Can you buy candy with EBT? If you’re receiving EBT benefits, especially through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, then you may be wondering if you can purchase sweet treats with your benefits card.
What is EBT?
Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) is the method used to distribute government benefits through programs like SNAP and TANF. These benefits are given to low income Americans in order to help them cover basic, necessary expenses.
Typically, it is much easier to get benefits through SNAP than any other EBT program. SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and it’s designed to help low income people purchase food for their household.
Can you buy candy with EBT?
Yes! You can buy candy with EBT. Because it is considered an edible food item, you can purchase candy with either EBT food benefits or EBT cash benefits. No matter what program you are participating in, you can purchase candy with EBT.
For example, you can make the purchase if you receive EBT benefits from:
- Aged Blind Disabled Benefits
- Refugee Cash Assistance
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families
You may be able to buy gift baskets with candy, too!
Did you know that you can buy gift baskets that contain food products like candy? It’s a great way to pick up holiday gifts for your kids with your benefits.
According to the USDA, you can purchase toys and gift baskets that contain candy in certain circumstances. The catch is that more than 50% of the value of the item must come from the food it contains.
For example, a huge stuffed animal with a tiny box of chocolate wouldn’t be EBT-eligible because the stuffed animal is worth more than the food… but a small stuffed animal with a huge box of chocolate could be EBT-eligible because the candy is worth more than the stuffed animal.
This means that many gift baskets are EBT eligible. In fact, you can find a huge selection of EBT-eligible gift baskets on Amazon!
Can you buy Valentine’s Candy with EBT?
Yes! You can buy Valentine’s candy with EBT. You may even be able to purchase some Valentine’s Day gifts that include candy, such as mugs with hot cocoa mixes or bears with boxes of chocolate. Just make sure that at least 50% of the value of the item includes edible food.
Can you buy Halloween candy with EBT?
Yes! You can buy Halloween candy with EBT. You may even be able to buy some Halloween gifts and decorations that include candy, such as plastic pumpkin pails with candy in them or Halloween glasses that include pumpkin spice drink mixes.
Can you buy Christmas candy with EBT?
Yes! You can buy Christmas candy with EBT. You may even be able to buy some Christmas tins and gifts that include food, like popcorn tins or stockings stuffed with candy or gift baskets that include meat and cheeses.
How do you buy candy with EBT?
Buying candy with EBT is actually very easy. The eligible and ineligible items can be mixed together while you check out. When you swipe your EBT card, it will only pay for the eligible items. Anything that you picked up that isn’t EBT-eligible will not be covered and you will have to use a different payment method to recover any remaining balance. It’s really that easy!
Where can you buy candy with EBT?
You can buy candy with EBT at any retailer that is set up to process EBT payments. Usually, stores that accept EBT will have a sticker on or near the front door indicating that they accept EBT.
Common EBT-approved retailers include:
- Albertson’s
- Fred Meyer
- King Soopers
- Kroger
- Piggly Wiggly
- Publix
- Safeway
- Sprouts
- Target
- Walmart
- Winn-Dixie
- Whole Foods
- and more!
You can also pick up candy at most convenience stores or gas stations, as well!
- 7-Eleven
- Chevron
- Circle K
- Exxon Mobile
- Flying J
- Kwik Trip
- Love’s
- Pilot
- and more!
If you’d rather not leave home, you can also purchase candy with EBT online from retailers like Amazon and Walmart! In fact, you can even order candy for home delivery with EBT using Instacart!
Nicole Thelin
Nicole is the founder and lead researcher of Low Income Relief. After a personal experience with poverty and homelessness following her husband's sudden medical discharge from the U.S. Army, Nicole discovered the life-changing impact of community resources. This experience ignited her passion for empowering others to navigate similar crises. Nicole launched her writing career at age 16, working for various newspapers and publications. Her commitment to in-depth research and accessible content has been recognized by Google for Publishers and other industry leaders. For over 20 years, she has applied her investigative skills to uncover the most helpful, up-to-date information on benefits programs and community resources, ensuring Low Income Relief maintains the most extensive resource databases available.