Can you buy seafood with EBT?
Yes, you can buy seafood with EBT, with a few restrictions. If you get SNAP benefits you can use your EBT card to buy seafood provided it’s sold cold or refrigerated (like frozen fish sticks or pre-packaged cod filets), canned, like canned tuna or salmon, or, in some cases, from a tank, like live shellfish.
SNAP rules don’t allow any hot prepared foods (unless a D-SNAP hot foods waiver is approved in your state or you participate in the Restaurant Meals Program).
That means you can’t use SNAP benefits to buy any seafood that’s sold hot and ready-to-eat.
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What counts as eligible seafood for SNAP?#what-counts-as-eligible-seafood-for-snap
When shopping for seafood with your SNAP benefits, you can use your EBT card to buy:
- Fresh, frozen, or canned seafood, like salmon, shrimp, or tuna
- Frozen, pre-cooked seafood like fish sticks, salmon burgers, or fish nuggets
- Canned or frozen soups that contain seafood, like canned clam chowder
- Shellfish or fish that’s removed from water when you buy it (usually you can’t buy live animals with SNAP benefits, but shellfish are a rare exception)
- Premade tuna salad from the refrigerated section
But you can’t use your SNAP benefits on:
- Hot ready-to-eat seafood, like fried shrimp, cooked lobster, or hot chowder or gumbo
- Seafood served on-site or in dine-in restaurants, unless you participate in the Restaurant Meals Program
Tips for buying seafood on SNAP#tips-for-buying-seafood-on-snap
Fish and shellfish can be a great source of protein and nutrients for your family—just make sure you’re following the rules about what is and isn’t SNAP-eligible
- Avoid seafood sold with sauces or seasonings that may not qualify
- If you’re not sure if the seafood you picked is SNAP-eligible, ask a store employee for help
- Shop at farmers markets that have fish vendors—they often take EBT
- If you get TANF benefits, sometimes called cash EBT, that can be used for buying seafood and non-food items, but SNAP is for eligible groceries only
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What else can you buy with SNAP?#what-else-can-you-buy-with-snap
You can buy any eligible food items with SNAP including fruit, vegetables, meat, dairy, grains, snacks, and more. Most groceries qualify.
Beyond the basics, there are some surprising things you can buy with EBT, like food-producing plant seeds, protein powder, and even food-based gift baskets.
But there are a lot of things sold in grocery stores and markets that aren’t SNAP-eligible, including:
