DATE: Wednesday, February 26, 1997          TAG: 9702250084

SECTION: FLAVOR                  PAGE: F1   EDITION: FINAL 

COLUMN: MARKET REPORT 

SOURCE: BY KAREN SANTOS, VIRGINIAN-PILOT STAFF 

                                            LENGTH:   55 lines

SHOPPING FOR PRODUCE THIS WEEK MAY PROVE FRUITFUL

PRODUCE specials are abundant this week.

Vine ripened tomatoes are 47 cents a pound, romaine lettuce is 69 cents a pound and six lemons are $1, all at Farmer Jack. Farm Fresh offers cantaloupes for 99 cents each, radishes for 33 cents a bunch and portobello mushrooms for $1.99 a pound. Rack & Sack has a pound of strawberries for 99 cents, seedless white grapes for 79 cents a pound, jumbo yellow onions for 29 cents a pound and plums or nectarines for 99 cents a pound. Pick up kiwi, four for $1 at Be-Lo.

Farmer Jack can help make breakfast simple. A 20-ounce box of Honey Nut Cheerios is $1.74, hot cross buns are six for $1.68, and a 64-ounce carton of Florida's Natural orange juice is $1.34.

If munchies are must-haves, 13.5- to 14.5-ounce bags of Doritos or Tostitos are $1.99 each and 14.5- to 16-ounce boxes of Nabisco Ritz crackers are $1.99 at Farm Fresh. Nabisco Chips Ahoy cookies (any variety) are two for $5 at Farmer Jack. Rack & Sack has 14- to 16-ounce boxes of Sunshine Cheez-It or Keebler Chips Deluxe for $1.98.

Angel food cake mix is 41 cents for a 6.2-ounce box at Farmer Jack.

Looking for something for Sunday dinner? Smithfield pork shoulder smoked picnics are 59 cents a pound or boneless bottom round roasts are $1.69 a pound at Farm Fresh. Farmer Jack has sirloin tip London broil for $1.99 a pound. Boston butt pork roast is 98 cents a pound at Rack & Sack. Be-Lo has boneless chuck steaks for $1.79 a pound and 1/4 loin pork chops for $1.69 a pound. Coffee prices up

Coffee drinkers are in for a jolt. Prices for the bean are expected to reach their highest levels since 1994 this mouth owing to heavy rains in Latin America and a strike in Columbia.

On the shelf

Haagen-Dazs is introducing a new low-fat ice cream.

The product has 1/3 fewer calories and 80 percent less fat than the company's premium ice cream and should be available by April.

Vivien Godfrey, vice president of Haagen-Dazs, says, ``We're thrilled to offer our loyal customers a low-fat ice cream that meets the high taste and quality standards they've come to rely on from Haagen-Dazs.''

Each ( 1/2-cup) serving has three grams of fat or less and 170 calories. It will be available in four flavors: vanilla, chocolate, strawberry and coffee fudge.

Suggested retail price: $3.09 a pint.

ILLUSTRATION: [Color Photo]

HAAGEN-DAZS

Haagen-Dazs' new low-fat ice cream, due out in April, has 170

calories per serving and comes in four flavors: vanilla, chocolate,

strawberry and coffee fudge.

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