The Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) helps feed many Americans who have fallen on hard times through a nationwide network of grocery stores.
So, ]if you shop at Meijer’s and would like to know whether the retailer accepts EBT cards and for what products, then kindly read on to see what I learned!
Does Meijer Take EBT In [currentyear]?
Meijer customers can purchase SNAP-eligible products using their EBT card in-store in [currentyear]. However, the facility is not available for online purchases. Meijer customers can use their EBT cards at the cashiers and self-checkouts. All Meijer stores are SNAP compliant, and customers will get a decent variety of SNAP qualified products.
Stay on to learn more about using EBT at Meijer, including what products you can buy, how to pay using your EBT card, and how long you can use it!
Can I Use My EBT Card at Meijer In-Store?
You can use your EBT card to purchase qualifying products at any Meijer store. Swipe your EBT card at the self-check or hand it to the cashier.
Use your EBT card first if your shopping contains a mix of qualifying and non-qualifying products.
Alternatively, you can split your shopping into qualifying and non-qualifying items and then pay separately.
Do All Meijer Stores Accept EBT Payment?
Every Meijer store that can and has fulfilled the requirements laid under the SNAP program accepts EBT payments.
You can find out if the Meijer store in your area accepts EBT payment using the SNAP Retailer Locator on the USDA website.
Can I Use My EBT Card Online at Meijer?
Unfortunately, Meijer does not accept EBT cards online. In fact, the use of EBT cards for online grocery purchases has just been in its pilot phase.
Consequently, only a few national stores accept EBT payments for online purchases: Walmart, Amazon, and Aldi. You cannot use EBT for home deliveries or pickups either.
How Do I Use My EBT Card at Meijer?
You can use your EBT card at the Meijer cashier or self-checkout using the following procedure:
(Note that you must have the card with you and that it must be a card assigned to you.)
- Find out how much you have left on the card using your last receipt or visiting the EBT website in your state.
- Take your groceries to the checkout lane. Most scanners can automatically add EBT discounts to your purchases.
Otherwise, you may have to separate your shopping into qualifying and non-qualifying items.
- Swipe your card at the POS terminal and follow the prompts at the self-checkout counter.
- Alternatively, hand it over to the cashier.
- Key in your PIN and ENTER.
- The cashier will feed in the purchase amount, which you will confirm.
- The system will generate a printed receipt for you detailing the purchase. Please keep it for future reference as to your balance.
What Products Can I Use My EBT Card for at Meijer?
The foods you can buy using EBT under the SNAP guidelines are divided into the following four broad categories:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat, poultry, and fish
- Dairy products
- Bread and cereals
You may also buy certain snack foods, non-alcoholic beverages, seeds, and plants that produce food to eat.
What Am I Not Allowed to Buy Using EBT at Meijer?
These are the items you cannot buy with your EBT card:
- Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, and tobacco
- Vitamins, medicines, and supplements
- Live animals except for shellfish, fish out of the water, and live animals slaughtered before being delivered
- Foods that are hot when sold
- Non-food items
Will Meijer Accept My EBT From Out of State?
EBT cards acquired out of state are good in another state, and Meijer will accept them.
Though the state administers the SNAP program, it is a federal program that all states are mandated to accept.
However, you may use your out-of-state card in another state if you intend to stay there for only a short time.
Otherwise, if you intend to stay longer, you are advised to apply for another card in the state you are now a resident in.
How Do I Know I Am Eligible for an EBT Card to Use at Meijer?
Your eligibility for SNAP/ EBT benefits is determined by the following:
- Gross monthly income at or below 130% of the poverty line. This amounts to $2,379 a month for a family of three or $28,550 a year
- The net income must be at or below the poverty line
- The household assets must not be more than $2500 in value for households without an elder or living with a disability
In a house with such dependents, the assets must be less than $3500.
The following persons are not eligible for SNAP benefits:
- Persons on strike
- Undocumented immigrants
- Certain classes of legal immigrants
If you are an adult without a disability or kids in the household, you can only receive benefits for three months at a time.
How Do I Apply for EBT to Use at Meijer?
The SNAP program is administered at the state level, and it’s in the state you reside in that you must apply.
Information on the application requirements and the process can be found on that state’s SNAP or government website.
Once the authorities receive your submission, they process it and let you know the outcome in 30 days.
During this time, an eligibility interview may be administered over the phone or in person.
If extenuating circumstances exist, the period may be expedited to seven days.
For How Long Can I Use My EBT at Meijer?
Upon receiving your EBT card, you are notified of the length of time it remains valid, called the certification period, after which you must apply to recertify.
The length of the certification period depends on your ability to earn an income and the dependants you have.
You are advised to apply before this period runs out, or whenever there are changes in circumstances, so there is no benefit break.
If you have any unused amounts on your account, they expire after 12 months.
To know more about Meijer, you can also read our posts on whether or not Meijer cash checks, does Meijer have layaway, and if Meijer prices match.
Conclusion
Eligible Meijer customers can access EBT benefits to buy healthy food through any of its stores that are compliant with SNAP requirements.
They only need to apply through the state or local SNAP agencies and undertake an interview to receive the benefits.
