Foodsmart Bucks FAQs
Check out the videos and answers below for questions about Foodsmart Bucks grocery money and how to use your rewards through Instacart.
Video Tutorials
How To Redeem Your Foodsmart Bucks Codes:
How to shop and pay for groceries using your Foodsmart Bucks
Introduction to Foodsmart Bucks and Instacart
What are "Foodsmart Bucks"?
“Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Funds)” name of our rewards offered through Instacart for meeting with a Foodsmart Dietitian. Foodsmart Bucks can be used to purchase select healthy food items in Instacart on our unique landing page, called the Instacart marketplace.
What is Instacart and how do I sign up?
Shop from your favorite national and regional grocery stores with your computer or mobile device. Schedule delivery for as fast as an hour, or for later in the day or week to fit your schedule. Meet your shopper at your door to get your groceries. The Instacart platform also offers a pickup option. You simply shop Instacart's website or app, select a pickup time, then pick up your groceries at the store.
To sign up, you will need a cell phone number and an email address on file with Foodsmart to access the Foodsmart.com portal and receive security verification codes.
To sign up, you will need a cell phone number and an email address on file with Foodsmart to access the Foodsmart.com portal and receive security verification codes.
How do Foodsmart Bucks relate to Fresh Funds?
“Foodsmart Bucks and Fresh Funds are one and the same. Foodsmart Bucks is the title of our rewards program offered through Instacart for meeting with a Foodsmart Dietitian. When using Instacart, you'll see this program is labeled as "Fresh Funds." They can be used to purchase select healthy food items in Instacart on our unique landing page, called the Instacart marketplace.
Receiving Foodsmart Bucks codes
When will I receive my Foodsmart Bucks?
Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh funds) are sent to your foodsmart.com account a couple of days after you complete your telenutrition appointment to your Foodsmart.com account (NOT the app).
How do I receive my Foodsmart Bucks?
Step 1: Clink the link on the dashboard of your Foodsmart.com account (NOT the app).
Step 2: After claiming all of your codes, they will show up on the checkout page with the balance you can use.
Note: Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Fund) codes can only be claimed by following the above steps. You cannot put the Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Fund) codes in the promo code box on Instacart or at checkout.
Step 2: After claiming all of your codes, they will show up on the checkout page with the balance you can use.
Note: Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Fund) codes can only be claimed by following the above steps. You cannot put the Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Fund) codes in the promo code box on Instacart or at checkout.
What if I never receive my Foodsmart Bucks?
Please login to your patient portal. All of the FreshFund codes you have received so far, are located above any scheduled appointments that you have coming up . If you have any codes you have already claimed, feel free to skip it. To login to your patient portal, please follow the instructions below. It is NOT available on the app.
-Go to www.foodsmart.com
-Click on Members at the top of the page. A drop down menu will appear. Please move over to Login on the upper right corner and click on Login.
Enter the email or phone number associated with your account. Click on Sign In.
Enter your password and click on Sign In. If you have forgotten your password, you can click on Forgot Password to reset it at this time.
Incentive rewards will be listed on your home page above your scheduled appointments.
-Go to www.foodsmart.com
-Click on Members at the top of the page. A drop down menu will appear. Please move over to Login on the upper right corner and click on Login.
Enter the email or phone number associated with your account. Click on Sign In.
Enter your password and click on Sign In. If you have forgotten your password, you can click on Forgot Password to reset it at this time.
Incentive rewards will be listed on your home page above your scheduled appointments.
Redeeming Foodsmart Bucks and Shopping
How do I redeem my Foodsmart Bucks?
Step 1: Click the link on the dashboard of your Foodsmart account (NOT the app).
Step 2: After claiming all of your codes, they will show up on the checkout page with the balance you can use.
Note: Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Fund) codes can only be claimed by following the above steps. You cannot put the Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Fund) codes in the promo code box on Instacart or at checkout.
Step 2: After claiming all of your codes, they will show up on the checkout page with the balance you can use.
Note: Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Fund) codes can only be claimed by following the above steps. You cannot put the Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Fund) codes in the promo code box on Instacart or at checkout.
