You can double your SNAP and P-EBT benefits in Colorado when you shop at a participating market! If you know where to shop, you can actually buy a lot more for your money.
What is Double Up Food Bucks?
Double Up Food Bucks is a nationwide movement that makes healthy groceries more affordable for low income families. Shoppers who use Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits can double the value of their purchase when they use this program.
The goal of the program is to give low income shoppers the ability to buy more healthy produce and incentivizing them to make healthier choices.
How do I use Double Up Food Bucks?
Using Double Up Food Bucks is actually very easy. As long as you’re already getting SNAP food benefits, then you just need to find a participating market or grocery near you.
The program works a little differently depending on where you’re shopping.
If you’re shopping at a participating grocery store, you’ll get a dollar-for-dollar discount on your SNAP eligible items. You can use your SNAP benefits to purchase any EBT-eligible products, but you’ll get an equal dollar amount discount to cover any Colorado-grown produce. You can buy $10 in bread, meat and milk and receive $10 to cover locally grown onions, berries, or other fruits or vegetables.
Certain Save-a-Lot Food Stores locations also participate in this program but it’s a little different. You’ll need to save your receipts when you shop here, because you’ll have to present your receipt on your next shopping trip to redeem your free bucks toward fresh produce. The receipt basically becomes the voucher. You have to use it within 60 days or it expires, though!
At Farmer’s Markets that have many vendors, it’s a little more complicated. You’ll need to swipe your EBT card at the Farmer’s Market information booth. You’ll be given vouchers or tokens that can be used at the market. You’ll get two types: one that can be used on any SNAP-eligible items and the free Double Up matching ones that can only be used on locally-grown produce.
Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) programs also offer Double Up benefits. Since these are subscription services, you’ll pay for one week’s box with your SNAP benefits and get the next week for free.
Where can I double my SNAP benefits?
If you’d like to give this a try, you’ll need to find a participating location near you. There are a lot of providers across the state. For the most up-to-date information, use this interactive map tool.
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.