The Foods That SNAP Benefits Actually Don't Cover

According to a 2024 study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), close to 42 million Americans utilized the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for access to nutrition aid. Households must meet certain criteria to be eligible for the program, but the main goal of SNAP is to provide low-income individuals with enough money for groceries "essential to health and well-being." This doesn't mean every item at the grocery store is covered with SNAP, and the restrictions are ever-changing, but all in all, the SNAP program has helped curb the alarming rise in food insecurity that has more Americans skipping meals.

SNAP benefits cannot be used for the purchase of non-food items, such as pet foods, cleaning supplies, paper products, household supplies, hygiene items, and cosmetics, according to the USDA. Hot foods, live animals ("except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store"), and items containing controlled substances like cannabis/marijuana or CBD are also ineligible under SNAP. Vitamins, medicines, and supplements fall outside of the coverage zone, along with cigarettes, tobacco products, beer, liquor, and wine (yes, even the absolute best wine from Aldi).

Some states have additional restrictions on the use of SNAP benefits, so it's important to check the official USDA SNAP restrictions website before making any purchases. For example, Arkansas's SNAP has a restriction on buying "soda, fruit, and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice, unhealthy drinks, and candy." Florida has restrictions against using SNAP for "soda, energy drinks, candy, and prepared desserts," while several other states have similar rules about using the benefits to buy sodas, energy drinks, or candy. At present, 12 states impose restrictions on using SNAP benefits on certain items, but that number is subject to change depending on the policy of each individual state.

While there are several items SNAP benefits do not cover, the items that are covered are meant to provide decent nutritional value. Fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, breads, and cereals are included under SNAP, so buyers can purchase a little bit of something from each food group. SNAP also works for buying seeds and plants, meant for further sustaining a household, along with snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages. The program can be used at an array of nationwide and local grocery stores, such as Publix or Piggly Wiggly, but online retailers such as Amazon Fresh also accept SNAP.