As Easter approaches, the question on many minds is, “Can you buy Easter baskets with EBT?” We get asked this question all the time, and I’m thrilled to tell you that the answer is YES! You can buy certain premade Easter baskets with your SNAP food benefits. For families celebrating on a budget, finding EBT eligible Easter baskets offers a way to partake in the holiday’s joy without financial strain.
This guide will unveil how you can use your Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) benefits to bring Easter cheer to your home. We’re going to dive deep into all the information you need to know, including who can buy them, which baskets are SNAP-eligible and what you need to look for.
Why Can You Buy Easter Baskets with EBT?
The rules that govern EBT programs can seem complicated. After all, there are two parts to EBT: EBT cash and SNAP food benefits. The good news is that you can buy premade Easter baskets with either type as long as you understand the rules!
EBT cash benefits can be used like cash in most cases, although there are still some strict rules about what you cannot buy. If you’re using cash benefits from a program like TANF or General Assistance, you can usually buy anything that doesn’t include a forbidden product like alcohol.
If you’re shopping with SNAP food benefits, there are a lot more rules that you need to follow. Federal rules allow you to buy gift baskets (including Easter baskets) as long as at least 50% of the value of the item comes from the food that contains. Recently, the USDA clarified that the container’s value also counts toward the total value of the product.
As long as the basket meets those requirements, it should be eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits! In fact, many stores like Dollar General will often mark their selection of EBT eligible Easter baskets with special tags or stickers so that you can easily find the right ones.
How to Find EBT Eligible Easter Baskets
Not everyone agrees on what constitutes 50% of a basket’s value, so sometimes it can be tricky to find EBT eligible Easter baskets at local stores. They aren’t always clearly marked and sometimes the store workers don’t realize that these items should be EBT eligible.
Before you start shopping, it helps to keep the rules handy so that you can identify which baskets should be eligible. Here’s a checklist that can help:
- Choose the Right Store: Are you shopping at a store that accepts EBT?
- Look for EBT-Eligible Food: Does the Easter basket contain eligible food items? Candy, snack foods, staple foods and non-alcoholic beverages are EBT-eligible. Hot foods are not EBT eligible.
- Identify Ineligible Items: Does the Easter basket contain any clearly ineligible items like alcohol or cigarettes? If so, the basket is not eligible for purchase with SNAP.
- Evaluate the Cost: Compare the cost of the eligible food items with the overall price of the basket. Is the food worth at least 50% of the cost of the premade Easter basket?
- Confirm the Eligibility: Look for an EBT-eligible tag or sticker. If the product has one, you can be confident the store will process the transaction on EBT. If not, you may need to be prepared with a backup payment if the store does not accept EBT for the purchase.
I generally do not recommend asking an employee if the basket can be purchased with food benefits. Over the last 10 years, we’ve heard from many people who were told something wasn’t EBT-eligible when it actually was. That’s because many store employees are not familiar with the SNAP laws and do not understand that these items are eligible for purchase.
Where to Buy EBT Eligible Easter Baskets
Some stores offer a better selection of EBT eligible Easter Baskets than others. If you’re looking for an affordable way to snag one for your holiday celebration, it helps to know where and how to shop for maximum success.
Generally, our readers have found the best success getting EBT eligible Easter baskets from the following major retailers:
- Amazon
- Dollar General
- Walmart
Amazon
Amazon clearly labels their SNAP eligible products so it’s easy to understand what you can buy with your benefits. Many of our readers also prefer the privacy and anonymity of shopping on Amazon, since they don’t have to deal with judgmental retail workers or other people in the store.
If you want to purchase EBT eligible Easter Baskets online, Amazon has some great options! This one is my favorite but you can find more here.
If you’re worried about shopping costs, don’t forget you can get a steep discount on Amazon Prime when you have EBT!
Dollar General
Unlike most retailers, Dollar General tends to clearly mark their EBT eligible Easter baskets. This makes it very easy to spot which ones you can purchase with your SNAP benefits!
Across social media, you can spot users who have shared pictures from their local store displays. For example, in Jessie’s post below, you can see that the baskets on the top shelf have a blue tag that says EBT Eligible.
I really appreciate this clarity because it really easy to tell what products you can buy, and it also helps avoid awkward encounters with uneducated employees at the cash register.
Walmart
Walmart doesn’t usually mark their EBT eligible Easter baskets in-store but they do have a great selection. If you want to make it easy, you can even shop online where SNAP items are more readily marked and then select your items for in-store pickup instead.
Of course, there are some EBT eligible Easter baskets and products that are only available online. Don’t forget to check out those as well!
Additional Tips, Tricks & Warnings
If you are going to buy Easter baskets with EBT benefits, there are a few important things you need to remember.
- Only Buy Eligible Items: Resist the temptation to buy clearly ineligible items with your food benefits, even if someone else says that you can. If you intentionally buy items that you know should not be eligible, that’s an Intentional Program Violation and it could cause you to lose your food benefits for a long time.
- Budget Wisely: Plan your Easter basket purchases ahead of time and allocate a specific portion of your EBT benefits for this purpose. This helps avoid impulsive buys and ensures you have enough funds for essential food items throughout the month.
- Shop Early or Late: Shopping well before Easter or even just after can lead to significant savings. Buying within a few days to weeks before the holiday will leave you subject to peak pricing.
- Save & Reuse: Save decorations, basket fillers, and even baskets themselves for reuse in future years. This can help cut costs over time and allows for traditions to build and evolve.
Don’t forget that you can also buy Papa Murphy’s pizza with EBT, too! They often have special Easter promotions that can add to your festivities.
You can also use your card to enjoy over 1,000 EBT discounts nationwide – including discounts on Amazon, Walmart+ and more!
Relief Recap
So, can you buy Easter baskets with EBT? Yes! Both food and cash benefits can be used to purchase certain Easter baskets at select retailers. By reviewing this guide, you will learn what baskets are covered, where to find them, and some other helpful tips to help maximize your budget. Happy Easter!
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.