If you are planning to get an EBT card or you recently acquired one, you may have questions. The most common question that people have is “Where can I use EBT and what for?” These are good questions, because you need to know where the card and benefit can be used. When you have that information you can plan your shopping with ease. The more you know about using your EBT card, the better off you will be, and you will be able to save time.
An EBT card is what the federal government issues to someone if they are approved for the program called Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). This program used to be called food stamps, and today many people still refer to it as that. Essentially, it is a program that helps people who have a low income to be able to purchase food each month.
What an EBT Card Is
Once someone applies and gets approval for SNAP, they will receive an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card. The EBT card looks like a credit or debit card, but the funds that are used on it are provided by the federal government. The EBT card replaced what used to be paper food stamps that were used for many years before the card system was created.
Prior to EBT cards, people who were approved for help purchasing food would receive paper food stamps, like fake money, that would be used to pay for groceries at the store. They would get them in the mail once per month. That system was replaced with the technology of using an EBT card. Each month, the federal government adds the money to the EBT card for the person. It’s all done electronically so that then the person can go to the store and use the card to pay for their items.
What Can Be Purchased with EBT
While an EBT card is something you can use to purchase things at the grocery store, convenience store, and some farmers markets, it can’t be used to purchase everything. In fact, there are a lot of things you cannot use the card to pay for. It is important for anyone who has an EBT card, or who is getting one, to know what they use the card to pay for.
Here are some things that you can use your EBT card to pay for:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Seeds to grow produce
- Packed foods
- Dairy products
- Meet and cheeses
- Cereals and frozen foods
Your EBT card can be used to purchase most things when you go grocery shopping. Most of the items you would purchase to make a meal, for example, would be eligible to be paid for with the EBT card. For example, if you were going to make a dinner of roasted chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy, and green beans, everything you would need to make that would be purchased with your EBT card.
If you will be preparing and eating the food yourself then there is a good chance that the items can be paid for with the EBT card. However, there are some food items that cannot be purchased with the card. It is important to know what they are, so you don’t get in the line and find out that you do not have a way to purchase those items.
What Food Cannot Be Purchased with EBT Cards
Although EBT cards are for buying food, there are some foods that it will not pay for. This can get a little confusing for people, so it’s a good idea to review it before heading out to purchase items. Knowing which food you can purchase with EBT and which ones are not eligible will save you time and help ensure you are able to get the items you are wanting.
Food items that cannot be purchased with EBT are those that are hot at the point of sale. This means that if you are paying for it and the food is already hot and ready to eat then it is not eligible. Some examples of this include rotisserie chickens that are sold at most stores. They cook them there, so you when you pay for it the chicken is hot and ready to take home and serve. Those are not eligible.
Foods that are hot when you pay for it are not usually covered by EBT. This also means that foods in restaurants are not allowed to be paid for with the card. Additionally, you cannot walk into a gas station or convenience store and purchase hot dogs off the grill, or other prepared foods that are ready to eat. These foods are considered meals that are ready to eat and they cost more, because the cooking has been done for you. The government prefers to pay for meals that are not ready to eat at the time of purchase.
What Else Cannot Be Purchased with EBT
While EBT cards can be used at grocery stores and convenience stores, that does not mean that you can use it to pay for everything in those stores. The stores tend to carry a lot of items that do not qualify for being paid for with an EBT card. If you need any of those items you will have to have another way to pay for them, such as cash or credit card.
Examples of items in the grocery store that will not be able to paid for with the EBT card include batteries, coffee filters, toilet paper, household cleaners, paper plates, and pet food. Even though your cat or dog is considered part of the family, the EBT card will not be able to be used to purchase pet foods. If you are ever in doubt if something can be paid for with the EBT card, stop by the customer service desk at the store to inquire about it. They should quickly be able to tell you if a product is eligible or not.