Where can I see the Foodsmart Bucks codes I have redeemed so far?
Step 1: On your browser, navigate to Instacart.com/store/account/manage_promos
Step 2: Scroll down until you see Instacart+ and gift card credits and click on View credit history.
Step 3: You can also find your total at the end of checkout under Payments.
Step 2: Scroll down until you see Instacart+ and gift card credits and click on View credit history.
Step 3: You can also find your total at the end of checkout under Payments.
How will I be able to select my Foodsmart Bucks towards my purchase?
You will be able to select your Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Funds) as a way to pay for your order during the check out process. Once you reach the "Pay with" section within the check out page, you can click on "Apply up to $xx.xx Instacart credit". You can also do this with your EBT. You can click on "Apply up to $xx.xx EBT credit".
How many Foodsmart Bucks codes can I use at one time? Can I “stack” or save them?
Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Funds) can be saved/stored up and used towards larger purchases if the incentives have the same value.
Example: If you have a $15 reward and a $25 reward, you may not use them together - we are working with Instacart to enable this in the future. You can, however, use multiple $25 rewards or multiple $15 rewards together.
We highly encourage you to redeem and use codes of one denomination before adding codes of another denomination. This practice will help minimize potential issues and ensure a smoother experience.
Example: If you have a $15 reward and a $25 reward, you may not use them together - we are working with Instacart to enable this in the future. You can, however, use multiple $25 rewards or multiple $15 rewards together.
We highly encourage you to redeem and use codes of one denomination before adding codes of another denomination. This practice will help minimize potential issues and ensure a smoother experience.
Do Foodsmart Bucks expire?
You have 4-6 months from the time you receive your Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Fund) codes to claim it and use it!
How do I receive my groceries once I place a delivery order?
After the items in your order have been picked and packed, a personal shopper will start the delivery process. In some cases, the person who shops your order may not be the one who delivers it.
To make sure you get your delivery as scheduled, we recommend—
-Turning on notifications for the Instacart app
-Keeping an eye out for text messages and phone calls from the delivery driver
-Leaving helpful instructions for parking, gate codes, or other clues to find your home.
For more information on deliveries, please visit this Instacart support article.
To make sure you get your delivery as scheduled, we recommend—
-Turning on notifications for the Instacart app
-Keeping an eye out for text messages and phone calls from the delivery driver
-Leaving helpful instructions for parking, gate codes, or other clues to find your home.
For more information on deliveries, please visit this Instacart support article.
Grocery Item Eligibility
How doI know if a food item is eligible for Foodsmart Bucks?
Most items will say “Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Funds) eligible” near the name of the product/item.
What can I buy with Foodsmart Bucks?
You can use Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Funds) to purchase healthy food options from Instacart or toward your order delivery/fees. “Healthy food choices” are foods that we have deemed as healthy on Instacart's page but excludes desserts, soda, and sugary snacks. It also includes most household essentials and personal care items. All other items not listed can be purchased with your own money, SNAP, etc. You can also save up your incentives to purchase an Instacart+ membership.
What qualifies as a "healthy item"?
“Healthy food choices” are predetermined. Excluded items may include - paper products, cleaning products, other non-grocery items, certain sweets/candies, certain chips/snack packs/etc., and more. Additionally, some stores “participate” more than others, but we are pushing for improvements!
Instacart Requirements
What is required to use Foodsmart Bucks on Instacart?
To redeem Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Funds), you must have:
-An account on Instacart.com which requires an email account
-A form of accepted payment on file in their Instacart account that has a balance of 15% of each order total
Instacart will accept the following forms of payment
-All major US and Canada bank credit and debit cards
-Google Pay, Apple Pay, Klarna, PayPal
-EBT cards at participating stores in select states*. (Not all EBT are accepted as a secondary payment method)
15% of your order could be held on this form of payment and then will be refunded in 5-7 business days. If your form of payment does not cover it, your order could possibly not be completed. This is an Instacart internal policy with no exception.
