The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, is a federal assistance program that provides ‘food stamps.’ Individuals eligible to receive food stamps have money transferred to an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) card that they use to purchase groceries and food from authorized stores. Though the things you can buy with food stamps are things you would anticipate, they can also net you some unusual things you may not have expected. Let’s Know More about the Stunning Items You Can Purchase with Food Stamps in the South.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, designed to help low-income American households fund their grocery shopping, was created in tandem with the Food Stamp Act of 1964. Eligibility to receive food stamps requires you to pass income and asset tests to ascertain if you need the support program’s aid. Benefits are paid on a set day each month.
Benefactors can use food stamps to buy groceries from authorized shops like Amazon, dollar stores, and accepted restaurants. The things you can buy with food stamps are rather basic things like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, poultry, dairy, and some snacks. Food stamps are supposed to be used to buy healthy food that goes into one’s diet and so can’t be used to buy just anything.
However, some shocking things can get purchased with food stamps, even with limitations. In this article, we go over surprising things you can buy with food stamps in certain places, specifically in southern states of the US.
Fast Food
If you reside in Virginia and are qualified for the Restaurant Meals Program, you can utilize your EBT to purchase food from some fast-food restaurants. You can take advantage of some fast food at big-name chains like Mcdonald’s, Burger King, Domino’s Pizza, and KFC, among others.
Bottled Water
One of the requirements for a food stamp to be used to buy food is the presence of an acceptable amount of calories and nutritional value. People that use food stamps need to use them to buy things that improve their health. Bottled water has zero calories and very little nutritional value but is unquestionably necessary for your health. It’s an interesting loophole.
Snacks, Candies, And Beverages
Despite a strict rule that the things bought with food stamps should have some nutritional value and be beneficial to your health, people can use food stamps to acquire snacks and sugary sweets. Though sweet, everyone knows that sugary snacks and drinks are not full of the nutrients you need to keep you healthy till you are old and gray. It’s an issue that hasn’t gone unnoticed. As recently as 2019, Texas tried to ban the use of food stamps to buy sugary confectionery.
Baked Goods
Multiple loopholes exist that people can use to buy sweet baked goods with food stamps. An example would be buying a box of cupcakes packaged and sold in an authorized food store. Though they are not healthy, no rules get broken since you get them at recognized stores. You can buy otherwise unhealthy baked treats as long as you ensure to purchase them from specialized grocery stores.
Cakes are also on the list of things you can buy with an EBT. So you can buy a King cake, Cola cake, or Mississippi mud pie with food stamps. You only need to find a bakery willing to accept EBT payments.
Trees and Seeds
Food should be the only thing you can buy with food stamps. However, since fruit trees and vegetable plants can reproduce more crops and yield more seeds to produce even more crops, they can also be bought with food stamps and planted to make a bountiful yield and feed a person’s family. Buying seeds is a fantastic way to raise fresh fruits and vegetables in your backyard.
There are also edible seeds that you can use to cook and make incredible tasting dishes. It’s a double win.
Conclusion
Food stamps can be a lifesaver for people who can not afford to feed themselves. The unemployed and homeless survive on the weekly wages the government provides to them through EBTs.
Along with the food you can buy with food stamps, there are many surprising things you can buy with them. What you can get relies on where you are and which stores you visit.
FAQ
Do I need to be a parent to receive food stamps?
Anyone can receive food stamps. Adults, the elderly, the homeless, disabled. As long as you are eligible according to the tests conducted on you, you can receive EBT funding. You are not required to have children to receive food stamps from the government.
Do I have to exhaust my food stamps before the end of the month?
No, you do not have to finish up all your EBT funding. The credits you receive from the government stay on your EBT card for nine months.
I am not a citizen of the US. Can I apply for food stamps?
Yes, non-residents of the US can apply for SNAP. The process will not hinder acquiring citizenship in the US. You can safely enlist for SNAP benefits.
