Author: Sam Phil
Food stamps, known officially as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), provide low-income households with assistance in buying food.
The program is run by the United States Department of Agriculture and is administered by states.
You might be surprised at the things you can buy with food stamps. In this article, we’ll list some of the surprising items that are eligible for purchase with food stamps.
Items You Can’t Buy with Food Stamps
You cannot buy alcohol, tobacco products, and Pet food. Non-food items, such as household supplies, toiletries, medicines, hot foods, prepared foods, or any food that is not intended for human consumption.
Surprising Things You Can Buy With Food Stamps
- Energy Drinks
You can buy certain energy drinks with your SNAP funds. You can grab a Red Bull, Rockstar, and Starbucks to get you through the day—but there’s a catch.
The energy drink must meet the USDA’s strict standards and not contain alcohol or have more than 50% of its calories from added sugars.
In other words, only a few energy beverages are eligible for purchase with SNAP funds. If you’re unsure whether a particular product meets the criteria, it’s best to check with your local grocer before buying it. That way, you won’t be stuck with an unqualified product that is not covere by your benefits.
- Coffee and Tea
If you’re a coffee or tea lover, you can purchase these items with your food stamps. Packaged coffee, creamer, and K-cups designed for Keurig machines can all be purchased with SNAP. Nevertheless, ready-to-drink coffee cannot be purchased. It also won’t work if you decide to prepare your coffee at home and only drink tea elsewhere. That is because the USDA forbids the purchase of any hot beverages using SNAP subsidies, and tea is also restricted to packaged and unbrewed varieties.
- Hunting and Fishing Gear
Did you know that you can use food stamps to purchase hunting and fishing gear? Yep, that’s right—you can use your food stamps to get a fishing rod, tackle box, or even a hunting rifle.
This program aims to ensure those living in rural areas have access to available resources. In some areas, hunting and fishing provide the only reliable source of protein, so they must be able to access the gear they need.
- Restaurant Meals
You can use SNAP to buy restaurant meals if you qualify for the SNAP Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) and reside in a state that takes part. RMP provides services to vulnerable groups like the elderly, the homeless, and the crippled.
In addition, most fast-food restaurants also accept food stamps and are considered approved vendors. However, it’s important to note that this option is limited to certain items on the restaurant’s menu, and doesn’t include those with alcohol or hot foods. Make sure to check with the restaurant before ordering, so you know exactly what is covered under your food stamps.
- Seeds and Plants
The USDA permits SNAP beneficiaries to purchase seeds for growing their food and edible plants like basils or food-growing plants such as tomato plants using their EBT cards. According to the USDA, for every $1 spent on seeds and fertilizer, you may grow $25 worth of produce. Despite this significant component, Modern Farmer claims that it is one of the least well-known aspects of the entire SNAP program.
Any SNAP-approved shop, including farmers’ markets, accepts EBT cards for purchases of seeds and plants.
- Gift Baskets
Some grocery stores accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase ready-made food baskets. Aside from providing a cost-effective way to shop for food for yourself or your family, buying pre-made food baskets can be a great option if you don’t have time or access to make a traditional grocery run. So next time your grocery list is longer than usual, remember that gift baskets are an option.
Summary
We hope that this article has given you a short snap of the items you can buy with your SNAP. Remember, you can not buy alcohol, tobacco products, and Pet food. Also, non-food items, such as household supplies, toiletries, medicines, hot foods, prepared foods, or any food not intended for human consumption.