By Matt Rooney
_
I’m sure you missed it, Save Jerseyans, but Pew published a piece this month explaining how New Jersey is the absolute LAST state in America to ban baked home goods/home-prepared foods for sale.
That’s right. As our friends at AFP-NJ have shared with us in the past, selling your famous cookies or pies to neighbors at Christmas for some extra scratch is ILLEGAL in New Jersey. Unless you have a legit “commercial” kitchen? And jump through the hoops? You’re breaking the law.
_
More maddening still?
Every other state permits the sale of so-called “non-hazardous” foods like jams and baked goods which aren’t likely to spread foodborne diseases, including the wackiest socialist utopias like New York and California.
If you under-cook a coffee cake or fail to store chocolate chip cookies at the right temperature? It may affect the taste, but no one is going to become seriously ill or die.
We always hate to see New Jersey at the bottom of ANOTHER freedom list
I also can’t help but point out that marijuana may soon be LESS REGULATED in New Jersey than your grandmother’s homemade strawberry preserves. Think about that for a minute.
The good news: the Institute for Justice and the New Jersey Home Bakers Association (yes, that’s a thing) filed suit back in December 2017 to challenge the ban’s constitutionality, and they’re in the discovery phase right now.
We’ll keep you in the loop.
_
