If you are applying for food assistance in Texas or are currently receiving SNAP benefits and are trying to figure out “What can I buy with Texas EBT card?”, we can help. In this post, we will explain in detail what you CAN and CANNOT purchase with your Lone Star Card.
First, we will provide a list of places you can use your Lone Star Card.
Also, we will explain how you can use your Texas SNAP EBT card to shop online for groceries for delivery.
Next, we will provide the list of food items you can purchase with your SNAP EBT card.
Lastly, we will answer the most frequently asked questions about foods you can and cannot buy with Texas EBT.
This post will cover:
- What stores accept Texas EBT cards online?
- What you can buy with Texas EBT card
- Texas SNAP Eligible Food Items FAQs
What stores accept Texas EBT cards online?
You can use your Texas EBT card to make purchases online at the following grocery stores:
- ALDI
- Amazon
- Brookshire’s Food and Pharmacy
- FRESH by Brookshire’s
- H-E-B
- Joe V’s Smart Shop
- Sam’s Club Scan and Go
- Spring Market
- Super 1 Foods
- Walmart
As you can see above, you can purchase groceries online for home delivery using your Texas EBT card at Amazon and Walmart.
Target to soon accept SNAP EBT Online
Target shoppers will soon be able to spend Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on groceries online.
Target’s more than 1,900 stores nationwide will join other retailers in accepting food stamps for online purchasing.
The service will be provided by Shipt which is owned by Target.
However, SNAP benefits cannot be used to pay the delivery fee.
SNAP customers can use a credit or debit card to pay the $7 delivery fee for Shipt.
It is likely that Target may reduce the delivery fee for SNAP customers.
Walmart and Amazon have both been accepting SNAP EBT online since 2019.
Instacart also offers online food stamp purchases for a range of stores, including Aldo, BJ’s Wholesale Club, Food Lion, and Publix.
What you can buy with Texas EBT card
Texas Food Stamps benefits can be used to purchase any food EXCEPT heated foods.
See below for the complete list of foods you are allowed to buy.
Additionally, we have listed below foods that you CANNOT buy with your Texas EBT card.
Here’s what you can buy with Texas SNAP EBT:
- Fruits and vegetables;
- Meat, poultry, and fish;
- Dairy products;
- Breads and cereals;
- Other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages; and
- Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat.
You CANNOT use Texas SNAP EBT benefits to buy:
- Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco
- Vitamins, medicines, and supplements. If an item has a Supplement Facts label, it is considered a supplement and is not eligible for SNAP purchase.
- Live animals (except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store).
- Prepared Foods fit for immediate consumption
- Hot foods
- Any nonfood items such as:
– Pet foods
– Cleaning supplies, paper products, and other household supplies.
– Hygiene items, cosmetics
Texas SNAP Eligible Food Items FAQs
We usually get questions from our readers about specific food items so we have provided answers to the most frequently asked items.
Can I order groceries with Texas EBT online for delivery?
Yes. Participating online stores now accept Texas EBT card for online orders and will deliver to you.
You can use your Lone Star Card to shop securely for fresh produce and groceries at these participating stores in Texas:
- ALDI
- Amazon
- Brookshire’s Food and Pharmacy
- FRESH by Brookshire’s
- H-E-B
- Joe V’s Smart Shop
- Sam’s Club Scan and Go
- Spring Market
- Super 1 Foods
- Walmart
Can you buy energy drinks with Texas Food Stamps?
When considering the eligibility of energy drinks, and other branded products for SNAP benefits, what you need to pay attention to is the type of product label:
Energy drinks that have a nutrition facts label are eligible foods to be purchased with SNAP benefits
Energy drinks that have a supplement facts label are classified by the FDA as supplements and are therefore not eligible to be purchased with SNAP benefits.
The image below shows the difference between Nutrition Facts label and the Supplement Facts label.
Can you buy cold rotisserie chicken with EBT?
You cannot buy a hot rotisserie chicken, fresh out of the rotisserie with SNAP EBT benefits.
