Does Trader Joe’s Accept EBT Card in 2021 & How Does it Work?

Does Trader Joe’s Accept EBT Card? It seems frustrating when walking into a store with your EBT card just to know they are actually not accepting the card. This article will be of great help as it will answer the question “Does Trader Joe’s Accept EBT Card?”

All Trader Joe’s locations accept EBT card. EBT or Electronic Benefits Transfer, also known as SNAP benefits, is a government-sponsored public service that delivers funds specifically for food items.

Eligible food purchases include vegetables, meats, dairy products, and fruits. Non-eligible items include alcohol, tobacco, and all nonfood items.

Apply for an EBT card by contacting a local SNAP office. Each state has its own EBT application, and 42 states provide online EBT applications.

Trader Joe’s Overview

Trader’s Joe’s is a privately owned chain of neighborhood grocery stores. They pride themselves on their selection of high quality organic and non-organic products, their variety of food inspired from all around the globe, great customer service, and affordable prices.

Trader Joe’s originally got it starts in California and has since spread to over 459 locations all over the United States.

How Does EBT Card Work at Trader Joe’s?

If you are eligible to receive benefits, an account will be established in your name and benefits will be deposited electronically in the account each month. You will receive a plastic card, like a bank debit card for making qualified purchases with your benefits.

To use the card, you will need to select a secret PIN (Personal Identification Number) which will be explained to you by the local worker.

If you qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits at Trader Joe’s, you can use your card to:

• Purchase any selected items at any of their available point-of-sale registers.

If you qualify for WV Works/Cash and Child Support Incentive benefits, you can use your card to:

• Withdraw benefits from any QUEST® ATM throughout West Virginia or nationwide.
• Pay for purchases at the store.
• Get cash back with a purchase at the store.

Here are a few important things you should note with regards to using your EBT card at Trader Joe’s:

Food Items Eligible With EBT Card

You should be aware of when using your EBT card at Trader Joe’s is the items you are buying. It advisable to always select eligible EBT food items when shopping with your EBT card to redeem food stamps.

Any attempt in selecting unapproved food items and trying to purchase them with your EBT card, will result in your transaction not been processed. You will have to pay for those unapproved items with another form of payment such as cash or credit.

Here are some of the common eligible EBT food items:

• Soft Drinks (Italian soda, juice, etc.)
• Snack Crackers and Chips (potato chips, veggie chips, etc.)
• Poultry (chicken breast, chicken thighs, turkey breast, etc.)
• Pork products (pork chops, pork sausage, etc.)
• Red Meat (steak, ground beef, ribs, etc.)
• Dessert Items (ice cream, brownies, cookies, etc.)
• Bread, cereal, granola bars
• Dairy products (milk, yogurt, cheese, etc.)
• Fresh, Frozen, and Canned Fruits
• Fresh, Frozen, and Canned Vegetables
• Cooking Oils (olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil, etc.)
• Seeds, Nuts, and Plants (cashews, peanut butter, etc.)
• Fresh and Frozen Seafood (fish, shellfish, etc.)
• Candy (Trader Joe’s variety of chocolate bars)
• Frozen food items (butter chicken, pasta, etc.)

However, your EBT card cannot be used to purchase protein powder, prepared food or protein bars from Trader Joe’s. More items that cannot be purchased at Trader Joe’s using your EBT card include

• Vitamins
• Medicine
• Household products
• Cleaning supplies
• Alcohol
• Tobacco
• Prepared food
• Feminine products, and

For a full list of all EBT approved and unapproved items, check out our post here.

Read Also:

• Does Whole Foods take EBT?
• Does Target Accept EBT Card
• Does Sam’s Club Take EBT Cards?
• Fast-food Restaurants that Accept EBT Near me

Always Check Your EBT Card Balance

What you should be aware of before redeeming your food stamp benefits at Trader Joe’s is your current EBT card balance. Not having enough money on your EBT card could be bad for you especially if the transaction is larger than the available EBT card balance.

This usually result in your transaction not been processed.  You have to pay an extra difference with another form of payment such as cash or credit as discussed above.

For help checking your EBT Card Balance, check out our EBT Card Balance by State list here. Once you are on the page, select the state where you are receiving benefits, and follow the instructions provided to receive your current EBT Card Balance.

Other Stores That Do Accept EBT

Like Trader Joe’s, there are hundreds of other stores that accept EBT cards from food stamp recipients. EBT approved stores can include grocery stores, markets, wholesale stores, convenience stores, discount stores, specialty food stores, and farmer’s markets.

To find out what stores take EBT near you, check out our full list of EBT approved stores here.

FAQs

1. Can the government tell what I bought with my EBT card?

The EBT system does not keep a record of what you buy.

2. What kind of gift cards does Trader Joe’s issue and accept?

Trader Joe’s only issues and accepts physical gift cards in our physical stores. We do not issue or accept printable or digital versions of our gift cards. We choose this approach to better protect the original purchaser or recipient of our gift cards.

3. Is my personal information in the EBT system kept private?

Yes. Information about clients in the EBT system is under the same privacy rules that govern the CalFresh Program and CalWORKs.

4. What benefits will be included on the EBT card?

Cardholders could have any or all of the following benefits: SNAP, WV Works/Cash and Child Support Incentive

5. What if I already have my cash benefits direct deposited, do I have to use an EBT card to access those benefits?

No. If you already receive your cash benefits by direct deposit, you may continue to do so.

Final Say

It’s wise to always contact a local Trader Joe’s store to confirm that it accepts EBT, and use the USDA Food and Nutrition Service “SNAP Retailer Locator” to find participating stores.