The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, helps families and individuals with low incomes buy food. It’s super important for helping people get the groceries they need! But even though SNAP helps purchase a lot of food, there are some things that you just can’t buy with it. Let’s dive into what those items are!
Non-Food Items
The most basic rule is that SNAP benefits can only be used to buy food items. This means anything that isn’t meant to be eaten isn’t eligible.
For example, you can’t use SNAP to buy paper towels, even though they’re a household staple. The same goes for things like soap, cleaning supplies, and diapers. Basically, if it’s not food, it’s a no-go.
This restriction is in place to make sure SNAP benefits are used for their intended purpose: to help people get nutritious food to eat. The program is focused on providing basic nourishment to those who need it. Therefore, things like toothpaste and toilet paper are considered non-essential items.
Here’s a quick list of non-food items that SNAP doesn’t cover:
- Pet food
- Household supplies (like cleaning products)
- Personal care items (like shampoo)
- Medicine and vitamins
Alcohol and Tobacco
Another big category of things you can’t buy with SNAP is alcohol and tobacco products. This is because these items are not considered essential for health and well-being. They can also be very expensive, and the SNAP program aims to stretch its resources to help purchase necessary items.
This rule applies to any type of alcoholic beverage, including beer, wine, and liquor. It also covers all tobacco products, such as cigarettes, cigars, and chewing tobacco. You can’t use your EBT card for these items, even if they’re available at the grocery store.
The government wants to encourage healthy eating habits. By restricting the purchase of alcohol and tobacco, SNAP aims to help beneficiaries make choices that support their physical health. This rule helps ensure that the program supports nutritious food choices.
Here’s a quick breakdown in a table:
| Item | SNAP Eligible? |
|---|---|
| Beer | No |
| Cigarettes | No |
| Wine | No |
| Chewing Tobacco | No |
Vitamins, Supplements, and Medicine
While food is the main focus of SNAP, certain health-related products aren’t covered. Vitamins, supplements, and medications are examples. They are not considered essential food items because they don’t provide the same level of basic nutrition.
This is a common area of confusion, especially with vitamins. While vitamins can be important for health, they are not seen as a substitute for a balanced diet. So, you’ll need to use other means of paying for those.
Over-the-counter medications, such as pain relievers or cold medicine, are also not eligible. Even though they might be needed to keep someone healthy, they are not classified as food items. Prescription medications, too, aren’t covered by SNAP.
If you are in need of vitamins or medicine, there are programs that can help. Some programs that provide some assistance include:
- Medicaid.
- Programs for Seniors.
- Charitable Organizations.
- Your State’s Health Department.
Hot Foods and Prepared Meals
You also can’t use your SNAP benefits to buy hot foods that are ready to eat or prepared meals from restaurants. These types of food are considered outside the scope of the program, which is designed to primarily help purchase groceries and ingredients.
This means that you can’t use your EBT card to buy a rotisserie chicken that is already cooked or a sandwich from a deli counter. You can, however, buy the raw chicken to cook yourself, and you can usually purchase the ingredients to make the sandwich yourself.
The idea behind this rule is to encourage people to cook their own meals. Cooking at home often promotes healthier eating habits and helps people stretch their food budget. Additionally, hot food is more likely to be taxed, which can affect the ability to purchase food items.
However, there are some exceptions to this rule. For example, some states might allow SNAP benefits to be used at certain restaurants for individuals who are elderly, disabled, or homeless. These rules are state-specific, so you should check your local guidelines.
- Hot Prepared Meals
- Restaurant Meals
- Food purchased from places that do not accept EBT cards
Conclusion
In summary, SNAP benefits are specifically designed to assist people in purchasing food. This means there are limits on what you can buy. By understanding these rules, people can make the most of their SNAP benefits. Knowing what items are restricted helps ensure that the program does what it’s designed to do: support healthy and nutritious eating for those in need.