However, once they put that rotisserie chicken into the cold display case, it is eligible to be purchased with food stamps.
Can I buy deli food with Texas SNAP EBT?
You are not allowed to use Texas SNAP to buy food you can eat at the premises or hot food in general.
You are only allowed to buy food you are taking home to prepare.
Therefore, when it comes to Deli foods, you cannot buy hot food from the deli or prepared foods like mac n cheese, chicken or sandwiches, or stuff from the salad bar.
However, you can buy deli meats and cheeses and cold uncooked items from the deli with your Texas SNAP EBT card as long as you are going to take them home to prepare.
Here’s one caveat:
While you cant go up to the deli counter in the supermarket and order a deli sandwich and pay for it with your Texas SNAP EBT Card, you are allowed to use your Lone Star Card to purchase sandwiches that are put in the cold case.
Can you buy a birthday or Ice Cream cake with Texas Food Stamps?
Bakery goods such as birthday cakes, wedding cakes, and other special occasion cakes are eligible to be purchased with Texas SNAP EBT.
However, here’s what you need to pay attention to when purchasing cakes:
The value of non-edible decorations on them must not exceed 50% of the purchase price of the cake.
A good way to meet this requirement is to purchase bakery items that are not decorative or inspect the item to make sure its largest portion can be eaten as food.
Can you buy Vitamins, Supplements, and Power Bars with Texas SNAP?
The eligibility of vitamins and supplements, power bars, energy drinks, and other branded products must meet the following guidelines:
- Items that carry a nutrition facts label are eligible foods
- Items that carry a supplement facts label are classified by the FDA as supplements and are therefore NOT eligible
Can you buy Pet Food with Texas Food Stamps?
No, you cannot use your Texas SNAP EBT benefits to buy pet food.
This is directly from the USDA Website.
If you attempt to use your Texas SNAP card to buy pet or dog food, you will be violating the law – which could land you in jail.
Are Diapers and Personal Hygiene Products Eligible with SNAP EBT?
Hygiene items like soaps, deodorant, shampoo, toothpaste, and cosmetics are not eligible to be purchased using Texas SNAP.
Additionally, baby wipes and diapers aren’t SNAP-eligible and they are also not allowed under the Women, Infants, and Children program (WIC).
Can you Buy Chips and Soft Drinks with Texas SNAP?
Even though junk foods like chips, candy, crackers, ice cream, and soda may not be the healthiest or most nutritious food options, they are eligible to be purchased with SNAP benefits.
Can You Buy Coffee With Texas SNAP?
You cannot use your Texas SNAP benefits to purchase hot beverages, including coffee, lattes, or tea at Starbucks or any other place selling hot beverages.
However, you can use your food stamps benefits to purchase packaged coffee or tea that can be made at home.
How to Check Texas EBT Card Balance?
There are three ways to check your TX Lone Star EBT Card Balance.
Option 1 – Via Phone
Call the Texas EBT recipient hotline at 1-800-777-7328.
Option 2 – Online
- You can also check your Lone Star Card balance and view recent card activity through your online account at YourTexasBenefits.com.If you do not have an account, you can set one up by going to YourTexasBenefits.com, clicking “Log in” and then “Create a new account.”
Option 3 – Using the Last Transaction Receipt.
- You can also check the balance by locating your Last Receipt
For more help with your Texas Lone Star EBT balance, read our step-by-step Texas EBT Balance and Login Instructions.
What you can buy with Texas SNAP EBT card Summary
Here’s the bottom line:
Texas SNAP benefits can be used to purchase any food EXCEPT heated foods.
Furthermore, You CANNOT use Texas SNAP benefits to buy non-food items, including Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, or tobacco.
Questions?
We hope this post on what you can buy with Texas SNAP EBT card was helpful.
If you have further questions about the Texas SNAP or Lone Star EBT Card, please let us know in the comments section below.
Be sure to check out our other articles about Texas SNAP and Texas EBT, including:
Texas Lone Star Card Phone Number
Texas Food Stamps Increase
