In Texas, the Lone Star Card, a form of Electronic Benefit Transfer, enables eligible individuals and families to purchase an array of nutritious food items. These approved food items include fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, and bread. Additionally, shoppers can also use their benefits to purchase snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, and seeds and plants which produce food. However, the sale of prepared hot foods, alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, and non-food items such as pet supplies, cleaning supplies, and cosmetics is prohibited.
Staple Foods and Beverages
Food stamps, officially called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), are a government-issued benefit that helps low-income individuals and families purchase food. In Texas, food stamps can be used to buy a variety of staple foods and beverages, including:
- Bread: All types of bread, including white, wheat, rye, and cornbread.
- Cereal: All types of cereal, including oatmeal, grits, and rice.
- Pasta: All types of pasta, including spaghetti, macaroni, and noodles.
- Rice: All types of rice, including white, brown, and basmati.
- Beans: All types of beans, including kidney beans, pinto beans, and black beans.
- Meat: All types of meat, including beef, pork, chicken, and fish.
- Poultry: All types of poultry, including chicken, turkey, and duck.
- Fish and Seafood: All types of fish and seafood, including salmon, tuna, and shrimp.
- Dairy Products: All types of dairy products, including milk, cheese, and yogurt.
- Eggs: All types of eggs, including chicken eggs, duck eggs, and quail eggs.
- Fruits: All types of fruits, including apples, oranges, bananas, and grapes.
- Vegetables: All types of vegetables, including carrots, celery, lettuce, and tomatoes.
- Fruit and Vegetable Juices: All types of fruit and vegetable juices, including orange juice, apple juice, and carrot juice.
In addition to these staple foods and beverages, food stamps can also be used to purchase a variety of other food items, including:
- Snacks, such as crackers, chips, and cookies.
- Condiments, such as ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise.
- Spices and herbs.
- Baby food.
- Pet food.
Food stamps cannot be used to purchase alcohol, tobacco products, or non-food items, such as cleaning supplies or paper products.
| Food | Example |
|---|---|
| Bread | White bread, wheat bread, rye bread, cornbread |
| Cereal | Oatmeal, grits, rice |
| Pasta | Spaghetti, macaroni, noodles |
| Rice | White rice, brown rice, basmati rice |
| Beans | Kidney beans, pinto beans, black beans |
| Meat | Beef, pork, chicken, fish |
| Poultry | Chicken, turkey, duck |
| Fish and Seafood | Salmon, tuna, shrimp |
| Dairy Products | Milk, cheese, yogurt |
| Eggs | Chicken eggs, duck eggs, quail eggs |
| Fruits | Apples, oranges, bananas, grapes |
| Vegetables | Carrots, celery, lettuce, tomatoes |
| Fruit and Vegetable Juices | Orange juice, apple juice, carrot juice |
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables are an essential part of a healthy diet. They provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber, and can help to reduce your risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, stroke, and cancer. With Texas food stamps, you can purchase a wide variety of fruits and vegetables. This includes fresh, frozen, canned, and dried fruits and vegetables. You can also purchase seeds and plants to grow your own fruits and vegetables. Here are some examples of fruits and vegetables that you can buy with Texas food stamps:
- Apples
- Bananas
- Berries
- Citrus fruits
- Grapes
- Melons
- Peaches
- Pears
- Pineapples
- Avocados
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Cucumbers
- Garlic
- Lettuce
- Onions
- Peppers
- Potatoes
- Spinach
- Tomatoes
- Winter squash
In addition to the fruits and vegetables listed above, you can also purchase fruit juice, vegetable juice, and dried fruit with Texas food stamps. However, it is important to note that these items must be 100% fruit or vegetable juice or dried fruit in order to be eligible for purchase with food stamps.
Meat, Poultry, and Fish
Meat:
- Beef
- Pork
- Lamb
- Veal
- Ground meat
- Steaks
- Roasts
- Chops
- Bacon
- Sausage
- Frankfurters
- Corned beef
- Pastrami
- Jerky
Poultry:
- Chicken
- Turkey
- Duck
- Goose
- Pheasant
- Quail
- Whole birds
- Chicken breasts
- Chicken thighs
- Chicken wings
- Turkey breasts
- Turkey thighs
- Duck breasts
- Goose breasts
Fish:
- Fresh fish
- Frozen fish
- Canned fish
- Dried fish
- Shellfish
- Lobster
- Crab
- Shrimp
- Scallops
- Clams
- Oysters
| Meat | Poultry | Fish |
|---|---|---|
| Beef | Chicken | Fresh fish |
| Pork | Turkey | Frozen fish |
| Lamb | Duck | Canned fish |
| Veal | Goose | Dried fish |
| Ground meat | Pheasant | Shellfish |
| Steaks | Quail | Lobster |
| Roasts | Whole birds | Crab |
| Chops | Chicken breasts | Shrimp |
| Bacon | Chicken thighs | Scallops |
| Sausage | Chicken wings | Clams |
| Frankfurters | Turkey breasts | Oysters |
| Corned beef | Turkey thighs | |
| Pastrami | Duck breasts | |
| Jerky | Goose breasts |
Seeds and Plants for Food Production
Food Stamps can be used to purchase seeds and plants that produce food for the household. This includes:
- Vegetable seeds
- Herb seeds
- Fruit seeds
- Seed potatoes
- Onion sets
- Garlic cloves
- Fruit trees
- Berry bushes
- Grape vines
Food Stamps cannot be used to purchase:
- Plants that are not intended for food production, such as flowers or ornamental plants.
- Seeds or plants that are not sold for human consumption, such as seeds for planting in a garden.
- Seeds or plants that are not sold for planting in Texas.
To use Food Stamps to purchase seeds and plants for food production, you must:
- Be a Texas resident.
- Be a U.S. citizen or a qualified non-citizen.
- Have a valid Texas Food Stamps ID card.
- Purchase seeds and plants from an authorized retailer.
You can find a list of authorized retailers on the Texas Health and Human Services website.
| Type of Seed or Plant | Examples | Can Be Purchased with Food Stamps |
|---|---|---|
| Vegetable seeds | Tomato, pepper, squash, cucumber, lettuce | Yes |
| Herb seeds | Basil, thyme, rosemary, oregano, mint | Yes |
| Fruit seeds | Apple, orange, peach, plum, cherry | Yes |
| Seed potatoes | Russet, Yukon Gold, Red Pontiac | Yes |
| Onion sets | Yellow, white, red | Yes |
| Garlic cloves | Hardneck, softneck | Yes |
| Fruit trees | Apple, orange, peach, plum, cherry | Yes |
| Berry bushes | Strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry | Yes |
| Grape vines | Red, white, green | Yes |
Howdy y’all! Thanks a bunch for taking the time to read this article about what you can buy with food stamps in the great state of Texas. I hope you found it informative and helpful. If you have any more questions, feel free to reach out to your local SNAP office. In the meantime, keep your eyes peeled for more articles like this one coming soon. Take care, y’all, and come back and visit us again real soon!