Raising a child can be difficult and expensive, but it is also rewarding. Supplies for your baby may come with a high price tag. This is especially true when you’re getting formula and diapers from a store.
Food stamps have been a savior for those who cannot afford daily necessities due to their high prices. You may be wondering whether baby formula comes under these stamps. If so, here is all the information you need.
Key Notes
- Food stamps let you buy various items such as cereals, baby food, and poultry
- SNAP program has been designed to benefit those who cannot afford expensive baby formula
- An EBT card is necessary for getting formula using food stamps
- It is necessary to meet the eligibility requirements of SNAP if you want to buy formula using stamps
Can You Buy Baby Formula With Food Stamps?
You can buy baby formula with food stamps in all states of the US if you are covered by the SNAP program.
It allows you to buy this item from any grocery store as long as you keep away from expensive or luxury brands such as Similac.
The best thing is that food stamps encourage you to buy lower-priced products with the same nutritional value as the pricier brands.
You can also save more money because of the SNAP program and get more formulas per month in the same total amount.
Other baby food items such as cereals for infants, juices, drinks for kids, and much more can be bought using food stamps. Apple mash and oatmeal are some other things that you can get until you run of out benefits.
Can You Buy Non-Food Items For Your Baby With SNAP?
The SNAP program is exclusively for buying food items that are necessary for continuing your daily life. You cannot use its benefits to get other baby items, such as diapers and clothing.
Medicines for infants also do not come under the food category, so you cannot get them with SNAP.
You can understand what you can buy with food stamps using the eligibility guidelines:
- It is allowed to buy food that will be eaten by your household, such as poultry, dairy items, cereals, and vegetables
- Seeds and plants that can help you produce food can be bought with food stamps
What Is SNAP?
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) has been designed to help low-income people meet their nutritional needs.
Many people refer to it as food stamps because that is how the program originally worked. Food stamps were provided to qualified people to get essential daily items.
However, the misuse of food stamps became common. This is because people used to sell them for money. This is why SNAP changed the buying method to an electronic card with benefits.
The best thing about SNAP is that it is valid in all states of the US. So you can use your food stamps at any store to buy the eligible items.
What Is An EBT Card?
An electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card is mainly associated with the SNAP program. The card contains benefits that are equivalent to the worth of food stamps. You can use these points to get items for your baby, such as formula and cereals.
Stamp money prevents you from misusing your food stamps or selling them to others. Benefits are transferred to your EBT on a monthly basis.
You can use the virtual money to buy food until it runs out. Remember EBT cards only be used at stores that are participating in the SNAP program.
What Are The Eligibility Requirements For Food Stamps?
Every person is not allowed to use food stamps to get baby formula. The SNAP program is mainly for those with low monthly income. This is why strict requirements must be met before you get an EBT card for buying baby formula.
Here are things you should remember:
- Your monthly gross income should be less than $150
- You must have less than $100 in financial resources such as bank or cash
- The rent of your house must be more than your income and financial assets
- A migrant or farmworker in your house has assets worth $100 or less
If you meet any one of the earlier requirements, you can get benefits from the SNAP program. You can apply for the stamps by sending an application to the state’s benefits office.
Final Words
This is everything you need to know about buying baby formula with food stamps. It is easy to apply for the SNAP program if you meet the requirements and have the necessary documents.
The state office will review your request and give an answer within a few weeks. However, it may take a month or more in some cases to get a reply for your SNAP application.
