Food Stamps 2023: What Can SNAP Buy?
Individuals and households new to SNAP benefits may be wondering what they can and cannot buy with these benefits.
Food Stamps: Do People on SNAP Need To Work Full Time?
Find Out: How To Build Your Savings From Scratch
How do you know which purchases are eligible versus those which are not? Here’s a quick summary of what you can use SNAP to buy and items which cannot be bought for your household.
Food Items You May Purchase With SNAP
According to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), households may purchase these foods using SNAP benefits:
Vegetables and fruits
Meat, poultry and fish
Dairy products
Breads and cereal
Snack foods
Non-alcoholic beverages
Seeds and plants
Why are seeds and plants included on this list? These items, the USDA says on its website, help produce food for the household to eat.
Take Our Poll: Are You Planning To Buy or Sell a House This Year?
SNAP Benefits Cannot Purchase These Items
You may not use SNAP benefits to buy the following items:
Beer, wine or liquor
Cigarettes or tobacco
Vitamins, medicines and anything with a Supplement Facts label
Live animals with the exceptions being shellfish, fish removed from water and animals slaughtered prior to pickup from the store
Foods that are hot at the point of sale, including coffee, tea, soup, roast or fried chicken and pizza
Non-food items including pet foods, cleaning supplies, paper products and other household supplies, hygiene items or cosmetics
Additional Ways To Save on Items Not Covered by SNAP
There are many ways households can continue saving on groceries and items that are not covered by SNAP benefits. Some of these tips include shopping for store brands instead of name brand items, clipping coupons, signing up for loyalty programs and stocking up on discounted items.
More From GOBankingRates
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Food Stamps 2023: What Can SNAP Buy?
