Can You Buy Groceries Online With EBT? (Yes, Here’s Where)
With the increased demand for online grocery shopping, accepting EBT payments for online grocery orders became essential. Many EBT cardholders prefer to buy groceries online and pay using their SNAP/EBT benefits. But, can you buy groceries online with an EBT card?
Luckily, you can buy groceries online with an EBT card at stores participating in the SNAP/EBT Online Purchasing Pilot Program. USDA launched this pilot in 2019 and expanded by adding more grocery stores to the program.
This article will explain how to use SNAP/EBT cards for online grocery shopping. I’ll also share the list of grocery stores that accept EBT as a part of the Online Purchasing Pilot Program.
Additionally, I compiled the list of eligible foods for purchasing online using your SNAP/EBT benefits.
So let’s get started!
List of States Participating in the EBT Online Purchasing Pilot Program
As of this writing, States currently participating in the SNAP/EBT Online Purchasing Pilot Program include:
| Alabama Arizona California Colorado Connecticut Delaware District of Columbia Florida Georgia Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky | Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio | Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming |
There are additional States in the planning phase and considering being a part of the EBT Online Purchasing Pilot Program. Arkansas and Hawaii are approved to participate in the program – however, they didn’t complete their rollout yet.
USDA regularly updates the list of participating States, so check out their website for updates if your State is not included in the above list.
Grocery Stores That Accept EBT Payments Online
You can find the list of grocery stores that accept online EBT payments by State:
| States | Grocery Stores |
| Alabama | Amazon, Walmart, Wright’s Markets |
| Arizona | Amazon, Walmart |
| California | Amazon, Walmart |
| Colorado | Amazon, Walmart |
| Connecticut | Amazon, ShopRite, Walmart |
| Delaware | Amazon, ShopRite, Walmart |
| District of Columbia | Amazon |
| Florida | Amazon, Walmart |
| Georgia | Amazon, Walmart |
| Idaho | Amazon, Walmart |
| Illinois | Amazon, Walmart |
| Indiana | Amazon, Walmart |
| Iowa | Amazon, Walmart |
| Kansas | Amazon, Walmart |
| Kentucky | Amazon, Walmart |
| Maryland | Amazon, ShopRite, Walmart |
| Massachusetts | Amazon, Walmart |
| Michigan | Amazon, Walmart |
| Minnesota | Amazon, Walmart |
| Mississippi | Amazon, Walmart |
| Missouri | Amazon, Walmart |
| Nebraska | Amazon, Walmart |
| Nevada | Amazon, Walmart |
| New Hampshire | Amazon, Walmart |
| New Jersey | Amazon, The Fresh Grocer, ShopRite, Walmart |
| New Mexico | Amazon, Walmart |
| New York | Amazon, ShopRite, Walmart |
| North Carolina | Amazon, Walmart |
| North Dakota | Amazon, Walmart |
| Ohio | Amazon, Walmart |
| Oklahoma | Amazon, Walmart |
| Oregon | Amazon, Walmart |
| Pennsylvania | Amazon, The Fresh Grocer, ShopRite, Walmart |
| Rhode Island | Amazon, Walmart |
| South Carolina | Amazon, Walmart |
| South Dakota | Amazon, Walmart |
| Tennessee | Amazon, Walmart |
| Texas | Amazon, Walmart |
| Utah | Amazon, Walmart |
| Vermont | Amazon, Walmart |
| Virginia | Amazon, Walmart |
| Washington | Amazon, Walmart |
| West Virginia | Amazon, Walmart |
| Wisconsin | Amazon, Walmart |
| Wyoming | Amazon, Walmart |
To confirm delivery availability in your area, go to the stores’ website and put in your zip code.
One important thing to mention is that you can only purchase eligible food items using your SNAP/EBT card online. If there are any additional charges, such as delivery or convenience fees, they may not be covered by your benefits.
Next, I’ll share more information about the 5 grocery stores that accept EBT payments online, including how to order groceries using your EBT card.
1. Amazon
Amazon was one of the first grocery stores that started accepting EBT payments online. As seen in the chart above, Amazon delivers groceries in all States that participate in the EBT Online Purchasing Pilot Program.
You can follow the step-by-step instructions below on adding an EBT card as a payment method to your Amazon account:
1. Open the Amazon app on your mobile device and log in to your account
2. Tap the Menu button at the bottom and select “Your Account”
3. Tap “Your Payments” and select “Add a payment method”
4. Tap “Add an EBT card”
5. Shop groceries online, including Amazon Fresh and Prime Pantry
6. During the checkout, select EBT card as the payment method
Amazon offers EBT cardholders a 50% discount on Prime Membership. With a Prime membership, you gain access to Amazon Fresh. Amazon Fresh allows you to buy groceries online and get them delivered to your home. If your order is over $35, you get free 2-hour delivery.
