What food can you buy with an ebt card

Non-Food Grocery Items: No

Government guidelines are strict: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides food for people in need. This means you can buy fruits and vegetables, meats, fish, poultry, dairy products, breads and cereals, baby food and formula, and non-alcoholic beverages with your EBT card.

Nonfood items such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, medicines and vitamins, household supplies, grooming items, and cosmetics, also are ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits. Soft drinks, candy, cookies, snack crackers, and ice cream are food items and are therefore eligible items.

Under the program, prepared foods at participating restaurants and grocery stores can be purchased with an EBT card.

SNAP recipients can now use their benefits for hot foods and ready-to-eat foods, such as rotisserie chicken or grocery store deli foods, at retailers that accept SNAP anywhere in the state. HHSC received federal approval today from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service.

You can buy take and bake pizzas from Papa Murphy’s with food stamps (EBT). Because you don’t eat them at the restaurant, this is considered similar to a grocery purchase.

SNAP benefits will not cover hot foods and foods that can be eaten in the store. Many grocery stores now include sandwich shops, pizza shops, or food counters. The SNAP card will not work at these places. This may also cover pre-prepared food even if it is not hot.

Toilet paper cannot be purchased with food stamps, which are restricted to food and drink only.

Only packaged sandwiches and deli foods that are cold, and that will be eaten at home, can be purchased with food stamps at a deli, grocery or convenience store. This can include chicken, salads, sliced deli meat and regular sandwiches. Some convenience stores do not accept food EBT cards.