Are you looking for a healthy way to use your EBT SNAP benefits that makes life easier? The government-administered Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) helps low-income households stay healthy by helping pay for certain foods.
Shoppers use an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to pay Groceries such as fresh vegetables and baby food – but did you know you can also use this to purchase selected meal kits?
Most home delivery services do not accept EBT SNAP benefits for subscription fees, but they do accept meal kits Home chef have a solution for low-income households looking for quick, easy and – most importantly – nutritious meals.
SNAP benefits can be used on a number of healthy foods, but there are some limitations. Admission requirements can be confusing, so here’s the most important thing to keep in mind: Groceries like bread, cereal, and dairy products are covered by SNAP benefits; non-food items, alcoholic beverages and foods that are hot at the point of sale are not.
Meal kit delivery services like HelloFresh don’t currently allow EBT payments, but dig a little deeper and you’ll see that there are a few exceptions to the rule. Here you will find everything you need to know about payment quality meal packages and meal delivery services that use SNAP benefits.
Can you pay for meal kits with SNAP benefits?
Technically, home delivery services like meal kits are not covered by SNAP benefits. But that doesn’t mean you’re not lucky at all.
There is currently no way to pay with EBT for food delivery from companies like Daily Harvest, despite the fact that you often pay for individual ingredientsthe same as in the supermarket.
That doesn’t mean you’re completely out of options when it comes to paying for meal kits with EBT funds. There are a few notable exceptions, including Home Chef kits that you can find in certain stores.
As part of the Kroger family, Home Chef sells its meal kits in a number of participating stores, in addition to offering meal delivery services. Home Chef meal kits found in Kroger and Kroger stores like Ralph’s can actually be paid for using SNAP benefits. Customers may be giving up the benefit of home delivery, but the convenience of picking up pre-portioned or ready-made meals could be a game changer for busy families.
What meal delivery options do SNAP recipients have?
So what if you don’t live near a Kroger location, but still want access to convenient meal delivery services that work with SNAP benefits? Fortunately, there are few other things to look at. One of these is Top Box, a meal delivery service that actually… do currently accept EBT payments.
Since 2012, the community-driven Top Box has worked to bridge the gap between a community in need and a healthy, affordable food products. This nonprofit has its roots in Chicago, but today you can find additional locations in Rockford (IL), New Orleans, and Baton Rouge – with another opening soon in Atlanta, Georgia.
Top Box is more like an online marketplace than a traditional meal kit subscription. Instead of creating a meal plan in advance, customers can browse individual ingredients and products, such as fresh produce and healthy proteins, or shop by provider. Depending on your location, you can find local providers offering ready-made meal kits.
The best thing about Top Box is the sense of community it reinforces. This nonprofit is made up of local community members and groups who care about giving back to their neighbors first and foremost, making this a great resource for all local SNAP participants who may not have been aware before from Top Box.
Are there meal delivery services that accept EBT payments online?
Depending on your state, you may also have other options for SNAP-eligible meal delivery services. In New York, USDA SNAP Express meal kits offer something of a middle-ground option for anyone interested in affordable meal kits.
This free service allows you to choose from a selection of meal kits developed by certified nutritionists. Don’t expect the kind of variety and flexibility you’d find with other major meal delivery services – although we did browse a list of different meal kits that was impressive for something that doesn’t require a subscription. We found price estimates ranging from just over $60 (four recipes and 26 total servings) to almost $210 (12 recipes and 67 total servings).
While this doesn’t come with home delivery, customers can pick up their orders at Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market locations. Online EBT payments are allowed.
