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Does Whole Foods take EBT?

In this post, we are going to answer the following question: Does Whole Foods take EBT? If you are not familiar with Whole Foods, here is a brief description of this grocery chain known for high-quality foods. Whole foods, which was recently purchased by Amazon.com is an American supermarket chain that is known for selling foods that are without artificial preservatives, colors, flavors, sweeteners, and hydrogenated fats. This means that Whole Foods is focused on selling foods that are of the best quality – and with their recent purchase by Amazon, they are also working hard to make their food prices the most affordable. That’s why we have received lots of questions from our readers about Whole Foods. The grocery chain currently has about 400 physical locations. To find out whether your local Whole Foods accepts EBT cards, keep reading below.

"Does Whole Foods take EBT?"

Does Whole Foods take EBT?

The answer to the question you’ve been waiting for is – Yes, whole foods does accept EBT at their stores as a form of payment at all locations. You can use your EBT to buy food at Whole Foods, as long as they are on the list of approved foods that are allowed under the food stamps program. Not all foods are allowed. Here is what you CANNOT buy at whole foods with your EBT Card:

You are not allowed by food stamps list to use your EBT Card at the following departments at Whole Foods:

  • Beer department
  • Flower/floral department
  • Pets department
  • Wine department
  • Whole Body department

This means that the following items are also not allowed:

  • Alcohol
  • Cigarettes
  • Lottery tickets
  • Pet food
  • Toiletries
  • Vitamins
  • Medicine
  • Foods that will be eaten in the store
  • Hot foods

What you can buy with EBT at Whole Foods

Below is a list of what you can buy with your EBT Card at whole foods:

"Does Whole Foods take WIC?"

You can buy foods you are going to take home to prepare and eat. This includes:

  • Breads and Cereals
  • Fruits and Vegetables
  • Meats, Fish and Poultry
  • Dairy Products.
  • Seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat.

Can you use WIC at Whole Foods?

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a federal assistance program for healthcare and nutrition of low-income pregnant women, breastfeeding women, and children under the age of five. Currently, WIC serves 53 percent of all infants born in the United States. If you currently have WIC and want to know if you can use your card at Whole Foods, the answer is a bit complicated. Because WIC has specific requirements on what foods you can buy and what brands are allowed, it’s very tough to find foods at whole foods that meet those requirements. You will, therefore, have to check with your local Whole Foods to see if they accept WIC and what products you are allowed to buy there under the WIC program. To find a Whole Foods near you or to call them, click here. However, generally, you can buy the following foods at Whole Foods with WIC if they meet the USDA guidelines that are listed here.

Foods you can buy at Whole Foods with WIC

  • Baby food
  • Canned fish
  • Cereals
  • Cheese
  • Eggs
  • Fruits
  • Infant formula
  • Juice
  • Milk
  • Peanut butter
  • Vegetables
  • Whole grain foods

How to Stretch your EBT Money

Are you struggling to make ends meet? Is your EBT money running out before the month is over? Watch this video to learn tips on how you can shop smart with your EBT Card and get the most food for you and your family with your EBT Food Stamps card. The EBT card holder featured in the video below has figured out ways to buy more food with her EBT money. Click to watch.

We hope you found this article that answered the question “Does Whole Foods take EBT?” helpful. Whole foods takes EBT but you have to make sure you buy food items that are approved. If you have any questions about shopping at Whole Foods or any questions about food stamps in general, please tell us in the comments section below.

Be sure to check out our article on How to use SNAP EBT Online at Whole Foods.

Kwame Kuadey

Kwame Kuadey writes about personal finance and the social safety net. His career started in banking but he caught the entrepreneurial bug and has spent the last decade building successful businesses, including an Inc. 500 Company. Kwame believes everyone has the power to improve their quality of life by seeking knowledge and taking action. In 2012, Kwame founded Empower Media to help low-income households improve their financial situation. His expertise is in topics relevant to low-income households, including government benefits and assistance, banking products, access to credit, plus tools & resources to help reduce income volatility and build wealth. Kwame has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Inc. Magazine, Washington Post, ABC, and NPR.

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