Does Whole Foods Accept EBT Card, snap Or Food Stamp Payment – Whole Foods is the biggest American chain of supermarkets that serves natural and organic food to customers. The chain has several stores in the United States of America and even in the United Kingdom and Canada. It was acquired by Amazon.com in 2017 and the first store was opened in 1980 in Austin TX.
SNAP recipients who have previously shopped with Whole Foods and have explored its organic food aisles must wonder whether Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards are acceptable by this grocery food chain. Fortunately, Whole Foods accepts EBT cards and allows SNAP beneficiaries to enjoy healthy and organic options using government SNAP funds. This guide will provide an overview of how you can use your EBT card at Whole Foods and what items are eligible for purchase with your EBT card at Whole Foods.
Highlights of this Post
Whole Foods and EBT: Key Takeaways
- Whole Foods accepts EBT cards for in-store purchases of SNAP-eligible food items.This includes fruits, vegetables, dairy, meat, and grains.
- You cannot use EBT cards for prepared foods, household items, or online grocery orders at Whole Foods.
- Some Whole Foods locations may accept WIC payments, but it’s best to check with your local store.
- While Whole Foods itself doesn’t accept EBT online, you can use your EBT card on Amazon to purchase some Whole Foods 365 brand items.
What Is An EBT Card And How Is It Related To Whole Foods?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is a form of support from the federal government that is geared towards low-income families so that they can access healthy and nutritious food. Both SNAP and EBT is an upgraded version of food stamps.
Millions of Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to pay their food bills and alleviate hunger. The benefits of SNAP come in the form of a card that works like a debit card and is known as an Electronic Benefits Transfer Card. EBT cards allow people to buy essential items and groceries at participating stores. To use your EBT card to shop for organic food at Whole Foods you must apply for the SNAP program and get an EBT card. A lot of SNAP recipients are using their EBT cards at Whole Foods grocery stores to access high-quality organic food to feed their families.
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What is Whole Foods?
Whole Foods is a popular supermarket that serves natural and organic foods to all its customers. Unlike any other grocery store, they provide food without artificial colors for preservatives, hydrogenated fats and flavors. Whole Foods has the distinction of being USD-certified natural and organic. However, sometimes the natural food options at Whole Foods can be a bit expensive for low-income families who face challenges to access wholesome food within a budget.
Founded in 1980 Whole Foods Market is committed to providing quality food to all its customers so that they can stay in sound health. They provide the best quality organic natural products at 500+ stores with more than 90,000 team members. Around 5% of their net profits are provided to help low-income communities every year.
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Does Whole Foods Accept EBT or Food Stamp Benefits?
Yes, Whole Foods accepts food stamp benefits or EBT cards from SNAP beneficiaries. Those who are receiving EBT benefits can enjoy nutritious and organic options at Whole Foods without straining their budget. Whole Foods makes a deliberate attempt to assist low-income individuals and families access organic and natural food by accepting EBT into its payment system.
Almost all retail locations of Whole Foods accept food stamp benefits from SNAP beneficiaries but there are few restrictions on the items that you can purchase from them for instance you cannot buy alcohol, pet food, tobacco or non-edible foods since the SNAP program focuses on alleviating hunger and providing essential food to low-income households.
What Can You Purchase With Your EBT Card At Whole Foods?
EBT beneficiaries can use their EBT card at Whole Foods to purchase necessary grocery items to feed their family. Fortunately, Whole Foods offers an extensive range of grocery food items that are EBT-eligible however this does not include prepared food or ready-made meals.
The list of items that you can purchase with your EBT card at Whole Foods are as follows:
- Fruits and vegetables (fresh frozen dried or canned)
- Cooking oil
- Dairy products like milk, almond milk, cheese, butter, yogurt
- Poultry, fish and meat like catfish, turkey, deli meat, tuna, pork, beef
- Cereals and bread including rye bread, pita bread, pasta, oatmeal, tortillas, rice, bagels
- Alcohol-free beverages and juice
- Supplementary food like snacks that includes cakes, chips, brownies etc.
- Food-producing plants and seeds for the household.
Paying for SNAP-eligible items at Whole Foods is a simple and easy process. You have to swipe and choose an EBT card to pay for the grocery items while for the remaining items you can use your cash account. But the receipt will not tell you the balance left on your card so you must be careful before paying for the items.
What Cannot Be Purchased With Your EBT Card At Whole Foods?
Your food stamp benefits or EBT card covers particular things since not all products are EBT-eligible. Following is the list of items that you cannot cover with your EBT card at Whole Foods or any other retail store.
