Does Whole Foods Take SNAP? (Yes, But Do This Instead!)

Have you ever asked yourself or your friend if Whole Foods takes SNAP? Well, you are at the perfect place to find the answer to such a question.

If you are a recipient of SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) in Pennsylvania, you may be wondering if you can use your benefits to shop at Whole Foods.

So, does Whole Foods take SNAP? Yes, every Whole Foods location will accept EBT. All of the items eligible for EBT will remain the same no matter what grocery store you are shopping at. Whole Foods, however, will automatically separate items that are not EBT eligible at the checkout counter. The only place you cannot use your EBT benefits at Whole Foods is on Whole Foods Market Online.

The rest of this article will go into detail about whether Whole Foods accepts SNAP, how to use it, and other tricks you may want to know.

Do Whole Foods take SNAP?

Yes, Whole Foods accepts SNAP/EBT. Every Whole Foods location will do so, regardless of where they may be.

Additionally, all of the items that are eligible for EBT will be available for purchase at Whole Foods. This will remain the same no matter what grocery store you are shopping at.

One handy thing about Whole Foods is that they will automatically separate EBT eligible and EBT non-eligible items for you at checkout. This makes the checkout process a whole lot more streamlined!

The only place you cannot use your EBT benefits at Whole Foods is on Whole Foods Market Online.

Read also: Does Whole Foods Take WIC?

Is SNAP the same as EBT?

Yes, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is simply the program that you use your EBT card (Electronic Benefits Transfer) to purchase food with at participating grocery stores.

How can I use my SNAP benefits at Whole Foods?

Luckily, using your SNAP benefits at Whole Foods is a simple, easy process. Like we said before, you do not even need to pre-separate the EBT and non EBT items, since the checkout machine automatically does it.

So, all you need to do is scan your items, then swipe your EBT card. In some cases, you may be asked to show an ID to prove that you are the cardholder.

Once you swipe your card, you will be asked to decide whether you wish to use your Cash account or your SNAP benefits. You can easily use both using separate transactions.

One thing to keep in mind is that after you pay, your receipt will not tell you the balance remaining on your EBT card. You can check this using the EBT customer service center or an ATM.

Does Whole Foods take SNAP online?

Unfortunately, Whole Foods Online does not accept EBT cards as a payment method. They do accept credit cards, Apple Pay, and store gift cards, but not EBT cards.

Can I get any Whole Foods items online using SNAP?

There is one way around ordering Whole Foods online using SNAP, and that is using Amazon.

Although Whole Foods uses Amazon to complete their online delivery orders, they do not accept EBT as a method of payment.

However, Amazon does accept EBT online. So, instead of using Whole Foods to set up your delivery order, go through Amazon’s grocery site.

They actually have many Whole Foods items available, including the Whole Foods 365 store brand. And, they will accept EBT as a method of payment.

Just make sure you are using Amazon grocery and not Whole Foods Market online.

What can I buy at Whole Foods using SNAP?

The items at Whole Foods that are eligible for EBT include all grocery items. It does not matter what brand it is, whether it is store brand or name brand.

The key is that it must have nutritional value. Here are some items you can buy at Whole Foods using your SNAP benefits:

• Bread
• Meat
• Dairy products, such as milk and cheese
• Cereal
• Peanut butter
• Eggs
• Tofu
• Whole grains
• Cooking oil
• Baby formula
• Canned vegetables

And much more! You might wish to visit the USDA website for a more comprehensive list of which items you are allowed to purchase using your SNAP benefits.

Generally, you should be able to purchase any ingredient you can think of using SNAP. You will have most of Whole Foods in your reach!

What can’t I buy at Whole Foods using SNAP?

Unfortunately, there are some things you cannot purchase at Whole Foods using SNAP. These items, which are ineligible for EBT benefit purchase, are the same no matter what grocery store you go to.

 Firstly, there are restrictions on alcohol and tobacco products. Some other items you cannot buy using benefits are:

• Alcohol
• Tobacco
• Pre-made foods (like from the deli)
• Vitamins
• Pet food
• Diapers
• Cleaning products
• Cosmetics
• Processed food

And some others. It is a good idea to check the USDA list to make sure that the products you wish to purchase are eligible.

However, remember that Whole Foods will automatically separate the items for you at the checkout, so you can always double check there.

Read also: Does Whole Foods Sell Flowers (All You Need To Know)

Why can I only buy some items using SNAP?

The items which are eligible to be purchased using SNAP are any grocery food items with nutritional value.

So, things such as household products or heavily processed foods do not count, since they are not grocery items, or they do not hold nutritious value.

If you cannot purchase certain things with your SNAP benefits, you may still be able to buy them using your Cash benefits if you have them.

Conclusion

So, does Whole Foods take SNAP? The answer is yes! Every Whole Foods location will accept SNAP/EBT (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program/Electronic Benefits Transfer) benefits.

Eligible and non-eligible items will be separated for you at the register for easy purchasing. The items which are eligible for purchase will remain the same no matter which grocery store you are at.

Although Whole Foods Market Online is the only part of Whole Foods which does not accept SNAP as a payment, there are ways around this.

You can add Whole Foods items to your cart using Amazon Grocery instead of Whole Foods Market Online. So, you can still purchase some Whole Foods items using your SNAP benefits online.

References

https://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/customer-service/topics/stores#00000173-965b-dfbb-a3fb-b77b3b690000