When asked do any meal delivery services accept EBT, the answer is no, EBT is not currently accepted by popular meal delivery services. As an alternative, the USDA launched a pilot program that allows online grocery retailers to accept EBT as a form of payment in select states.
Is There a Meal Delivery Service That Accepts Snap?
Many people either want to avoid crowds at the grocery store or have limited transportation and access to fresh, nutritious foods. For people who rely on SNAP benefits to pay for food, options can be even more limited. Meal delivery service that accepts SNAP could change all of this but options right now are limited. Do any meal delivery services accept EBT, and what alternative options exist?
Grocery Delivery as an Option to EBT Meal Delivery
Some meal delivery services offer a great value to individuals and families that want fresh, nutritious meals but are short on time or lack easy access to a well-stocked grocery store. Currently, the main meal delivery services only accept standard payment options, including credit cards, Apple Pay, and gift cards. Hello Fresh also accepts PayPal for those that don’t use credit cards.
As an alternative, you can choose to order groceries online, pay for them with your EBT, and have them delivered directly to your door. Fresh Direct is one company that offers this option to their customers. With Fresh Direct, you can choose SNAP-eligible food items on their website, including frozen prepared meals that can be easily reheated.
The only downside to Fresh Direct is its limited delivery area. Currently, they only serve certain areas of the northwest, including select cities in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Washington DC.
Online Retailers That Accept Snap
While meal delivery services that accept SNAP aren’t an option currently, Fresh Direct isn’t the only choice for ordering groceries online and paying with EBT. Amazon also has programs called Amazon Fresh and Amazon Pantry that accept EBT food benefits as a valid form of payment.
If you’re not familiar with the Amazon Fresh platform, this video will introduce you and provide tips on how to best use the service to your advantage. Amazon also offers a discount on its Prime membership for individuals who receive either Medicaid or EBT benefits.
Is EBT Hot Meal Program Delivery an Option?
Each state has guidelines that determine what can and can’t be purchased with EBT SNAP benefits. Some states do allow EBT hot meal program delivery in the form of restaurant prepared meals. To learn more about whether this is an option where you live, visit the USDA website to connect with your state EBT page.
If you do decide to pay for a meal delivery service not using your EBT, keep in mind that these meals still need to be either prepared or heated. These types of services do not offer hot meal delivery at this time.
The Bottom Line
So, we know that the answer to the question of “Do any meal delivery services accept EBT?” is no, at least for right now. The USDA’s pilot program for EBT grocery delivery is a good step in the right direction.
Until then, you can use your EBT SNAP benefits to purchase groceries for delivery from Fresh Direct, Amazon, or through a growing number of online grocery retailers. These options make fresh, nutritious food more accessible.
If you need food assistance, contact your local or state agencies to determine eligibility and ask for a list of online retailers that offer grocery delivery to your door.
I would eat healthier if the ingredients for a meal was delivered than my shopping at a store and buying strudel and ice cream with my EBT.
I agree! Especially being disabled
I also am disabled so with a pre teen and grand kids 6 and 7 who no way to go to store. I work from home so being able to have fresh direct or hello fresh would be a extreme help in providing healthy meals to my girls. PLUS combat obesity.
If you order from Walmart, you can just pick up the groceries, they shop them for you. That’s what I do. (I am also disabled). I also save TONS of money not impulse buying things at the store
Not available to use EBT in every state – it’s a pilot program & you’re lucky your state is able to do it !
Ebt delivery is always an option through Walmart as well
Hey mama bear, I am also disabled and I find Amazon a blessing since they take EBT and 99% of all foods are eligible. Delivered right to your door. I advise that if you order fruit, choose the earliest delivery time so your stuff isn’t sitting in a delivery van for hours even though they place frozen water bottles for free in your order to keep your foods as cold and fresh as possible. Be well.
