People on food stamps want to know – What can you buy with food stamps? Even though we have an entire post that shows the list of eligible food stamp items, we get lots of questions from our readers asking us if specific items are eligible to be purchased with EBT Card. We decided to put a list together of the most commonly asked items and provide answers. Here is the list of the 10 most commonly asked items people want to know if they can buy with their SNAP EBT Card:
What can you buy with food stamps EBT Card?
Can I buy diapers with EBT Card?
Even though nearly 30% of parents in the United States cannot afford diapers, which can cost up to $100 every month per baby, they are NOT covered by food stamps. That’s a heavy burden on some families since diapers form such a large part of the monthly budget for most household.
Can you buy baby formula with EBT Card?
Yes, you can purchase baby formula, including similac with your SNAP EBT card and there is actually no limit on how much formula you can buy. You can also purchase formula for your child even well beyond the 12 months of age.
Can you buy Energy Drinks like Red Bull with EBT Card?
Whether you can buy energy drinks with your EBT Card depends on the label on the product. If the energy drink has a Nutrition Facts label on it, then You Can purchase it using your EBT Card. This includes Monster, Zero Nos and Red Bull.
Energy drinks that have a Supplement Facts label are classified by the FDA as supplements, and are therefore not eligible to be purchased using food stamps.
Can You Buy Coffee with EBT Card?
This is one of the most popular questions we get. That’s because coffee is such a central part of daily routines for a large part of the population so people want to know if they can purchase it with their EBT Card. Yes, you can buy packaged coffee, including instant coffee and K cups for Keurig. You can also buy creamer. However, you cannot buy hot coffee because you cannot use an EBT card to buy hot liquids.
Can You Buy Candy with EBT Card?
Somehow, Candy made the list of items you can buy with your SNAP EBT Card. With the little money that is allocated per individual/family for food stamps, you probably want to spend your money on buying nutritious food.
Can You Buy Steak and Seafood with EBT Card?
This is also another popular question. Yes, you can buy high-end steaks and even organic food with your EBT card. And yes, you can also buy lobster. Lobster is expensive, so we are curious why people on food stamps want to spend their previous food stamps dollars on buying lobster. But if you feel strongly about it, Yes, you can buy lobster with your EBT card as seafood from the grocery store. You can also purchase live fish such as lobsters and other shellfish with the EBT card.
Can You Buy Deli food with EBT Card?
You cannot buy hot food from the deli or prepared foods like mac n cheese, chicken or sandwiches, stuff from the salad bar or anything that is to be consumed at the premises. Essentially, any ready-to-eat food items are not allowed. You can, however, buy deli meats and cheeses and cold uncooked items from the deli with your EBT card.
Can You Buy rotisserie chicken with EBT Card?
You can buy an uncooked rotisserie chicken and prepare it yourself at home. You cannot buy the hot, prepared rotisserie chicken that is sold at the grocery store or places like Walmart, Costco or Wegmans.
Can You Buy Bakery Birthday or Special Occasion Cakes with EBT Card?
People are really surprised to hear this answer but you are allowed to buy birthday and other special occasion cakes with food stamps, as long as the value of non-edible decorations do not exceed 50 percent of the purchase price of the cake.
Can You Buy a Gift Basket with EBT Card?
Gift baskets that contain both food and non-food items are not eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits if the value of the non-food items exceeds 50 percent of the purchase price. For Example: A stuffed holiday bear sold with a small package of chocolate for $14.99 would not be eligible for SNAP purchase, but A gift basket consisting primarily of meats and cheeses or snack foods, and including a small toy — where the cost of the food items clearly accounts for more than 50% of the purchase price of the item — would be eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits.
In addition to the above items, you are also not allowed to use your EBT card to buy paper products, diapers, vitamins, beer, cigarettes or lottery tickets.
Here are our Top Articles on Where to Use EBT
List of Grocery Stores that accept Food Stamps
The 50 Gas Stations that accept EBT
Does Sam’s Club Accept EBT Card?
Amazon Prime Discount for EBT Recipients
If you have additional questions about What can you buy with food stamps, let us know below in the comments section.