Double Your SNAP Benefits in 27 States With This Program

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Get two for the price of one on fruits and vegetables with your food benefits. 

If you’re a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipient, you’ll know that it isn’t easy to feed a family on food benefits. It’s true that the total benefit amount has increased in recent years. However, the skyrocketing price of food combined with the end of the COVID-19 pandemic emergency provisions mean that some families will actually receive less money in 2023.

One of the ways you can stretch your SNAP dollars is a program called Double Up Food Bucks. It only applies to fruit and vegetables, and means you can get double the value for every dollar you spend in participating farmers markets and stores. It’s like a two-for-one offer on all your produce, and makes it more affordable to buy healthy food for your family. This can make a huge difference to your bottom line and, ultimately, mean more money in your bank account.

Double Up Food Bucks

In participating states, Double Up Food Bucks teams up with certain stores and farmers markets to give SNAP recipients access to lower cost produce. Every dollar you spend is worth two — or, as the New York Double Up website puts it, you can, “Turn an apple a day into two apples a day.”

You can’t use the program at any old farmers market, you’ll need to check on your state’s website for participating locations. You’ll find the project is more established in some states than others. For example, in Michigan (where it was founded), there are over 250 participating locations, whereas Nebraska only has 12. There’s also a limit on how much you can buy each day, usually around $20 worth.

You can double your fruit and vegetable money in these states

The Double Up program has spread quickly through the U.S. since its creation in 2009. It doesn’t operate in every state, though other states do have similar projects. Here are the Double Up Food Bucks states, as well as the daily spending limit:

Alabama: Match spending on your EBT card for up to $20 free per day.Arizona: Match spending on your SNAP Quest Card for up to $20 per day.California: Match spending of CalFresh EBT dollars for up to $10 per day.Colorado: Match spending on your Quest Card for up to $20 a day.Hawaii: SNAP payments at DA BUX Double Up Food Bucks get 50% discounts on local fruits and veg, restricted to one transaction per day per SNAP card.Idaho: Match spending on your Quest Card at participating markets and stores.Indiana: Match SNAP spending of up to $20 per day with the St. Joseph Community Health Foundation.Iowa: Match ETB Card payments for up to $10 on every visit.Kansas: Match SNAP/EBT Card payments for up to $25 per day.Massachusetts: Get 50% off fruit and veg with your EBT card, up to $5 or $10 depending on the location.Michigan: Match Bridge card payments for up to $20 a day.Mississippi: Match SNAP/EBT card payments for up to $20 a day.Missouri: Match SNAP/EBT card payments for up to $25 per day.Nebraska: Match SNAP/EBT card payments for up to $20 a day.Nevada: Match SNAP/EBT card payments for up to $20 per day.New Hampshire: Get 50% off on EBT payments for up to $20 in discounts a day.New Jersey: Good Food Bucks program matches SNAP/EBT card payments.New Mexico: Matches SNAP/EBT card payments in participating locations.New York: Matches SNAP/EBT card payments for up to $20 a day.North Carolina: Matches SNAP/EBT card payments for up to $20 per day.North Dakota: Matches SNAP/EBT card payments for up to $10 per trip. Programs vary between markets and stores.Oklahoma: Double Up Oklahoma (DUO) matches SNAP/EBT card payments up to $20 per day.Oregon: Matches SNAP/EBT card payments for up to $20 a day.South Dakota: Matches SNAP/EBT card payments up to $20 per visit.Tennessee: Matches SNAP/EBT card payments for up to $20 a day.Texas: Matches Lone Star SNAP card payments for up to $30 per day (some markets may have different limits).Utah: Matches SNAP/EBT Horizon card for up to $30 per day.

If your state doesn’t offer Double Up Food Bucks

Even if the Double Up program isn’t available in your state, it’s worth checking to see if there’s anything else available locally. For example, Washington has something called SNAP Market Match, which works in a similar way. Louisiana has a similar Market Match program. It doesn’t really matter who operates the program. What’s important is whether it helps you buy low-cost fruit and vegetables.

If you can’t find any type of produce discounts, you could contact Double Up Food Bucks directly and find out how to get something started in your area. It may take time, but kicking things off could help your household as well as benefiting your community.

These price match programs aren’t the only way to make your food budget go further. Another is to use cash back apps to get money back on all your grocery spending and to shop around to find the best discounts on expensive items. Coupon apps can help here, as can sites like the Krazy Coupon Lady that pull together the best deals each week.

If you’re really struggling to put food on the table, you may need more immediate assistance. Contact United Way on 2-1-1 to find out about food pantries and soup kitchens in your area. It’s a toll-free number and you’ll speak to someone with access to all kinds of information, including assistance programs you might be able to qualify for.

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