Walmart does not deliver cold or frozen or sodas or water
Me too 👍🏽👍🏽
I think with these “delivery services” we are meaning 2 different things here. I subscribe to a service that puts together my groceries in a meal plan for me to cook healthy and delicious meals. They deliver these once a week fresh. These services are so affordable! For 2 people I average about 45-50 a week for 4 meals. (I’m avoiding garbage food and take out and eating fresh and following delicious recipes) How beneficial this would be to the country as a whole to eat like this? And avoiding fast food and overspending on unhealthy impulse buying at the store?
I am also disabled and use walmart. To add to your answer.. A few thoughts on their service they put the higher Quantity items first. They merged the grocery and Walmart.com which causes a problem as they are now pushing non refrigerated food to be shipped. You have to look to see if its delivery offered as some items are no longer Available for delivery and some items are only available for pickup. The positive thing is their costumer service!! they will refund you for substitutions and let you keep food items to give away. If you don’t get items or a item is delivered broken you can get a promo code through a supervisor to use on your next order.
Is it an extra fee to pick up your food like you described? Online is shows Walmart + & it has an extra fee.
Pickup at Walmart is completely free.
Walmart delivers EBT paid groceries but for a delivery charge. They also accept most insurance benefit food cards to deliver
Schwan’s Home Food Delivery accepts EBT
Their food is sickening! I will never use their “services again”. I am disabled and need already pre paid meals but not theirs..it’s a joke.
I use schwans to but high prices
Most of these grocery stores will deliver nowadays. We just have to make healthy choices and watch portions. Some of those meal prep options by mail are $230 per week.
I would Provide my kids with new delicious mostly healthy meals instead of the 3 boring things i can cook!!! And i wouldn’t mind paying a fair amount for delivery not with ebt food stamps as the payment form
I’m also disabled (low income) and flat out can’t cook
A nice salad, a piece of baked chicken and a vegetable.
LEARN TO COOK! It’s not rocket science!
Çontact your local USDA about free lessons
I agree completely. It’s so hard to even think of what I have to purchase to cook on a paleo diet do to chronic Lyme. Much less follow through with cooking it due to the fatigue of the store! Having teenagers doesn’t help the situation as they are both so busy with athletics and school work.
I’m a recipe freek I go to thrift shops
Amen. Same here. Don’t drive, no delivery from ANY fresh foods or frozen. Only Amazon and Walmart BOXED foods. No vegetables live alone. Cook only for myself
Try Schwann’s. Not sure if it still works, or ever did in NY, but I paid with snap in Florida a decade ago, and they cover far more area than anyone but Amazon. I live in middle of nowhere and they drive by every Thursday still. I also order from Amazon when u can, but it’s far from”most” food, as it must be sold by Amazon directly, not just fulfilled by them. Have had to do that just to find some foods since the stores within 50 miles not even 1 carries things like lemongrass.
We live in a very Rural Co in N California. Whole Foods is an hour from us. We would actually pick up our Fresh Stuff and let Whole Foods shop for us 50 miles away. They refuse o make a simple exception. We have one Store Groceris in Weaverville, but they lack produce etc or it so beyond moldy we aren’t eating very healthy.
I am very frustrated. On SSDI my hubby not many food stamps. No quality meats. No sirloin. So upset after 2 years of living here with inflation has prices, no decent choices for heart health when he is suffering Chronic Heart Failure. No Cardiologist that will treat him. I make only from scratch healthy quality some organic, high fiber mediteranian based diet. Variety, no white sugar, white flour.
Moving here has made me severely hate the little selection, poor quality not even B grade meats, rotton. Want to m9ve far from area. Or find a community service grant that would assist or find us with a grant for us to us to open our own organic fruit stand, with property with good green house to grow During snow season. Etc. Or someone interested in Venture Capitol finding! 💖💖
Hi Shelly I’m sorry to hear about your situation. I’m doing research in more areas like yours affected by the lack of fresh produce to help find a solution. I would like to hear more and maybe find a way to help you out. Is there some place I can contact you?
Amazon Kitchen has fresh entrees they deliver. Meat, carbs, veg. Pretty tasty.
I have B.E.D. so I’m thankful for the single serving. It’s less expensive than single fresh entrees in other stores but more expensive if you figure the lesser “family entrees” at Aldis.
