What Are Food Stamps?

Because of the state of the economy, many people are asking the question, "What are food stamps?"

Food stamps are a form of government aid where you are given a monthly allotment that will allow you to purchase food for your household.

The term "Food Stamps" is actually an outdated term, the official name for the program is Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP for short.

The monthly allotment of SNAP benefits you will receive depends on your income, the income of others in your household, and the amount of people in your household.

Each month on a certain date, you will receive your SNAP benefits as an electronic deposit on an Electronic Benefits Transfer Card (EBT Card) that works just like a debit card.

You can take your loaded EBT Card to the grocery store and shop for the foods that your family normally eats, but you cannot purchase any other items except food, and you cannot purchase hot prepared foods.

When you have utilized the entire amount on your EBT card you will have to wait until your next allotment to receive more SNAP benefits. This is why it is important for you to be careful with your spending habits each month.

Now that you know the answer to the question, "What are food stamps," you can search this blog to find learn how to apply for food stamps in your particular state.

How to Cut Your Grocery Bill In Half in Mesa, Arizona

How does over $40 worth of groceries for only $16 sound?

The Help Yourself event is available at United Food Bank, in Mesa, Arizona every Friday.

• They accept cash or your food stamp card (no checks).
• There are no restrictions or qualifications.
• Food boxes contain frozen meats, fresh produce and assorted dry goods.

Location: 358 East Javelina Avenue, Mesa.

Directions: Off of Mesa Drive, between US 60 and Baseline - next to the Motor Vehicle Department.

Time: Fridays, 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

What is WIC?

WIC is an federal food assistance program administered by the by the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service (FNS). WIC is designed for pregnant and lactating mothers and children under five (5) years of age.

The program provides education, breast pumps, and food staples (baby formula, milk, eggs, peanut butter, cereal, cheese, etc.) to eligible women and their children.

The main goal of the WIC program is to help keep low-income women, infants and children healthy because there is a proven fact that poor people have less access to nutritious food.

WIC checks are distributed on a monthly basis, and the free food items provided are listed on each check. Currently, more and more states are replacing WIC checks with WIC debit cards that function like food stamp EBT cards.

Quite often, if you qualify for food stamps, you will probably qualify for WIC.

Click here to download a list of local WIC offices.

Accept Food Stamps?

Because of harsh economic changes many people across the country are applying for SNAP Benefits for the very first time in their life.

A lot of the people who are new to the program will often ask the question, "How do I know if a store will accept food stamps?"

The answer to that question is relatively simple. Somewhere on the outside of the building of the store there will be a sign that looks like this:

Since the official name for the food stamp program has been changed to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), sometimes you will see signs like the one below with the official logo.

The two signs above are the one that you will most generally see because they are official logos, but sometimes a store that accepts food stamps will have a homemade sign, or they will display the fact that EBT or is accepted in their store, or they will show a Quest EBT Network sign:

Other types of signs you may see are signs that post the name of the program in your state or signs that show your state's specific EBT Card.

Either way, if you see any of the signs, or types of signs listed above you wil know that you can use your EBT Card there to buy groceries, and you can also buy fast food food like Pizza Hut, KFC, and Subway with food stamps in some places n ow: