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WHAT IS PURCHASED WITH FOOD STAMP BENEFITS?
Benefits may only be used to buy food and plants or seeds that grow food, for your household to eat. Certain food supplements such as Ensure may be purchased with food stamp benefits. Ice, water and cold or room temperature foods, which are not designed to be consumed in the store(Deli Meats?), may be purchased with food stamp benefits.
WHAT IS NOT PURCHASED WITH FOOD STAMP BENEFITS?
Food stamp benefits cannot be used to buy alcoholic beverages, cigarettes or tobacco, household supplies such as soap and paper products, medicines, vitamins, pet foods, or any non-food items.
WHERE CAN YOU SPEND FOOD STAMP BENEFITS?
Food stores which are authorized by the Food and Nutrition Service of the United States Department of Agriculture may accept EBT transactions to purchase food. Most stores provide signs to indicate that food stamp benefits may be used to purchase food products.

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LIST OF ALLOWABLE FOOD STAMP ITEMS

Grocery Food Items
The EBT card, which is similar to a bank debit card and holds the user's monthly benefits, can be used to purchase regular food items, including breads, cereals, fresh or packaged fruits and vegetables, meats, fish, poultry, juices, soda pop, snack items, nuts and dairy products. Purchases of sugared drinks are discouraged.

Sweets and Bakery Items
Cookies, cakes, pies, donuts, breads and other bakery items are also allowable food purchases. Items such as birthday and other special occasion cakes are eligible for purchase with food stamp benefits as long as the cost of non-edible decorations is not more than 50 percent of the cake's purchase price, according to the USDA.

Energy Drinks
Originally, no energy drink could be purchased with food stamp benefits. Currently, only energy drinks sporting a nutrition facts label are eligible purchases. Energy drinks with a supplement facts label are classified as supplements by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and are therefore not eligible food stamp purchases, according to the USDA.

Packaged Sandwiches and Deli Foods
Only packaged sandwiches and deli foods that are cold, and that will be eaten at home, can be purchased with food stamps at a deli, grocery or convenience store. This can include chicken, salads, sliced deli meat and regular sandwiches. (Some convenience stores do not accept food EBT cards.Those that do usually post a graphic or picture of the card on the store front or at the cash register).