Smart & Simple
Open Food Facts brand roll-up for Smart & Simple, current as of September 2026. Screening averages and flag shares live in the short-answer band below. This hero only situates the catalog slice.
The short answer
Smart & Simple averages 93.4/100 across the 29 of 29 tracked products that carry an ingredient list, and 17.2% of those contain at least one separately flagged ingredient. The figure summarizes Open Food Facts labels cross-referenced with FDA SAFFA and CSPI; it does not establish recall status, allergy suitability, or the composition of products outside this snapshot.
- 93.4/100
- average ingredient-screening score across 29 scored products
- 29
- tracked products in this brand roll-up
- 17.2%
- scored products with at least one flagged ingredient
- 64.3%
- of NOVA-classified products that are ultra-processed (Group 4)
Source snapshot current as of September 2026; open individual products before making a product-specific decision.
Portfolio reading
Look for consistency across the range
The catalog shows a small but varied range led by Family Size Mac & Cheese; Ranch & Bacon Pasta Salad; Strawberry Cereal Bar. Across 29 tracked products, the mean is 93.4/100 and 17.2% carry a separately flagged ingredient. That is enough to compare formulations inside this captured range, but not enough to assume every current package matches. Start with the lowest-scoring product rows and confirm the ingredient panel when a specific additive matters.
| Signal | Smart & Simple | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Avg safety score | 93.4/100 | Above-average |
| Products tracked | 29 | OpenFoodFacts US index |
| Flagged ingredients | 17.2% | FDA SAFFA + CSPI flag overlap |
What the Data Says About Smart & Simple
Smart & Simple: 29 products tracked, 29 with an ingredient list, avg safety score 93.4/100, 17.2% of those scored products has at least one flagged ingredient.
Score 85-95 reflects mostly-safe profile with some flagged ingredients in specific SKUs. Scoring methodology + dye-pledge context →
Across the 894,137 products we index overall, the average safety score is 92.8/100, and Smart & Simple sits 0.6 points above that fleet-wide average.
Processing mix (NOVA)
Smart & Simple processing intensity
Smart & Simple's NOVA-classified set is 28 products: 64.3% ultra-processed (Group 4, 18 items) with Group 4 (ultra-processed) largest at 18. That ultra-processed share sits 14 points below the 78.3% median for 1,323 brands with 50+ products. NOVA is processing intensity, not additive safety.
Shelf mix
Where Smart & Simple shows up in Open Food Facts
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Smart & Simple concentrates in Plant-based foods and beverages (7, 33% of this top-five); Condiments (4); Salted-snacks (4); Meals (3); Snacks (3).
Average score by leading shelf label
| Shelf | Scored n | Avg | Flagged |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plant-based foods and beverages | 7 | 100/100 | 0% |
| Condiments | 4 | 100/100 | 0% |
| Salted-snacks | 4 | 93.8/100 | 25% |
| Meals | 3 | 56.7/100 | 66.7% |
| Snacks | 3 | 90/100 | 33.3% |
Portfolio shape
How scores cluster inside this brand
The brand average (93.4/100) summarizes 29 scored products. This distribution shows whether that mean sits on a tight cluster or a wide spread, a few low-scoring SKUs can matter even when the headline average looks strong.
Smart & Simple product score distribution
Brand average 93.4/100 across 29 scored products
93 16th percentile sits above 16% of the 29 scored products we track
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more scored products. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Distribution as text
- 0–10
- 1 scored products (3%)
- 70–80
- 3 scored products (10%)
- 90–100
- 1 scored products (3%)
- 100 and above
- 24 scored products (83%)
Source Open Food Facts product labels × FDA SAFFA × CSPI · September 2026
Smart & Simple relies most on Caramel Coloring, an industry staple
Across the 29 Smart & Simple products scored here, Caramel Coloring appears in 2. It is used by 3,551 other brands in this database (10.1% of them), so its presence says more about the category than about this brand. A flag records that a named source raised a concern about an ingredient. It is not a finding that a product is unsafe to eat.
| Flagged ingredient | Smart & Simple products | Why it is flagged |
|---|---|---|
| Caramel Coloring | 2 | Restricted: California (Prop 65 warning for 4-MEI) |
| Yellow 5 | 2 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
| Carrageenan | 1 | Concern recorded by a review body; no ban cited |
| Red 3 | 1 | FDA ban effective 2027-01-15 · Restricted: California (AB 418; effective 2027-01-01); Federal (FDA; effective 2027-01-15) |
| Red 40 | 1 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
| Yellow 6 | 1 | FDA voluntary phase-out target 2027-12-31 (a request, not a ban) · Restricted: California (schools) |
Counts are products in this database whose ingredient list names the flagged ingredient. Flags come from FDA enforcement actions, CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings and US state ingredient laws; see the methodology for how each source is applied.
Visible product sample
Label complexity does not determine the screening result
Each point is one of the 29 concern-sorted Smart & Simple records shown below. Horizontal position is the number of resolved ingredients on that product's stored label; vertical position is its source-derived screening score. The dashed medians (10 ingredients and 100/100) divide this displayed sample only. A longer label is not automatically worse: open a specific product to inspect its flagged rows and source coverage.
