What You Can Buy With Your Washington Quest Card

Below is a list of eligible food stamp items that you can purchase using your Washington EBT card. These food items can be purchased at stores that accept EBT food stamps. The aim of the Washington SNAP benefits program is to provide nutritious foods to eligible low income individuals and families. As a general rule you can use your Washington EBT card to buy any food items except for food that is hot when sold, or food that's sold to be eaten in the store, like restaurant food. In some locations restaurants could be authorized to accept the Washington Quest Card from qualified disabled, elderly, or homeless people in exchange for low-cost meals.

What Can You Buy With Washington Food Stamps

• Breads and cereals
• Bottled water
• Fruits and vegetables
• Meats, fish and poultry
• Dairy products
• Seeds and plants which produce food for the household to eat
• Infant formula, cereals, juices
• Baby food in boxes and jars
• Energy drinks with a nutrition facts label
• Pumpkins

What You Cannot Buy With Washington Food Stamps

• Baby diapers or baby wipes
• Beer, wine or liquor
• Cigarettes or tobacco
• Nonfood items such as pet foods, soaps, paper products, household supplies
• Vitamins and medicines
• Food that will be eaten in the store
• Hot foods
• Grooming items or cosmetics
• Energy drinks with a supplement facts label (FDA classified as supplements)
• Generally live animals and birds

Your Washington SNAP benefits also allow you to buy some junk foods and luxury items. The guidelines created by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is outlined below.

From the USDA guidelines above, you can purchase the following items using your EBT card.

• Soft drinks
• Candy
• Cookies
• Snack crackers
• Ice cream
• Seafood such as lobster and shellfish
• Steaks
• Bakery cakes

Below are some common questions about what you can purchase with your Washington Quest Card.

Can you buy formula with food stamps?
You can use your Washington SNAP Benefits to buy baby food. Items include infant formula, cereals, juices, and baby food in boxes and jars.

Can you buy dog food with food stamps?
Households cannot use their food stamps to purchase any nonfood items, which includes pet foods.

Can you buy vitamins with food stamps?
You can buy any edible food except hot foods prepared for eating immediately. You cannot buy non-food items such as alcohol, pet food, vitamins, or grooming products.

Can you buy coffee with food stamps?
You can buy coffee including instant coffee and iced coffee. The only kind of coffee you can't buy using your EBT card is hot coffee. EBT SNAP benefits do not allow the purchase of hot liquids.