Amazon, Wal-Mart or Instacart & Door dash or Amazon for prescriptions folks. You seriously never have to leave the house.
Talkomi has nearby restaurants that accept EBT SNAP
You can still buy healthy ingredients for meals and healthy premade frozen meals at the store, they are also all delivered online. Nobody is making you eat strudel and icecream, what a joke.
You don’t have to buy strudels and ice cream! Grab some apples or frozen fruit if you have a sweet tooth!
Whats going on Covid 19 and alot of people want the food box. But only way to buy it is EBT food stamps, but you said no
Great idea. Healthier meals. Helps with having children at home on schedules.
Cost less than shopping online for groceries per month.
Cost efficient safe and healthy. Less waste!!
Overall great Idea!!!
I wanted to try daily harvest so bad using my EBT but of course they don’t take it however it is a lot easier for someone to deliver healthy meals than to make them yourself because you don’t exactly know how to make it how much to make what to put in it so on and so forth
I totally agree. I did buy daily harvest with my cash but I would live to purchase it with my stamps it would be so healthy and convenient
Was it very expensive
This would be so great. Sounds dependable. Trying to shop at retailers that do accept ebt is hard because by the time you’re finished grocery shopping the items may be out of stock. It’s so frustrating.
I’ve had this happen a lot too. Also, Walmart seems to have stopped offering things like ginger-seasoned skinless, boneless chicken thighs thru pick-up. If you want to buy it, you have to go inside the store. The seasoning is wonderful; hwr, I don’t know what is in the seasoning or what amount of seasoning is needed per pound. While I have light perception, I’m legally blind. The retinal disease caused major peripheral vision loss. In addition, I have multiple autoimmune diseases that caused major joint & nerve damage on top of toasting my body’s ability to fight viruses & infect. My husband has heart problems along with being a juvenile diabetic with worsening kidney problems, neuropathy, etc. Any grocery and/or meal program that is affordable, healthy, & adds ease of shopping plus meal prep would be life altering in the best way. It’d be a win-win for so many people… esp for people with disabilities, seniors, & those with children/grandchildren. It could instill healthy eating habits for current & future generations not to mention the financial savings in health care .
The times online grocery shopping works, it does a great job at significantly reducing food waste, particularly with regards to impulse buying. I don’t let my husband grocery shop for this very reason. Online grocery shopping like this is the reason my pantry staples are practically full with alternatives to substitute most meals I cook. I’m able to forgo the need to ‘run in’ for that 1 item I’m missing to prepare upcoming week’s meals. Even my freezer is slowly being filled, tho I wish every day that small size chest freezer was an upright because it’d save me a lot of pain & make it easier to rotate frozen foods around for freshness as well as allowing me a shelf to flash freeze portions that I vacuum seal. I’m already terrified our refrigerator of 25+yrs is going to quit. Plus, I use the crushed ice feature countless times every day & night to stave off dry mouth & dehydration (dry mouth & dry eyes are chronic problems courtesy of Sjogren’s disease). We can’t afford a new refrigerator let alone a freezer.
You write great… better than most without disabilities, full sight & fully able. I’m impressed!
Like the rest of the comments, I wish too they would deliver fresh, healthy foods. What is our rank for one of the most obese states? I always say,”you might be homeless, living in a cardboard box but you sure won’t starve here in #Wisconsin!”
One of the best programs is Healthy Start that gives you vouchers for juice, milk & cereal-even peanut butter, when pregnant, then when the baby comes, they give vouchers for formula, baby cereal, and some jar food. I think that’s awesome. At least the babies have a chance—until their parents sell these gifts to get drugs.. SMDH.
For now, I just shop Walmart & pick them up. I order everything online, and never had anything missing. I pop open my trunk & that’s it. Couldn’t be any easier.
it would be so much easier than sending my son w a list to the store. my illness keeps me @ hm, when making my list i have trouble in remembering everything i need to prepare a dish. if delivered to my door it would be easier and less chance of not having what i need, easier, cheaper and keep me from picking junk food!