- Ready-made foods such as hot meats from the buffet or sandwiches from the deli
- Vitamins, supplements and medicines
- Pet products
- Alcohol products like beer, wine and liquor
- Cigarettes and tobacco products
- Toiletries and household essentials
- Cleaning products
- Diapers, non-food baby items or wet wipes
- Gas
- Paper-based goods
- Hygiene supplies and cosmetics
- Live animals except fish removed from water, selfish or animal slaughtered prior picked up from the store
To know the comprehensive list of general items that you can purchase at authorized stores using your EBT SNAP benefits account you can visit the USDA website. Shopping with your EBT card at Whole Foods is similar to shopping at any other convenience or grocery store. The best thing about shopping with Whole Foods is that you need not separate your grocery items from non-grocery items as the machine will do the work for you and you just have to enter your EBT card while checking out.
Read also: What can you Shop Online With EBT?
Exception To EBT-Eligible Food
There is one exception to the USDA rule about the purchase of EBT-eligible items at Whole Foods. For instance, residents who are living in Arizona, California, Rhode Island, Michigan, Maryland and Illinois can access hot prepared food from authorized stores and restaurants through the Restaurant Meals Program with their SNAP benefits. However, to access hot prepared meals you need to show you are homeless, disabled or old age (60 years or above in age) and have difficulty in preparing meals for yourself.
How To Pay With Your EBT Card At Whole Foods?
Using your food stamp benefits or EBT card at Whole Foods is a simple procedure similar to using a debit card at any other grocery store. You need not segregate your non EBT-eligible items from EBT-eligible grocery items since the machine will automatically separate the two items for you.
Follow the step-by-step process to pay with your EBT card at Whole Foods:
- Insert or swipe your EBT card in the card reader machine when it comes to paying for your SNAP eligible groceries or food items at checkout
- Enter your 4-digit EBT card PIN
- The card reader at Whole Foods will ask if you want to use your cash account or SNAP EBT account
- Select SNAP EBT account and your order will start processing. The Whole Food payment machine will charge food items to your EBT card automatically. For non-food options, you must make another transaction using your cash account.
- In some cases the cashier at Whole Foods may ask for a photo ID to confirm if the EBT card is issued in your name for verification. Once your transaction gets completed you enjoy delicious and nutritious Whole Foods groceries.
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Can I Order Online With My EBT Card At Whole Foods?
Even though Whole Foods stores throughout the United States of America enable EBT cardholders to use their SNAP funds for in-store grocery purchases, you cannot use the company’s online delivery system to purchase food online with the EBT card.
The online delivery system at Whole Foods works with Amazon so that shoppers can get groceries delivered online without the need to visit the store in-person. But you have to use alternate sources of payment like major credit cards, Whole Foods gift cards, and E-wallets like Apple Pay to complete the transaction. The not-so-good news is that to order online groceries with Whole Foods you have to pay a service fee of $9.95 that you cannot cover with your EBT card.
Whole Foods Accept EBT On Amazon
A few Whole Foods items like 365 brand are available online through Amazon Groceries and here you can use your EBT as a method of payment. The key is to not shop for groceries and food items through the Whole Foods Market page on Amazon but to visit Amazon Groceries instead.
Here you will find stores like 365 that will help you to use your EBT card for online grocery shopping. Whole Foods charges a service fee of $9.95 for all its delivery orders on the online platform however the pickup option is free if your order exceeds $35.
It is critical to note that you cannot use your EBT card to pay for delivery fees and service charges and you have to use an alternate payment method like cash, debit or credit card. Whole Foods is not participating in the USDA Online Purchasing Pilot Program but it is expected that the policies may change soon and the company may accept EBT users online.
Read also: Does Piggly Wiggly Accept Food Stamps, SNAP, or EBT?
What Are The Benefits Of Using Your EBT Card On Whole Foods Through Amazon?
Following is the list of perks that you can get by using your EBT card on Amazon for Whole Foods deliveries.
- Free Delivery for Orders of More Than $35: If your purchase order with Amazon goes beyond $35 then you need not pay any additional cost for delivery fees.
- No Prime Membership Needed: SNAP recipients with valid EBT cards need not become Prime Amazon members to use their EBT cards for Amazon Fresh.
- 50% Discount Deals on Amazon Prime Membership: EBT card holders can get a 50% discount on their orders for Amazon Prime membership.
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Does Whole Foods Accept WIC Payments?
Similar to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program the Special Nutrition for Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC) allows low-income families to purchase healthy groceries using food vouchers. WIC participants can use the vouchers to purchase food at any grocery store or local merchant that accepts them including Whole Foods.
However, it is critical to note that WIC is available only in a few grocery stores and places so you must contact your local WIC agency or local Whole Foods market before approaching. Fortunately, you can use your food stamp benefits if WIC is not allowed in your local Whole Foods store. WIC-eligible items are more stringent than SNAP-eligible items as the WIC program does not accept all types of grocery items.
