No, Missouri has no bizarre law making your pickle illegal. The notion of pickle-specific prohibitions—like requiring them to bounce or face fines—is a persistent urban myth, debunked across fact-checking sites and absent from state statutes.
Myth Origins
Lists of “dumb laws” circulate online, falsely claiming Missouri bans non-bouncing pickles under old agricultural codes, but these stem from satirical compilations without legal basis. No such regulation exists in current Missouri food safety rules, which focus on cottage foods, labeling, and SNAP restrictions.
Actual Food Laws
Missouri emphasizes cottage food production (e.g., baked goods, jams, dried herbs with no sales cap) and 2026 SNAP waivers excluding candy or sugary drinks from benefits. Labeling bills like SB 149 target sodium, sugars, and allergens, but ignore pickles entirely.
Practical Advice
Pickles remain fully legal to make, sell, or eat; home producers follow standard hygiene under cottage guidelines if selling commercially. Check local health codes for any sales, but no felony awaits your average jar.