The ability to use EBT to order food that can be delivered should be standard practice-especially since EBT card holders are typically among the most vulnerable if exposed to COVID 19. For the disabled and elderly the risk of going to a supermarket to pick up food that is purchased online can be very risky especially in a world where so many people don’t think they should have to wear masks. It’s been a freakin year there is no excuse for the current situation.
Exactly! I’ve been terrified for this very reason. People who use that, “well I’m gonna die from something,” or the debunked idea that Covid is no more dangerous than the flu, are why I had to do all I could to avoid going into a store, even for things I desperately needed. My dr made it clear that my husband & I needed to do everything possible to stay home & away from the public at the very start of the virus. We’ve lost so many. Sadly, many – far too many have life lasting damages after surviving Covid.
It is so unfair that people on EBT can not enjoy the same benefits of having fresh, healthy, premade meals delivered. There are fabulous companies out there now, but only people who can pay upwards of 5 to 600 a month can afford them. EVERYONE deserves the right to healthy food.
I totally agree
Then go buy healthy food at the grocery store. Go buy the SAME EXACT ingredients and use the recipes. Stop acting like you can only buy junk food with EBT. You’re being ridiculous. You should feel lucky you get free food from the State. A lot of people don’t qualify for that privilege.
It is exhausting shopping in person, then cooking, when you are disabled.
The problem is ESPECIALLY the *preparing* for a lot of people. For example, I can’t do it every day. But I need to eat every day. The ability to have PREPARED HEALTHY MEALS DELIVERED would be much better for many many people. The best store alternatives to this tend not to be very healthy.
Jenny, just because you aren’t disabled/using SNAP now doesn’t mean that your circumstances couldn’t change in the blink of an eye (God forbid) because they can. Don’t ever be too sure of yourself. People who walk around with their noses in the air will drown when it rains. Nothing is certain in this world so think about how you would handle what we have to deal with every day because the fact is, this could be you in a heartbeat. Learn empathy, kindness, patience and love. Basic human qualities. Be a decent person and if you can’t say something constructive silence is also an option.
Someone said 99% of Amazon foods are EBT accepted but I definitely found the opposite or I’m doing something wrong 🤷🏻♀️
Well said KJ!!!
I wish everyone would show more kindness in this world!!! 🙏
Thank you K.J. I couldn’t have said that better myself.
you tell her, K.J.!! It is disappointing when we judge another person or persons! she’s never walked in another’s shoes..
The Real Person!
The Real Person!
I know this is a old post but WoW!!!! Finally someone has a nice but truthful point in their response. I am elderly fighting cancer and my 47 year old daughter just had to move in with me because of her nero disease she has seizures and her thought process is really bad. She tried to cook a meal while i was in bed after having a chemo treatment and nearly burned my kitchen. Low income and only way to eat is through EBT has really been a challenge for us. My daughter lived a very healthy life but in a blink of a eye she is extremely disabled now. So your response to Jenny truly hit home with me. Thank you for being a kind and decent person who knows what having empathy is.
I totally totally agree. Disabled too. Had stroke. Have high blood diabetes. Would love a food service that delivers already prepared diabetic meals on ebt
It’s called moms meals with your insurance just call them.
THANK YOU!! I use Amazon Fresh and I buy and budget healthy meals for my family of 5 on a weekly basis. I’m on food stamps. I go to the grocery store, or I order from Amazon fresh. Vegetables and fruits are more affordable than you think. Junk food in my experience is more expensive!! SIDE NOTE YOU CAN BUY VEGETABLE AND FRUIT SEEDS AND GROW THEM BY YOURSELF WITH EBT TOO. It pisses me off when people think that eating healthy is expensive… it’s not especially if you plan and budget ahead of time.
You are absolutely correct!
Thank you for saying that I was waiting for someone
Well Jenny, I don’t think anyone is being ridiculous. Obviously you don’t have any of the problems that some of these people have. Not knowing how to prepare healthy food is pretty common especially if you grew up eating fried foods and convenience foods. Not to mention disabled people can’t cut and chop or stand At the stove or counter and prepare these foods.