Following is the list of food categories that are accepted through WIC at Whole Foods:
- Whole grains
- Dairy products like yogurt, cheese, milk
- Eggs, canned fish, mature legumes
- Fruits and vegetables
- Peanut butter
- Tofu and soy-based beverages
- Breakfast cereal
- Infant Meet
- Juice
- Infant fruits and vegetables.
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List Of Online Grocery Stores That Accept EBT Payments
Amazon
Amazon accepts food stamps or EBT payments through its two popular online portals–Groceries on Amazon and Amazon Fresh. As of 2020 any individual in U.S. states apart from Alaska, Hawaii , Louisiana and Montana can use their EBT card for making online purchases.
To use your EBT card you first have to make an Amazon account. Users need not opt for Amazon Prime membership to use their EBT card. You can get free delivery through Amazon Fresh if your SNAP-eligible purchase order is $35 or more. Otherwise, you have to pay a small shipping fee with any other form of payment apart from EBT.
Instacart
Instacart is an online retailer that allows EBT cardholders to opt for online grocery shopping and delivery using their EBT card. Instacart employs personal shoppers who can shop for you on your behalf and will deliver the groceries to your doorstep. They allow cardholders to purchase SNAP-eligible items only. Stores that accept EBT on Instacart are Publix, Piggly Wiggly, Woodman’s Market, and so on.
Target
Target has been accepting EBT payments from SNAP beneficiaries since 2022. Target customers get the ease and convenience of selecting their food items and groceries online; however, the delivery charges cannot be covered with an EBT card. You can purchase groceries at Target in-store locations as well as opt for the Target online pickup option.
Walmart
A popular online retailer in America that is accepting food stamps or EBT in the majority of states throughout the country is Walmart. They provide popular online grocery delivery and pick-up options and accept it from SNAP recipients.
Walmart is committed to enabling SNAP beneficiaries to access nutritious and healthy food by enrolling in the Online Purchasing Pilot Program. EBT cards are accepted online in 44 states except Arkansas, Alaska, Louisiana, Maine and Montana
DoorDash
DoorDash accepts EBT or food stamp benefits in all 50 states throughout the country. They work with independent contractors called Dashers to pick up customers’ orders and get them delivered to their doorstep.
Similar to online retailers like Instacart and Amazon Fresh, DoorDash accepts EBT payments online. EBT recipients can use their EBT card on this online platform for purchasing SNAP-eligible items only. Stores on DoorDash that accept EBT cards are Aldi, Safeway, Meijer, Albertsons, Kings, Pavilions, Vons, Star Market etc
Few More Grocery Stores That Accept EBT
- Harris Teeter
- Hometown Foods
- CVS
- Rite Aid
- Speedway
- Costco
- City Market
- Family Food Stores
- Foodland
- Food Lion
- Jubilee Foods
- Walgreen
- Albertsons
- Kroger
- ALDI
- Big Y Foods
- BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Market Basket
- Piggly Wiggly
- Publix
- Safeway
- Sam’s Club
- Friendly Foods
- All Stores
- Dollar Tree
Conclusion
Whole Foods Market is an excellent source of healthy and nutritious food for EBT card holders. Almost all Whole Foods store locations accept EBT and some of them even accept WIC payments. Customers can access top-rated nutritious food options with an extensive variety of brands to choose from at Whole Foods. Using your SNAP or EBT benefits you can access a wide array of quality food from any Whole Foods store location. It is also possible to purchase Whole Foods products online through Amazon. Whole Foods will also help you automatically separate the EBT-eligible and non-eligible items at checkout.
Hopefully, this article has helped you to know the items that you can purchase with your EBT card at a Whole Foods store. If you want to know more details about where you can use your EBT card then check out the next guide about using EBT at Subway in the Get Government Grants section.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Whole Foods Accept Food Stamps/ EBT Cards?
The short answer to this question is Yes. Whole Foods accepts EBT or food stamps for approved items such as fresh produce, rice, bread, milk, and cereal and not hot prepared food. A lot of Whole Foods locations sell candles, pots, pans, scented soaps and hot food that are not covered by SNAP or food stamps.
Does Whole Foods Accept EBT Payments Online?
No, currently you cannot use your food stamp or EBT card while purchasing items online from Whole Foods. However, you can use your EBT card on Amazon to purchase items from 365 Whole Foods brands. The delivery cost starts at $9.95 for two-hour delivery orders of more than $35. Whole Foods pickup option is free for orders more than $35.
What Should I Do If My EBT Card Has Inadequate Funds?
In case the cost of your order exceeds the balance in your EBT account you can cover up the difference using an alternate payment method. The EBT cash account gets reloaded automatically every month so you need to know the balance before using it at any grocery store. You can track the account at any ATM to know the balance before spending EBT benefits.