Each kind of produce is assigned a PLU code.
PLU codes, short for produce lookup codes, are often the bane of any supermarket checkout employee's existence. The four-, sometimes five-, digit code is punched in for each produce that is bought, signifying to the computer how much it either costs per pound or by number of items. While they are a pain to learn, the codes signify certain produce, and through several exercises can be learned. Add this to my Recipe Box.
Instructions
1. Associate five-digit codes beginning with nine with organic produce. Any PLU that begins with a nine and is follwed by four other numbers is organic.
2. Read the four-digit codes and associate them with conventionally grown produce -- ones that were sprayed or genetically modified.
3. Remember that a five-digit code beginning with an eight is associated with genetically modified produce.
4. Walk around the produce section of your local grocery store. Examine each fruit and its PLU code. This will aid your association between a certain fruit or vegetable and the code.
5. Write down the PLU and the corresponding produce beside it to help associate one or the other. PLU codes are assigned randomly, so they must be memorized in order to remember them.
6. Practice the codes, and their associated numbers, as much as you can for this is the best means of learning them. Using them in a day-to-day setting, such as in a cashier position, can also aid your knowledge.
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