And saying that we are LUCKY to get such a privilege of FREE food. Ur the one that’s ridiculous my dear. I’m disabled and can only work part time. I don’t have a car and I live alone so I have no one to help me. I am below the poverty limit. That’s why I qualify for food stamps and believe me it’s not fun and I don’t feel lucky. I am grateful however. But waking up everyday and struggling to stand and walk and also being in constant pain does not make me lucky. I watch people just walk down the street with ease as I slowly putter along with my walker. I’m only 40 and I use a dang walker. I can no longer hike or run or play soccer with my kids. I can’t go out and dance like I use to. All of the things that brought me joy I can no longer do. It’s heartbreaking. I want so badly to wake up and easily slide out of bed and walk painlessly to the bathroom. That’s all. Just walk without pain. I think you should think about what you say before you say it. I don’t feel lucky to get food stamps but I feel grateful that I am able to qualify for such programs because it really does help me out. I know that I am lucky in many ways. I have legs and can walk, even though it hurts and I can see and hear. I am thankful to be alive and I am working very hard at being more grateful.
Totally agree I spend time w a lot of disabled as well as my slightly disabled wife some could never perform the duties needed to make a lot of fresh good for ya meals, me I never ate good meals growing up and I work a hard labor job so it would be great to eat nutritional meals on ebt, I work but don’t make enough at this time so I get some food stamps to help out.
100% agree! Most people who have EBT are disabled or maybe they don’t have reliable transpotation. And I know the bus around me you can only have 2 regular sized grocery bags on the bus or they can refuse to take you. So if you have a pretty big family it’s hard to get enough groceries and take the bus. Being able to have healthy food delivered would be such a game changer for soooo many people!
Amen!
I agree 👍
Think of all the people with serious health problems who are on EBT and how having a healthy meal that’s easy to prepare would really help. This needs to change.
I agree and Jenny think outside the box. Alot of people just want to eat healthier and some don’t have the capabilities to shop, stand/walk, drive, see, or be able to cook meals at all. I totally agree those meal services should be available to EBT card holders.
This would be a good way to help people unable to prepare their own meals.
the sad thing about these services not taking EBT is that they should qualify – the food is not pre-made. Rather, the fresh ingredients are just parsed out specifically according to the servings for each mail. Much healthier, cuts food waste, and helps you learn some cooking skills. When I could afford it (and wasn’t on SNAP), I had Purple Carrot, which is a vegan meal service. Healthy, delicious, and it really taught me about cooking with ingredients I normally wouldn’t use as well as skills. I lost weight on it too and was never hungry.
Think of the healthcare cost savings of these kinds of programs alone! And this isn’t even taking into consideration the lifetime of healthy eating habits that could be instilled in people in the here & now… not to mention the future.
I agree. My parents, brother, and most of my friends get Hello Fresh boxes. I help them cook (and eat :)) several times a week and the ingredients ARE separate. It’s a wonderful company, but, yeah, should be available for EBT.
It would be a wonderful idea for grocery delivery companies like Hello Fresh…etc to start accepting EBT food cards! Everyone has the right to eat healthier but not all can afford it (especially at the time of this pandemic)! I have a member of my family that is diabetic and another that was just diagnosed as pre-diabetic it would help us and make it a lot easier to eat healthy like we should be, if we could afford it! But we can only afford it if we use EBT!
I agree with many others who feel this should be an option for people who are disabled and use ebt for grocery shopping. I am on disability (for multiple sclerosis) and driving, walking, shopping.. Etc. Is dangerous for me. With this pandemic it only make something that was already difficult seem to feel impossible at times. I sure hope that the rules change in regards to this as it is a much needed service and many who really on ebt are disabled. Seems like a no brainer to me.
Sure Walmart and Amazon both will accept EBT for the groceries but they still require Visa MC etc. to pay for the delivery. I notice this is a fact always left out
I found that it was worth the Amazon prime membership. I get free shipping on almost everything I order. The savings in shipping alone covers my monthly prime membership fee. Not to mention I get to watch some pretty nice movies and TV shows!