NOTE that you “may be required to add a secondary payment method to use Fresh Funds”
Instacart does not accept the following forms of payment:
-Cash
-Store gift cards
-EBT cards at select retailers
-International payments
Any other forms of payment not listed as accepted above including Visa or Mastercard Gift Cards
*For a full list of participating stores and states where EBT cards are accepted, check out Instacart’s SNAP via EBT card article.
-An account on Instacart.com which requires an email account
-A form of accepted payment on file in their Instacart account that has a balance of 15% of each order total
Instacart will accept the following forms of payment
-All major US and Canada bank credit and debit cards
-Google Pay, Apple Pay, Klarna, PayPal
-EBT cards at participating stores in select states*. (Not all EBT are accepted as a secondary payment method)
15% of your order could be held on this form of payment and then will be refunded in 5-7 business days. If your form of payment does not cover it, your order could possibly not be completed. This is an Instacart internal policy with no exception.
NOTE that you “may be required to add a secondary payment method to use Fresh Funds”
Instacart does not accept the following forms of payment:
-Cash
-Store gift cards
-EBT cards at select retailers
-International payments
Any other forms of payment not listed as accepted above including Visa or Mastercard Gift Cards
*For a full list of participating stores and states where EBT cards are accepted, check out Instacart’s SNAP via EBT card article.
What if I don't have another form of payment? Will my credit/debit card be charged?
Instacart requires that you have a debit, credit, or Instacart gift card in order to make an order and use your Foodsmart Bucks (FreshFunds) (Please see the list above of approved and unapproved forms of payment). At times, up to 15% of your order can be held to ensure all fees are covered. It is refunded after 5-7 business days.
Can I use my EBT card to pay for my order?
ustomers can pay for online orders with a valid EBT card, in full or in part. You can use your EBT card at any participating store, as long as the state that issued your EBT card is currently participating in the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot. Currently, Instacart does not accept EBT cash. Once you reach the "Pay with" section within the check out page, you can click on "Apply up to $xx.xx EBT credit".For more information on how to add your EBT card as a form of payment please visit this article.
Fees and Payments
What about delivery fees, service fees, taxes, etc.?
Fresh Funds can be used toward delivery, tax, and some service fees in an order. If there is enough remaining on the Foodsmart Bucks (Fresh Funds) credit, it will automatically apply toward those expenses. In some states, this is NOT available.
I am still being charged service fees - I thought Foodsmart Bucks covered that?
According to Instacart, the “service fee” helps support the Instacart platform and covers a broad range of operating costs including insurance, background checks, and customer support. Instacart+ members enjoy a reduced service fee. Service fees vary and are subject to change based on factors like location and the number and types of items in your cart. You can view the service fee total on every order at checkout. Orders containing alcohol have a separate service fee.
Changes to your order, including replacing or refunding an item, change the service fee. After the order is complete, you’ll see the final cost and service fee total on your digital receipt. For more information about order changes, visit this article. Instacart pickup orders have no service fees, regardless of non-Instacart+ or Instacart+ membership. Shopper tips are separate from any service fees.
Changes to your order, including replacing or refunding an item, change the service fee. After the order is complete, you’ll see the final cost and service fee total on your digital receipt. For more information about order changes, visit this article. Instacart pickup orders have no service fees, regardless of non-Instacart+ or Instacart+ membership. Shopper tips are separate from any service fees.
Why is my final total different from the total at checkout?
When you place an order, we show you the anticipated total, including estimated taxes and fees. We also add a temporary buffer to anticipate you or the shopper making changes to your order, even after you placed it. The final total charged to your card may be different if any changes occur during the shopping process, such as—
-An item is out of stock and you’re refunded
-You add an item to your order after checkout
-An item you order needs to be replaced, and the replacement has a different price or is NOT Fresh Fund eligible
-An item you order is sold by weight and the exact weight is slightly different
-An item is out of stock and you’re refunded
-You add an item to your order after checkout
-An item you order needs to be replaced, and the replacement has a different price or is NOT Fresh Fund eligible
-An item you order is sold by weight and the exact weight is slightly different
