Overview
The staple foods program helps ensure that everyone has access to healthy foods no matter where they shop.
The City helps licensed grocery stores in Minneapolis know the regulations related sale items and quantities of food for home preparation and consumption offered on a continuous basis. The City provides training and resources to help stores provide these required healthy foods.
Businesses of this type include:
- traditional supermarkets
- co-ops and corner stores
- Most gas stations
- Dollar/discount stores
- Pharmacies
- General retailers selling grocery items
Some business are exempt. Read the current ordinance to know what businesses are exempt
Categories of food that must be in stock include:
- Diary and dairy alternatives
- Animal or vegetable proteins
- Fruits and vegetables
- 100% juice
- Whole grains
- Beans, peas and lentils (legumes)
Resources
For store owners
- BrightSide Produce Distribution Fresh produce distribution program delivers directly to stores every Saturday
- Farmers Markets of Minneapolis Find local farmers markets any time of year
- Good Food Access Program Equipment and Physical Improvement Grant A grant program to help grocery stores and small food retailers increase the availability of and access to affordable, nutritious, nutritious, and culturally appropriate foods.
- Staple Food Resource Guide for convenience stores Loans for business improvements, purchasing equipment, facade movement, and technical assistance
- Staple food healthy food merchandising brochure tips and tricks to help store owners' stock and sell staple foods
- SFO Guide to Compliance A step-by-step guide to complying with the Staple Foods Ordinance by staple food category
For consumers
Staple Foods Ordinance
Explained
The staple foods ordinance refers to Title 10, Chapter 203 of the Minneapolis Code of Ordinances. It requires licensed grocery stores (including corner stores, gas stations, dollar stores, and pharmacies) to sell a certain amount of basic food items including fruits and vegetables, whole grains, eggs, and low-fat dairy. The staple foods ordinance was originally adopted in 2008 but was amended by the Minneapolis City Council in October 2014 to set more comprehensive and clear standards for food retailers and amended again in December 2018 to align the ordinance with cultural dietary preferences.
The changes reduce the number of required food categories from ten to six, reduce the required quantities in certain categories, and expand acceptable varieties and package sizes in others. These changes will give store owners greater flexibility in stocking a wide variety of healthy, culturally appropriate foods that meet their customers' needs.
Comparison of past to current requirements
Minneapolis Staple Foods Ordinance Frequently Asked Questions
Ordinance evaluation
The University of Minnesota- School of Public Health: The Staple Food Ordinance Evaluation (STORE) Study.
The City of Minneapolis is partnering with the University of Minnesota-School of Public Health for a multi-year research study to evaluate the impact of the staple foods ordinance. The specific goals of the study are to assess changes in healthy food availability in stores before, during, and after policy implementation and to assess changes in the nutritional quality of consumer purchases at stores. Results will be compared to a sample of grocery stores in St Paul, MN which does not have a staple foods ordinance in effect.
Read the University of Minnesota STORE Study