Approved Food Guide

Vegetables & Fruits

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Fresh

Allowed
  • Any Brand
  • Any Package Size or Type (Bag, Box) including salad mixtures without dressing
  • Any Variety or Mixture of Plain Vegetables or Fruits
  • Cooking Pumpkins
  • Cut or Whole
  • Organic
  • Salad Mixtures without Dressing
  • Shredded Lettuce
  • Garlic, Ginger, Onions
NOT Allowed
  • Added Creams, Dips, Sauces
  • Added Croutons, Dried Fruit, Nuts
  • Decorative Pumpkins
  • Deli Items
  • Dried Vegetables & Fruits
  • Dried Legumes, Peas
  • Fruit & Nut Mixtures
  • Herbs or Spices
  • Party Trays
  • Pickled Items
  • Salad Mixtures with Dressing
  • Salad Bar Items

Frozen

Allowed
  • Any Brand
  • Any Package Size or Type (Bag, Box)
  • Any Variety or Mixture of Plain Vegetables & Fruits
  • Organic
  • Garlic, Ginger, Onions
Helpful Hint! 16 oz = 1 pound, 8 oz = 1/2 pound
NOT Allowed
  • Artificial Sweeteners (Like Splenda)
  • Ingredients Other Than Plain Vegetables & Fruits
  • Frozen Vegetables – No Added Butter, Sauces, Sugars, Fats, Oils, Salts
  • Frozen Fruits – No Added Sugars, Fats, Oils, Salts

Canned

Allowed
VEGETABLES
  • See list of Accepted Brands below.
  • Any Variety Without Added Sugars, Fats, or Oils
  • Low, Reduced and Regular Sodium
  • Added Herbs and Seasonings
  • The Vegetable Must be Listed as the First Ingredient
    Exception: tomato products with “water” as the first ingredient (like tomato puree)
  • Mixed Vegetables, except those with Lima Beans
FRUITS
  • See list of Accepted Brands below.
  • Any Variety Including Applesauce
  • Packed/stored in 100% Juice or Water without Added Sugars, Fats, Oils or Salt
  • Fruit Must be Listed as the First Ingredient
  • Applesauce in Plastic Jars or Individual Cups
Canned peas and apple sauce cup
ACCEPTED BRANDS
  • Allen’s
  • Always Save
  • Asian Gourmet
  • Best Choice
  • Bruce’s
  • Butter Kernel
  • Clearly Organic
  • Contadina
  • Corner Store
  • Dei Fratelli
  • Del Monte
  • Dole
  • Essential Everyday
  • Fareway
  • Field Day
  • Food Club
  • Freedoms Choice
  • Freshlike
  • Full Circle Market
  • Great Value
  • Green Giant
  • Hunt’s
  • Hy-Vee
  • Kuner’s
  • Le Sueur
  • Libby’s
  • Mott’s
  • Muir Glen
  • Musselman’s
  • O Organics
  • Old El Paso
  • Oregon Fruits
  • Ortega
  • Our Family
  • Progresso
  • Red Gold
  • Rotel
  • S&W
  • Signature Selects
  • That’s Smart
  • Valutime
  • Wild Harvest
  • World Class Trading Co
NOT Allowed
VEGETABLES
  • Home, Canned, or Preserved
  • Added Pastas, Rice or Other Grains
  • Added Fats or Oils
  • Added Sugar – unless in limited amounts for preservation (2-3 grams per serving)
  • Added Non-Nutritive, Artificial Sweeteners
  • Vegetable Salads (like three-bean salad)
  • Seasonings, spices, herbs sold as a sole ingredient
  • Mixed Vegetables that include Lima Beans
  • Pickled Vegetables (pickles, olives, sauerkraut, banana peppers, etc.)
  • Creamed Vegetables (like creamed corn, creamed spinach)
  • Ketchup
  • Salsa
  • Pasta Sauce
  • Individual Cups
  • No Jars
FRUITS
  • Home, Canned, or Preserved
  • Added Sugar or Other Forms of Sugar (like high fructose corn syrup)
  • Added Non-Nutritive, Artificial Sweeteners
  • Individual Pouches
  • Canned Juice
  • Individual Fruit Cups, except applesauce

Buying Fresh Vegetables & Fruits When Sold By the Pound

  1. Select a vegetable or fruit that is priced by the pound.
  2. Place the item on the grocery scale for an estimated weight.
  3. Round the weight up to the nearest pound or half-pound.
  4. Estimate the cost of the item using the Fresh Produce Chart.

Example: Bananas

Price = $0.59/LB
Weight = 1 3/4 LBS

  • Round the weight up to 2 lbs; find 2 lbs on the top of the chart
  • Find the price per pound ($0.59/lb) on the left side of the chart
  • Follow the $0.59 row across to the right and the 2 lb column down until they meet
  • The weight (2lbs) and the price ($0.59/lb) meet at $1.18 on the chart

2 Pounds at $0.59/LB = $1.18

Fresh Produce Chart

PRICE PER POUND 1 lb 1.5 lb 2 lb 2.5 lb 3 lb 3.5 lb 4 lb
0.49 0.49 0.74 0.98 1.23 1.47 1.72 1.96
0.59 0.59 0.89 1.18 1.48 1.77 2.07 2.36
0.69 0.69 1.04 1.38 1.73 2.07 2.42 2.76
0.79 0.79 1.19 1.58 1.98 2.37 2.77 3.16
0.89 0.89 1.34 1.78 2.23 2.67 3.12 3.56
0.99 0.99 1.49 1.98 2.48 2.97 3.47 3.96
1.09 1.09 1.64 2.18 2.73 3.27 3.82 4.36
1.19 1.19 1.79 2.38 2.98 3.57 4.17 4.76
1.29 1.29 1.94 2.58 3.23 3.87 4.52
1.39 1.39 2.09 2.78 3.48 4.17 4.87
1.49 1.49 2.24 2.98 3.73 4.47
1.59 1.59 2.39 3.18 3.98 4.77
1.69 1.69 2.54 3.38 4.23
1.79 1.79 2.69 3.58 4.48
1.89 1.89 2.84 3.78 4.73
1.99 1.99 2.99 3.98 4.98
2.09 2.09 3.14 4.18
2.19 2.19 3.29 4.38
2.29 2.29 3.44 4.58
2.39 2.39 3.59 4.78
2.49 2.49 3.74 4.98

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The Approved Food Guide was last updated on September 23rd, 2021 at 2:54 PM

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