In addition to Amazon Fresh, Prime membership gives you access to Amazon Pantry. Amazon Pantry allows you to buy groceries and pantry staples in personal sizes.
There’s a $35 minimum order requirement to qualify for free shipping with Amazon Pantry, but your items are grouped into one shipment to meet the minimum order.
Amazon makes online grocery shopping hassle-free and convenient for EBT cardholders.
2. Walmart
Walmart is another grocery store that participates in the EBT Online Purchasing Pilot Program. EBT cardholders can order groceries online at Walmart and select home delivery or curbside pickup.
Currently, Walmart offers grocery deliveries in select locations. Visit their website to find out if they have delivery available in your area.
Follow the instructions below on ordering groceries online at Walmart with an EBT card:
1. Order groceries at Walmart.com or on the Walmart mobile app
2. Select EBT card as the payment method at checkout
3. When you arrive at the pickup location, give your EBT card to a Walmart associate
4. Walmart associate will swipe your card in the machine
Walmart associates know that you are paying with an EBT card, so they will swipe your card to complete the purchase at the pickup location.
If you have any items on your list that are not eligible for EBT benefits, you will be asked to pay for those items with a credit/debit card.
3. ShopRite
ShopRite allows EBT cardholders to buy groceries online in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Delaware.
ShopRite offers delivery and pickup for online grocery orders, and there is no minimum order requirement. ShopRite offers grocery delivery in select locations. Visit their website to find out if they have delivery available in your area.
ShopRite makes curbside pickup very easy. If you choose the pick up your order at the ShopRite store, go to the pickup location, and a store associate will bring your order to your car.
Follow the instructions below on ordering groceries online at ShopRite with an EBT card:
1. Order groceries at Shoprite.com or on the ShopRite mobile app
2. At checkout, select “Pay Online” and click the “Place Order” button
3. Select EBT card as the payment method
4. The Fresh Grocer
The Fresh Grocer allows EBT cardholders to buy groceries online in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
The Fresh Grocer offers delivery and pickup for online grocery orders, and there is no minimum order requirement. The Fresh Grocer offers grocery delivery in select locations. Visit their website to find out if they have delivery available in your area.
If you choose the pick up your order at The Fresh Grocer store, go to the pickup location and a store associate will bring your order to your car.
Follow the instructions below on ordering groceries online at The Fresh Grocer with an EBT card:
1. Order groceries at TheFreshGrocer.com or on The Fresh Grocer mobile app
2. At checkout, select “Pay Online” and click the “Place Order” button
3. Select EBT card as the payment method
5. Wright’s Market
Wright’s Market allows EBT cardholders to buy groceries only in Alabama. Wright’s Market offers delivery and pickup for online grocery orders.
Follow the instructions below on ordering groceries online at Wright’s Market with an EBT card:
- Create or login to your account on Wrightsmarkets.com
- At checkout, select EBT card as the payment method
- Provide your PIN to complete the checkout
Items Can You Buy With EBT
If you are new to the SNAP/EBT program or unfamiliar with how benefits work, you can find the list of items that you can buy using your EBT benefits below:
The eligible items to buy with your SNAP/EBT benefits include:
- Vegetables and fruits
- Meat, poultry, and fish
- Bread
- Cereal
- Snack foods
- Non-alcoholic beverages
- Seeds and plants to produce edible food
The non-eligible items which are not covered by your SNAP/EBT benefits include:
- Any liquor (beer, wine, etc.)
- Tobacco products and cigarettes
- Vitamins, supplements, and medicines (if an item has supplement facts on the packaging, it is considered a supplement and non-eligible to purchase with SNAP/EBT benefits)
- Live animals (except shellfish and fish that are removed from water and animals slaughtered before purchasing at the store)
- Prepared foods for immediate consumption
- Hot foods
- Any non-food items (pet food, cosmetics, hygiene products, cleaning supplies, paper products, and other household supplies)
Summary
In this article, I covered the list of states participating in the EBT Online Purchasing Pilot Program and the grocery stores that accept online EBT payments in each state.
I also covered how to add your EBT card as a payment method at participating grocery stores.
Lastly, review the list of eligible and non-eligible foods that can be purchased using SNAP/EBT benefits online.
For more grocery shopping tips, check out the articles below.
Related Articles:
Can You Buy Groceries With PayPal?
Image credits: Amazon, USDA
