Tools
Tools for Your Cottage Food Business
Running a cottage food business means wearing every hat in the kitchen — and a few you didn't sign up for. Pricing your sourdough. Scaling a cake recipe for a 200-person wedding. Figuring out exactly how much to prep before Saturday's farmers market.
We built a free toolkit designed specifically for small and cottage food businesses like yours — so you can spend less time doing the math and more time doing what you actually love. No sign-up required. No strings attached.
Business Calculators for Cottage Food Businesses
The number-crunching part of running a food business doesn't have to be painful. These free calculators handle the math, so you can focus on the part you actually signed up for.
Bread Calculator
Nailing the perfect hydration ratio shouldn't require a spreadsheet and a prayer. Enter your flour weight, choose your bread style, and get precision measurements for your entire recipe — in seconds.
Recipe Scaler
Made 12 cookies. Need 144 for Saturday. Our recipe scaler handles every unit conversion and batch size calculation automatically — gram conversions included.
Pricing Calculator
Stop guessing at prices and hoping for the best. Factor in ingredient costs, labor, overhead, and your target profit margin — so every price tag actually makes sense for your business.
Cake Portion Calculator
How many slices does your 3-tier wedding cake actually serve? Enter your cake dimensions and get an exact portion count — so you can quote events with confidence and zero awkward shortfalls.
Cake Size Calculator
Know your guest count but not sure what size to bake? Work it backward. Enter how many people you need to feed and we'll tell you exactly which cake dimensions to use.
Market Prep Inventory Estimator
The worst feeling at a farmers market? Running out by 10am. The second worst? Hauling half your inventory back home. This calculator helps you estimate the right amount to bring — every single time.
Build Your Brand and Sharpen Your Business Know-How
Running a cottage food business isn't just about recipes and calculators — it's about showing up looking professional and knowing the rules of the road. These two resources have you covered.
Done-For-You Branding Kits
You didn't start your food business so you could spend hours debating between fonts or wondering if 'soft sage' and 'creamy oat' clash (they don't, btw). Our branding kits give your cottage food business a professional, cohesive look — labels, logos, and everything else — no design degree or meltdown required.
Food Business Tips & Articles
From cottage food law breakdowns by state to pricing strategies to farmers market setup tips — our food business articles cover the stuff you actually need to know. Written by Amy, who spent 25 years in marketing specifically so she could help businesses like yours get it right.
Common Questions About Our Free Cottage Food Business Tools
Are these tools really free?
Yes — completely free. No sign-up required, no credit card, no catch. These tools were built to help cottage food businesses grow, full stop.
Who are these tools for?
Small and cottage food businesses — home bakers, farmers market vendors, jam and preserve makers, cottage bakers, specialty food producers, and anyone who makes and sells food from home or a small licensed kitchen. If you bake it, grow it, jar it, or make it by hand, these tools are for you.
Do I need to create an account to use the tools?
Nope. Just click any tool link and start using it right away. No login, no registration.
What is a cottage food business?
A cottage food business is a small food operation run out of a home kitchen (or sometimes a small licensed space) that sells directly to consumers. Cottage food laws vary by state — some allow farmers market sales only, others permit online ordering and delivery. Check out our cottage food laws articles for a full breakdown of what's allowed in your state.
What exactly does the pricing calculator calculate?
It factors in your ingredient costs, packaging, estimated labor time, overhead, and your desired profit margin — and gives you a price that actually works for your business, not just a guess and a hope.
Can I use these tools on my phone?
Absolutely. Every tool is mobile-friendly. Use them in your kitchen, at the market, or anywhere the inspiration (or the math) strikes.
What other resources does Butter & Sage Market offer?
Beyond these free tools, Butter & Sage Market is a full marketplace where cottage food businesses can list their products, get found by local customers, and sell online — without building a website from scratch. Learn more about selling on Butter & Sage Market.