Keeping spending restricted to a grocery budget isn’t easy in this day and age. Anyone who’s relied on federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds to pay for groceries knows that you’ve got to get pretty creative to stretch every dollar to the maximum. Enter Dollar Tree, which has tons of items priced at around $1.25. Not only can you get affordable kitchen essentials like dishware and cutlery, but the discount retailer also stocks tons of food items. Some Dollar Tree foods are even pretty fancy! The good news for SNAP shoppers is that Dollar Tree also accepts EBT cards, which are the debit-style cards that the government uses to distribute the funds each month. There is a catch, however: Just like any other store in America (grocery or otherwise), Dollar Tree can only accept EBT payments for SNAP eligible food items. Other non-food items (like paper towels) and foods that aren’t on the approved list (like alcohol, vitamins, and pet food) will need to be paid for separately.
Limitations on what you can buy with an EBT card can vary from state to state, so be sure to check your state’s SNAP website or go to the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) website for a list of what you can and can’t buy with SNAP dollars. Many states also have nonprofit organizations that can answer your food benefits questions, like Project Bread in Massachusetts and Hunger Free Colorado, which help people navigate applications for government assistance.
Read more: 16 Store-Bought Frozen Pizzas, Ranked Worst To Best
Best EBT buys at Dollar Tree
A sign saying that a store accepts EBT cards – Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock
The good news is that although EBT cards can’t buy everything at Dollar Tree, there are a lot of nutritious grocery items you can score for a good price. The stores tend to sell plenty of shelf-stable foods, so look for canned veggies, soups, and proteins like tuna, chicken, and even packaged high-protein shakes. Dollar Tree also offers a selection of breakfast cereal, dried pasta, and condiments. Don’t sleep on the spice aisle, either — you can fill a whole spice rack for less than $20. Depending on the location, your local Dollar Tree may also carry cold and frozen items like milk, cheese, butter or margarine, and eggs. You might also be able to pick up a frozen pizza or premade dinner.
Dollar Tree also sells lots of prepackaged snacks, and while these are allowed on EBT, you might want to hold off on these — at least, at this store. The problem is that many dollar stores tend to sell packages of convenience foods like chips that are smaller than you could get at a traditional grocery store; so even though they’re only $1.25, you can get a better deal at a different store. The best way to know if you’re getting the best deal is to learn how to compare unit prices before you start swiping your card — because even if you’re just hungry for a snack, every dollar counts.
Read the original article on Chowhound.
