If you get food benefits, shopping at Aldi is a great choice because every Aldi takes EBT for eligible grocery purchases. You can use your card in-store, online and even for home delivery in many areas!
How to Use EBT at Aldi
There are many ways that you can use your EBT card at Aldi’s. Let’s break down the most common ones.
- Shop In-Store: When you shop at an Aldi store, you can use your EBT card to pay for eligible food items. At checkout, just swipe your EBT card in the card reader and enter your PIN to complete the purchase. Remember, you can only buy foods that are EBT eligible.
- Order Online with Instacart: Aldi partners with Instacart for grocery delivery and pickup, and you can use your EBT card to pay for eligible items on Instacart in many locations. Just add your EBT card as a payment method in your Instacart account settings. When you check out, select how much of your total you want to pay with your EBT card.
- Order Online with DoorDash: Some areas also allow EBT payments through DoorDash when ordering from Aldi. Similar to Instacart, you’ll need to set up your EBT card in your DoorDash account. When placing an order, choose your EBT card for payment, keeping in mind that only EBT-eligible items can be purchased with your benefits.
For some reason, Aldi does not allow you to shop on their own website with SNAP benefits. To shop on their website, you have to pay with Visa, Mastercard, Discover or American Express only. Because of this, you cannot order curbside orders with EBT at this time.
What You Can Buy with EBT at Aldi
What you can buy with EBT at Aldi will depend on the source of your benefits. If you receive EBT cash benefits, you can buy a wider variety of products in-store than if you receive SNAP food assistance.
If you are spending your food benefits, you need to make sure that you are purchasing edible food for your household. Eligible products may include:
- Breads: Includes a variety of whole grain, white, and specialty breads.
- Cereals: Encompasses both cold and hot cereal options.
- Dairy Products: Such as milk, cheese, yogurt, and butter.
- Fish: Fresh and frozen varieties including salmon, tilapia, and cod.
- Fruits: Fresh, canned, and frozen fruits like apples, oranges, and berries.
- Meat: Various cuts of beef, pork, and poultry, including chicken and turkey.
- Non-Alcoholic Beverages: Includes juices, coffee, tea, and bottled water.
- Poultry: Chicken, turkey, and other bird meats available in various cuts.
- Seeds and Plants: Seeds and live plants that can produce edible foods such as tomatoes and peppers.
- Snack Foods: Chips, crackers, nuts, and other ready-to-eat snacks.
- Vegetables: A wide range, including leafy greens, root vegetables, and starchy options like potatoes and corn.
In the past, glitches have enabled people to purchase ineligible items from Aldi through DoorDash and other platforms. Even if items are marked EBT eligible by mistake, you should not buy them with your food benefits. Knowingly buying ineligible products is an Intentional Program Violation, which can cause you to lose your benefits.
Please note that you cannot buy alcohol, tobacco, cigarettes or liquor with either EBT cash or SNAP food benefits.
Tips to Maximize Your EBT
Aldi is known for low prices and good quality, which is especially helpful when you’re on a budget. There are some helpful tips that you can use to maximize the reach of your EBT benefits at this store:
- Shop In-Store Instead of Online: Physical stores offer immediate access to products and often have in-store-only deals. You also don’t have to worry about delivery fees, markups, or tips when you shop in-store.
- Look for Weekly Sales: Stay updated with Aldi’s weekly flyers or website to catch the best deals and discounts.
- Buy Bulk Items: Purchasing items in bulk can lead to significant savings, especially on pantry staples.
- Check Out Aldi Finds: Don’t miss Aldi’s limited-time offers on unique and seasonal items at discounted prices.
- Use Aldi’s Double Guarantee: Take advantage of Aldi’s return policy, which includes replacing the product and refunding your money if you are not satisfied.
- Choose Store Brands: Aldi’s store brands are high quality and cost less than national brands, helping you save more.
- Use a Rewarded App like Ibotta: Enhance your savings by using apps like Ibotta that offer cash back on purchases. You can even get cash back on EBT purchases! Download Ibotta now.
- Use the Aldi App: Keep the Aldi app handy to get updates on the latest deals, store inventory, and exclusive app-only offers.
Don’t forget to check out our list of 1,000 EBT discounts for even more ways to maximize the value of your food benefits!
Relief Recap
Does Aldi take EBT? Yes! You can shop with food benefits in-store at all of their locations. You can also use your benefits to order grocery delivery through apps like DoorDash and Instacart. This article shows you how, and also explains what you can buy and how you can maximize the value of your food benefits. Happy shopping!
Low Income Relief Team
This article is the product of a team effort! Multiple authors from the Low Income Relief team have contributed to this post. We have also used AI tools to organize data and refine the writing in accordance with our Responsible AI Use Policy. All articles on our website are reviewed by our founder and resident poverty expert, Nicole Thelin, prior to publication.