- Shown records
- 29
- Median label
- 10 ingredients
- Median score
- 100/100
The outlined point is Family Size Mac & Cheese, the displayed record with the most flagged ingredients (4). Bubble size represents flagged ingredient count plus one, so zero-flagged products remain visible. The score is derived from FDA SAFFA and CSPI fields; this chart does not establish recall status, dietary suitability, or a health outcome.
Read the plotted values
- Family Size Mac & Cheese: 26 resolved ingredients, 0/100, 4 flagged.
- Ranch & Bacon Pasta Salad: 37 resolved ingredients, 70/100, 2 flagged.
- Strawberry Cereal Bar: 35 resolved ingredients, 70/100, 2 flagged.
- Kosher Baby Dills: 7 resolved ingredients, 75/100, 1 flagged.
- Sandwich Slices American Imitation Pasteurized Process Cheese Food: 22 resolved ingredients, 95/100, 1 flagged.
- Mayonnaise: 10 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Picante Sauce: 10 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Canola Cooking Oil Spray: 5 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Enriched & Bleached All-Purpose Flour: 7 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Grated Topping With Parmesan: 16 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Yellow Mustard: 6 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Quick Oats: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Pinto Beans: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Deluxe Shells & Cheese: 30 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Yellow Cake Mix: 13 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Complete Pancake Mix: 23 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Whipped Dressing: 16 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mayonnaise: 14 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Vegetable Oil: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Chicken Broth: 8 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Granulated Sugar: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Quick Oats: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mackerel: 3 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Salad Olives: 11 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Stuffed Olives: 11 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Mild Banana Peppers: 5 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Hot Dog Relish: 13 resolved ingredients, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Popcorn: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
- Smart & simple, tagless tea bags: 1 resolved ingredient, 100/100, 0 flagged.
Products by Smart & Simple
Showing 29 display-quality records, sorted by concern level (most flagged first).
Nationwide brands with similar catalog profiles
Two PlainFoodSafe-derived peer sets for Smart & Simple: closest on tracked product count (29 here) and closest on average ingredient screening score (93.4/100 here). Rows stay link-disjoint so each axis is a distinct neighborhood, not a largest-catalog strip.
Similar average screening score
Nearest other brands by average ingredient screening score (floored at ≥50 scored products), distinct from the count row.
Counts and averages from Open Food Facts labels screened against FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine; neither axis is a health outcome.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Smart & Simple food safe? ▼
Smart & Simple has an average safety score of 93/100 across the 29 of 29 tracked products that carry an ingredient list. 17.2% of those contain flagged ingredients.
How many Smart & Simple products are tracked? ▼
Our database tracks 29 Smart & Simple products. 29 include an ingredient list and can be screened against FDA SAFFA and CSPI data; 0 cannot be scored from this snapshot.
How processed is the Smart & Simple catalog? ▼
Smart & Simple has 28 NOVA-classified products; 64.3% are ultra-processed (Group 4, 18 items) and Group 4 is the largest slice. NOVA describes processing intensity, not whether additives on a label are flagged.
Which shelves dominate the Smart & Simple catalog? ▼
In Open Food Facts shelf labels, Smart & Simple concentrates in Plant-based foods and beverages (7, 33% of this top-five); Condiments (4); Salted-snacks (4); Meals (3); Snacks (3).
Does Smart & Simple use artificial dyes? ▼
Open the individual product pages below to see which Smart & Simple items list a synthetic dye on their label. For whether the company has committed to removing dyes, the FDA and CSPI both publish corporate-commitment trackers; we no longer restate those commitments here.
What to do with this Smart & Simple profile
Use this roll-up as orientation, then verify the specific package you hold against its ingredient panel and the named official sources.
- Start with Family Size Mac & Cheese, the displayed product with the most flagged ingredients (4) in this sample. Open the outlier product
- Caramel Coloring appears in 2 scored Smart & Simple products, review why each source flags it before treating the brand average as uniform. Review flagged ingredient counts
- Compare Smart & Simple's 93.4/100 average and 17.2% flagged share against other brands before treating either figure as a recall or clearance signal. Brand safety rankings
- Cross-check any additive concern against FDA SAFFA and CSPI Chemical Cuisine rather than relying on this derived index alone. Scoring methodology
A flagged ingredient records a source concern, not a recall, ban, or medical clearance. Always verify the current package label and consult official sources for product-specific decisions.
Citation & disclaimer notes
Brand scores aggregate ingredient-level FDA SAFFA + CSPI Chemical Cuisine ratings across Open Food Facts product data. See our methodology. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFoodSafe.Disclaimer: Informational purposes only; not professional advice. A flagged ingredient is not a recall or a ban. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Every figure on PlainFoodSafe is rendered directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no number is typed in by an editor. Brand figures are computed directly from OpenFoodFacts and FDA data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of September 2026.
