Does Walgreens Accept Food Stamps? - Digital Consumer (2024)

Does Walgreens Accept Food Stamps in 2023?

Yes, Walgreens Does Accept Food Stamps in 2023.

If you’re a food stamps recipient with an EBT card, you can use this card to pay for certain items from Walgreens stores.

However, there are products sold at Walgreens that don’t qualify for these benefits, so we’ll go over the details.

Sometimes, it can be confusing to keep track of various benefits programs and what’s covered by what, so we’ve made this page to help keep things extra simple, so that you can shop with confidence and not have to worry about coming up short or having certain purchases rejected.

There’s absolutely zero shame in using the SNAP program, everybody needs to eat and sometimes things are tough for one reason or another.

That’s what these programs exist for, they are funded specifically for the people who need them, so if you’re in a position where you qualify for these benefits, don’t be ashamed to put them to use.

There’s nothing wrong with accepting help when you need it, especially when it’s being offered in a program that exists for that exact reason.

With that out of the way, let’s talk about using EBT at Walgreens and what you need to know, especially if you’re new to this program and unfamiliar with all of the ins and outs.

Walgreens is an American chain of pharmacy stores that was founded all the way back in 1901 in Chicago, Illinois.

Walgreens was founded by Charles Rudolph Walgreen, and today this brand is the 2nd largest chain of pharmacy stores in America, meaning that wherever you are, you’re probably not too far from a Walgreens store.

Walgreens sells a lot of different items, today’s pharmacies have a much broader range of merchandise than they did in the past, certainly compared to when Walgreens was founded, to say the least.

Today at Walgreens, you can find anything from toys and games, health products, household items, decorations, and even a lot of groceries.

All of this, and more, is in addition to the typical stuff you’d expect to find at a pharmacy including prescription and over-the-counter medications.

Walgreens sells a lot of food items, which often makes people wonder if they are able to pay for their food at Walgreens using SNAP benefits, formerly known as food stamps.

These days, SNAP benefits are sent out to an account and can be purchased using an EBT card.

If you have an EBT card, and you’re thinking of buying some groceries at your local Walgreens store, but you want to make sure first – you’re in the right place.

We’ve done the research and compiled everything you should know about using food stamps at Walgreens stores all across America, so let’s get right into it.

How To Use Food Stamps at Walgreens

When we say food stamps, we’re referring to the EBT programs, since that’s how payments are made at participating retailers now.

Stores can opt-in to this program, but not every retailer decides to go through the necessary steps in order to accept EBT payments. With tens of millions of Americans receiving benefits from EBT, it’s no wonder that larger retailers accept it, because that’s a lot of potential customers.

If you want to use EBT at Walgreens, all you simply need to do is go about your shopping as you normally would, but keep track of which items are covered under the SNAP program and which items aren’t.

You’ll need to divide the items that can be purchased with EBT from the ones that can’t, and you’ll need to use a second payment method for the items that aren’t covered, such as cash, credit card, or debit.

When it’s time to pay for your EBT-eligible items, the cashier will ring them up as normal, and you’ll simply swipe your EBT card in the payment terminal and enter your PIN.

Next, if you’re buying anything that isn’t eligible, you’ll simply pay for that in a second transaction, then you’re all set.

What Can You Buy With Food Stamps at Walgreens?

You can buy a lot of different grocery items at Walgreens, but it will depend on what types of things your local Walgreens store keeps in stock.

In terms of food items that you’ll commonly find at Walgreens, keep an eye out for non-perishable items like cereals and grains, pasta, and so on.

But part of the requirements for a store to accept EBT is to also sell a couple of perishable food items, too. It can’t only be shelf-stable stuff that lasts for ages.

You can also use EBT at Walgreens to buy things like eggs, cheese, and other dairy products.

You can purchase meats, and a lot more.

The rule of thumb is to see if the item has a label with nutritional information on the back, as this will typically qualify it as an acceptable food item, and items that aren’t eligible typically won’t have this label.

For example, vitamins and supplements are sold in abundance at Walgreens, but they aren’t eligible for food stamps, even if they’re technically food (something you eat, that has nutrition in it).

They don’t have a nutritional label, but they do have a label with supplement facts, so just keep that distinction in mind.

Also, food stamps cannot be used for hot food items or stuff that’s meant to be eaten where you buy it, for example fast food or other restaurants don’t qualify for food stamps except in a very specific case, in only a handful of states.

It’s wise to familiarize yourself with what is and what isn’t covered, and don’t just take advice from people you know, it’s good to actually check it for yourself to ensure that you aren’t accidentally misusing your benefits and putting yourself at risk of losing them.

The good news is that it’s pretty straightforward, and the rules apply across the board, so it’s not like you can purchase a freshly-prepared hamburger from one store and not another one.

Every store has the same eligibility requirements, it just comes down to what that particular store stocks.

For example, some stores may accept food stamps but they won’t sell milk, even though milk is eligible for SNAP benefits.

Conclusion

You can use food stamps to purchase things at Walgreens pharmacies, as long as those items are food and they’re eligible to be paid for with an EBT card.

It can feel confusing and overwhelming to figure all of this out at first, especially since you probably have a lot of other things you’re dealing with and other priorities besides studying what you can and can’t buy with your benefits.

Thankfully, it’s pretty straightforward since you get the hang of it, and after one or two grocery shops with your EBT card, you’ll have a good understanding of what’s covered and what is not covered.

Walgreens makes it easy to use your food stamps, in other words, to pay using your EBT card at checkout.

This is a big positive, because people on benefits are much better served when a wide variety of grocers and similar stores are accepting their payment methods.