Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Protein Supplement Powder Material Type Free

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There was a time when you could only use your SNAP benefits to buy groceries in brick-and-mortar grocery stores and the like. However, since more people shop online than ever before, big online retailers like Amazon adapted and take the electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card for a number of things. Some of those things might surprise you.

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According to the USDA, SNAP benefits are for the purchase of items in the following categories:

  • Fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish and dairy products

  • Breads, cereals, canned vegetables and pantry staples

  • Other foods such as snacks, seeds and non-alcoholic beverages

However, within these general guidelines, there are some surprising things you can buy with EBT on Amazon, and here are 15 of them.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Atkins Bars

Before the Keto diet, there was the Atkins diet, one of the first low-carb strategies for weight loss. Some of their "Endulge" and protein meal bars qualify as food on Amazon, and you can purchase such delicious flavors as strawberry cheesecake, nutty fudge brownie and vanilla pecan crisp. Not all their bars are SNAP eligible, so be sure to double-check.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

Amazon

Chia Pets Trolls Doll

Technically, Chia seeds are edible, even if most of the other items in a Chia Pet (namely a clay figurine into which you plant the seeds) are not. And while not all Chia Pets are SNAP eligible, the Chia Pet Trolls version is, and it's a fun project for kids to grow.

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Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Coffee Pods

Though you can't purchase an actual cup of hot coffee with EBT, Keurig owners rejoice -- you can purchase Keurig coffee pods at Amazon with your EBT. And the online retailer has a deal on a 40 coffee pod sampler for $22.98 -- more than a month's worth of daily coffee for less than $1 per pod.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Games

Another way Amazon plays with a gray area around SNAP-eligible items is when a game includes food. In this case, the Hot Ones Truth or Dab game, which comes with hot sauces, falls under SNAP-eligible guidelines.

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Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Energy Drinks

Everyone needs a boost from time to time, and energy drinks can provide that in a gulp. Fortunately, you can purchase energy drinks like Monster with your EBT at Amazon.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Emergency Kit Food Supply

In case of emergencies, disaster experts recommend you have as much as a week's worth of food stored in case you can't leave your home. Amazon sells an Augason Farms lunch and dinner 4-gallon pail emergency food supply that you can purchase with EBT.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Food Decorating Items

Some of the decorative elements you need to make a cake, cookies or cupcakes are sometimes SNAP eligible on Amazon; for example, Wilton sugar pearls.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Gift Baskets

According to the USDA, some gift baskets are SNAP eligible, so long as 50% of the items are food-based. At Amazon, you can get a few different kinds of gift baskets. Broadway Basketeers Thinking of You Gift Tower Basket of Snacks includes sweet and savory snack treats. Taste of Florida's Tropical Gift Basket or A Mother's Day Morning Breakfast gift basket are other options you can buy with SNAP.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Indoor Planting Kit

SNAP does allow for seeds or seedlings that can produce food, and Amazon offers a Back to the Roots indoor cherry tomatoes garden kit with your SNAP benefits.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Meal Replacement Shakes

There are a number of reasons why someone might need a meal replacement shake -- from illness to dieting. These shakes include a high number of vitamins and minerals and thus qualify as food and are SNAP eligible.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Pet Treats

Amazon allows for some nuance in the area of food for pets, particularly when it comes to dog treats. Some that are SNAP eligible include Cadet gourmet beef hide and chicken twists.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

Nick Starichenko / Shutterstock.com

Protein Powder

Depending on the way a protein powder is classified -- as a food versus a supplement -- they can be purchased with EBT. To qualify, the powder must be sold as a food, which you can buy at Amazon with EBT so long as the item says it is SNAP eligible.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Spam

The iconic meat in a can made popular in the '50s might not be your taste, but a lot of people still like to make fun dishes with it. And Amazon is happy to make it available for EBT purchase.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

bhofack2 / Getty Images

Toys That Include Food

Amazon has a nice little gray area around items that are not specifically food but include food items, or in this case, candy. You can purchase the Groovy Growing Candy Lab or the Rainbow Gummy Candy Lab with EBT and other toys that include candy or food, though be sure to double-check the SNAP eligibility before you buy.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

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Toys That Resemble Food

Though toys, in general, are not typically counted as SNAP eligible, this Oosh slime cotton candy toy kit is, perhaps because it resembles food.

Can i get protein powder with ebt

Stella de Smit / Unsplash

What You Can't Buy With SNAP on Amazon

Just like all other stores, you still can't buy the following items, per USDA guidelines:

  • Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco

  • Vitamins, medicines and supplements. (look for a supplemental facts label to determine if it's considered a supplement).

  • Live animals (with the exception of shellfish, fish removed from water and animals slaughtered before store pick-up).

  • Foods that are hot at the point of sale

  • Any nonfood items such as pet foods, cleaning supplies or household supplies, hygiene items or cosmetics

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This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: 15 Surprising Things You Can Buy With EBT on Amazon

Can you buy protein powder with EBT Amazon?

Protein Powder To qualify, the powder must be sold as a food, which you can buy at Amazon with EBT so long as the item says it is SNAP eligible.

Can I buy creatine with EBT?

Creatine cannot be purchased with food stamps (EBT) since it counts as a supplement, not a food. Unlike protein powder, which is sometimes sold as a food and sometimes sold as a supplement, creatine monohydrate is always sold as a supplement. Therefore, it does not qualify as a “food” that you can buy with EBT.

Can you buy Special K protein shakes with food stamps?

The “Facts” label on the back is the determining factor on whether or not you can purchase the protein powder with food stamps. If it says, “Nutrition Facts,” then it is classified as a food and you can buy it with EBT. A “Supplement Facts” label means that it is a supplement and you can't purchase it with food stamps.