah's Cottage Food Program imposes no annual revenue ceiling. You can grow your shelf-stable food business as large as your kitchen and time allow, without graduating into a different regulatory framework.
This makes Utah one of the most growth-friendly cottage food states in the country. Many states cap home food sales between $25,000 and $75,000 per year and force successful sellers to either move into a commercial kitchen or stop growing. Utah doesn't put that ceiling in place. If your jam business takes off, you can keep scaling without changing your regulatory path.
The same is true under HB 181 — neither Utah path imposes a dollar limit. The constraints are on what you make and how you sell, not how much you earn. Note: an older statutory $50,000 cap appeared in some secondary sources — confirm current status with UDAF directly if your annual sales approach high five-figure or six-figure territory.
The Cottage Food Program gives you the widest channel access of any home food path in the country apart from Pennsylvania. Here's where Utah lets you sell, and where it doesn't.
Sell from your home, at events, by appointment, or through pre-arranged pickup with the buyer.
Utah's farmers market scene is one of the strongest in the West — Pioneer Park, Wheeler Farm, Murray, Bountiful, and dozens more.
You can wholesale your shelf-stable products to grocers, gift shops, and specialty retailers within the state.
Online ordering is allowed when delivery is in-person within Utah. No mailing or shipping the product itself.
Restaurants and food service establishments cannot use cottage food products as ingredients in dishes they serve.
Neither path permits shipping cottage food products within or outside Utah. In-person handoff is the rule.
All Utah cottage food sales must take place within Utah, regardless of which path you use.
Cottage food products cannot be served for consumption on the premises of the seller or a food establishment.
Utah requires home kitchens producing under the Cottage Food Program to follow a set of basic sanitation and storage practices. UDAF reviews these during your initial inspection and expects you to maintain them on an ongoing basis.
These rules apply to the Cottage Food Program path only. HB 181 imposes no kitchen requirements at the state level — though common sense and any local business license conditions still apply.
Even though Utah doesn't cap sales, knowing your annual numbers matters for taxes, planning, and choosing the right business structure. Track your monthly sales, see trends over time, and get alerts as you approach key tax and LLC thresholds.
Create Free Account to Use This Tool →List your first three shelf-stable products free — no credit card required. Built for home cooks across Utah and beyond.