Learn What You Can Buy With EBT

Understanding EBT and What It Can Purchase

The Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system serves as a primary distribution method for several nutrition assistance programs across the United States. EBT cards function similarly to debit cards, allowing cardholders to purchase food items at authorized retailers. Understanding what items can be purchased through EBT programs can help households maximize their resources and make informed decisions about their nutrition purchases.

Get Your Free Guide to Watching The Daily Show →

EBT programs primarily include the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, and the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program. While both use the EBT card system, each program has distinct rules about permissible purchases. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, approximately 41.5 million people participated in SNAP during 2022, making it one of the largest nutrition assistance initiatives in the country.

The fundamental purpose of EBT benefits focuses on helping households purchase nutritious food items for meal preparation at home. This distinction matters significantly, as it shapes which products can be bought with these benefits. The USDA maintains detailed guidelines about what constitutes an approved food item versus what falls outside program parameters.

Many people find that learning the specific rules about permissible purchases helps them shop more efficiently and stretch their resources further. The rules exist to ensure that program funds support nutritional outcomes and food security for participating households. Retailers must be authorized to accept EBT payments, and their staff receive training on which items can be purchased through these programs.

Practical Takeaway: Before your next shopping trip, familiarize yourself with your specific program's guidelines. Different programs have different rules, so understanding which one you're using will help you make purchases confidently and avoid items that cannot be purchased with your benefits.

Food Items You Can Purchase With EBT

EBT SNAP benefits can be used to purchase a wide variety of food items that people prepare and cook at home. These approved foods encompass the major food groups and include options that support balanced nutrition. The USDA Food and Nutrition Service provides comprehensive lists of approved items, which retailers use to train their staff on proper transactions.

Get Your Free Guide to Waste Pickup Options →

Fruits and vegetables represent a significant category of approved purchases. Fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables all qualify as acceptable items. This includes individual produce items like apples, broccoli, carrots, and potatoes, as well as packaged options like frozen mixed vegetables and canned beans. According to USDA data, produce purchases have increased among SNAP participants over recent years, indicating that many households are using benefits to access fresh foods.

Proteins and dairy products form another essential category. Approved items include:

• Fresh, frozen, and canned meats, poultry, and fish
• Eggs and egg products
• Milk, yogurt, and cheese in various forms
• Dried beans, peas, and legumes
• Nuts and seeds without added ingredients
• Peanut and other nut butters

Grains and cereals represent another major category. Bread, rice, pasta, oatmeal, cereals, and flour are all commonly purchased items. Many households find that buying items like rice and beans in bulk provides excellent nutritional value and helps stretch their benefits further through the month.

Beverages present specific limitations. Water and plain milk are approved, but juice products have restrictions. One hundred percent juice without added sugars can be purchased, but beverages with added sweeteners cannot. This distinction reflects program guidelines focused on nutritional content.

Practical Takeaway: Create a shopping list focused on whole foods and basic ingredients. By purchasing items like rice, beans, frozen vegetables, and canned fruits, you can prepare multiple meals at lower costs while maximizing nutritional value. Planning meals before shopping helps ensure your benefits cover foods your household actually uses.

Items Excluded From EBT Purchases

Understanding what cannot be purchased with EBT is equally important as knowing what can be bought. The restrictions exist to ensure that program funds specifically support food purchases rather than other household needs or prepared foods. The USDA maintains clear guidelines about prohibited items, and retailers rely on these definitions during every transaction.

Learn About Tech Access Programs →

Hot or prepared foods represent a major category of excluded items. Food that is heated for immediate consumption cannot be purchased with EBT, even at stores with delis or prepared food sections. This means that rotisserie chicken, hot pizza, prepared salad bar items, and deli-counter sandwiches are not approved purchases. However, the uncooked or unheated equivalent of these items—raw chicken, frozen pizza, bulk salad ingredients, or deli meat and bread purchased separately—can be bought with benefits.

Non-food items cannot be purchased with EBT, including:

• Household supplies like soap, shampoo, detergent, or paper products
• Personal care items such as toothpaste, deodorant, or feminine hygiene products
• Vitamins and medicines
• Pet food and supplies
• Alcohol and tobacco products
• Cleaning supplies
• Kitchen equipment or appliances

Certain food-adjacent items also cannot be purchased. These include hot beverages like coffee or tea purchased ready-to-drink, energy drinks, soda and other sweetened beverages, candy, and food items marketed primarily as snacks rather than nutritious foods. Restaurants and fast-food establishments do not accept EBT benefits for any purchases, though some states have special programs allowing elderly, disabled, or homeless individuals to use benefits at authorized restaurants.

Food items with minimal nutritional value fall outside approval parameters. This category includes foods marketed primarily for taste or convenience rather than nutrition. Knowing these boundaries helps shoppers make intentional choices and understand why certain items ring up as ineligible during checkout.

Practical Takeaway: When shopping, focus on purchasing ingredients rather than prepared items. If you're in a time crunch, look for frozen vegetables, canned goods, and other quick-cooking options that are approved. Learning to read labels can help you identify whether an item qualifies—generally, if it's an uncooked food that provides nutritional value, it's likely approved.

WIC Program Purchases and Specific Guidelines

The Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program operates with more restrictive purchase guidelines than SNAP, as it targets specific nutritional needs of pregnant women, postpartum women, nursing mothers, and children under five. While WIC also uses EBT cards, the approved food list differs significantly from SNAP. According to the USDA, WIC served approximately 6.2 million participants in 2022, with a strong focus on maternal and child health outcomes.

Learn About Maryland Tax Refunds →

WIC programs emphasize foods rich in key nutrients that support healthy pregnancies and early childhood development. Approved categories typically include milk and dairy products, cereals fortified with iron, fruits and vegetables, protein sources, and specific bread products. Many states maintain their own WIC food lists with slight variations, so understanding your state's specific rules is important.

Dairy products approved through WIC include:

• Milk in various fat percentages
• Cheese in specific varieties and quantities
• Yogurt without added sugars
• Infant formula for babies

Protein sources in WIC programs typically include eggs, dried beans and peas, peanut butter, tuna, and chicken. Unlike SNAP, WIC often limits quantities and specific brands to manage program costs and ensure consistent access for all participants. Cereals must meet iron-fortification requirements, and fruits and vegetables often come with specific specifications about fresh, frozen, or canned options.

An important distinction involves infant formula and baby food. WIC programs specifically cover infant formula and certain baby food options, as these represent significant expenses for families with young children. The program prioritizes supporting healthy development during critical early years. Many states have contracts with specific formula manufacturers to provide participant options.

WIC participants receive vouchers or EBT benefits specifically allocated for approved items. Retailers must scan items during purchase to verify they match WIC program guidelines. This transaction-by-transaction verification ensures