I am Disabled and I really wish they would stop discriminating against people like me on SNAP. Even the places where you can order not perfect food like produce will not take snap. And I seriously don’t think whole foods is affordable! I am tired of being a after thought! I have COPD and it’s exhausting just going to a different room!
I wish these companies would get with the government and make this happen!!!
Agree 100%
It seems that eating healthy is the goal however, the proper foods can’t be purchased by those with ebt. But it’s okay to buy processed unhealthy foods and sodas. Where is the LOGIC in that decision??? I’m not being sarcastic I truly don’t understand that decision.
Yes they can… you can use EBT at Trader Joe’s, while foods… any grocery store & all fruit & veggies are aloud to be purchased on EBT so idk why you think you can buy junk food but not healthy ingredients to make a meal???
You can choose to buy fresh vegetables and fruits. Or you can buy frozen vegetables and fruits! You don’t have to buy processed foods and sodas. Unhealthy foods are optional.
Its not a me a meal prep place but shwans accepts ebt amd they have tons of healthy options and come right to your door.
Shwans is awesome and does except EBT and it has great food and meals all available. Well worth it.
Schwan’s does accept EBT but you have to reserve with a credit or debit card, and you must be home when they deliver:
https://www.schwans.com/customer-service/faq-answer?id=3494&offer=FROZEN25&cid=google:unbranded:pros:fy22_annual_schwans_base_plan_core&gclid=Cj0KCQiAosmPBhCPARIsAHOen-PwWzvRDyTBPmVW-csANJR3ok0wnJI77n-loVDFo0J2HI7N4FSdLBYaAmuvEALw_wcB
I agree. As someone who is disabled and relies on EBT benefits, I know I would eat a lot healthier if I could used my EBT benefits to purchase premade meals from the numerous healthy meal programs you can find online. Instead, I’m buying things like Tyson chicken wings just because they’re easy and fast to prepare. Doesn’t make any sense to me. There’s a lot of weight loss and healthy eating programs that people with EBT benefits are locked out of.
This is a fantastic opportunity to get people eating healthier options. Hello Fresh and even some restaurants should help seniors cook & eat better, healthier & smarter by using the SNAP card. Seniors & persons who are disabled would also greatly appreciate being given this opportunity for better eating ☆☆☆
Look I hope that the right people see this but a lot of the problems we face going to the store is that we are shopping for a family as well. I need to eat healthy to get my life back on track. I am not able to find healthy meals to help me at an affordable cost and I’m on EBT. SNAP/EBT users should be offered a subscription to some of these programs depending on why they are on SNAP/EBT. SNAP/EBT users should also be given their allowance based on dependants so their families are not affected by these programs. I understand that some people are here to take advantage of SNAP/EBT but not all of us are. Some of us just need a little push in the right direction.
I live in an area where fresh fruit and veggies cost more than junk foods and God help you if you want organic. I have physical challenges that also keep me from making the track to a grocery that is better than my local supermarket. I have to walk there and take a cab back because I cannot afford to pay for round trip. If I could get affordable meal prep kits it could really help us. Im a diabetic and have really been trying to change my diet to eat healthier. but when you can’t afford fresh greens we end up eating rice n pasta from Dollar tree which I know isn’t what I should be eating but I have to eat and feed my granddaughter.
Top Box DOES deliver and accept SNAP/EBT.
I just found them. They also offer their meals in some local grocery stores prob where locally delivered meals originate. Good way to try them.
Unfortunately, Amazon Fresh does not deliver to my little area on the map. Walmart will, but I have yet to get an order that has been fulfilled and that is correct, on top of the fee for delivery, I honestly can’t afford to tip. I have had 3 major surgeries in a year, going to the store is not in the cards right now. I really need a well balanced diet. I also have a teen at home. If someone would co.e up with an affordable, healthy meal prep delivery on EBT, it could be life changing for some.