Requirements to
Accept EBT
How to make your
business EBT friendly
A Store Owner's Guide to
EBT Stocking Criteria from FNS
This resource will help new SNAP retailers understand the FNS stocking criteria required to get started with accepting EBT sales at their stores. To ensure SNAP recipients have ample access to staple foods, the Food and Nutrition Services requires that SNAP retailers stock a specific selection of items.
How to Meet Stocking
Requirements for SNAP Eligibility
According to the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), SNAP authorized stores must meet one of two staple food requirements:
Criterion A
Most convenience stores, small grocers and other retailers are authorized under Criterion A. Under Criterion A, a store must have 3 stocking units of 3 different varieties for each of the 4 staple food categories on a continuous basis.
(3×3) × 4 = 36
This is a total of 36 foods that must be stocked at any given time.
1 in 2
There must be 1 perishable item
in 2 of the staple food categories.
Example
Vegetables
or Fruits
Dairy
Products
Breads or
Cereals
Meat, Poultry
or Fish
What are staple foods?
Vegetables or fruits
Meat, poultry or fish
Dairy products
Breads or cereals
What Food Items Really Qualify for
SNAP or Food Stamps as Staple Foods?
There are a number of foods that you already stock or could easily add to your shelves that will satisfy the stocking requirement. Foods like apples, oranges and potatoes qualify in the vegetable or fruit category, but so do applesauce, orange juice and frozen tater tots.
Stocking perishable items in two categories may be one of the more challenging requirements for retailers, but there are many items that qualify as perishable that you likely already have in your store.
Click on each image below to see examples of FNS-approved foods for each staple category.
Items with an asterisk (*) are perishable.
Vegetables + Fruits
Vegetables + Fruits
- Potatoes*
- Frozen tater tots*
- 100% orange juice*
- Fresh Oranges*
- Canned
tomato soup - Dried apples
- Pre-cut apple
go-packs* - Fresh bananas*
- Pre-cut and bagged romaine lettuce*
- Canned
pineapple rings
Dairy Products
Dairy Products
- Fresh deli
sliced cheese* - Packaged grated
parmesan cheese - Whole milk*
- Refigerated
almond milk*
- Shelf-stable
almond milk* - Fresh salted butter*
- Margarine*
- Fresh whole milk
vanilla yogurt*
Breads & Cereals
Breads & Cereals
- A loaf of
multigrain bread* - Dried pasta
- Corn or
flour tortillas* - Plain bagels*
- Rice- or
oat-based cereal
- Frozen dinner rolls*
- Hot dog buns*
- A bag of rice
- Whole wheat pita*
Meat + poultry + Fish
Meat + poultry + Fish
- Fresh deli-sliced
turkey* - Fresh
chicken cutlets* - Frozen chicken
nuggets* - Fresh
groud beef*
- Beef jerky
- Canned albacore
tuna fish - Fresh
sliced ham* - Fresh
chicken eggs*
Download the USDA SNAP Staple Foods Guide
This FNS page provides the USDA’s definitions of staple foods and includes additional information regarding foods that are NOT covered by SNAP, such as prepared foods, heated foods, or accessory foods. One of our friendly representatives would be happy to assist you.
Criterion B
Under Criterion B, a store must have more than 50% of its total gross retail sales
from the sale of staple foods. Most convenience stores do not fit under this
model, as specialty stores are more commonly authorized under Criterion A.
Criterion B Calculation + Requirements
Total Gross
Retail Sales
Non-Food Sales
Prepared/Heated Food Sales
Accessory
Food Sales
Staple
Food Sales
EBT NOW makes EBT a SNAP!
We recommend taking our quick 10 question quiz to find out if your store meets all of the requirements for SNAP retailers or what you are missing.
goEBT Makes EBT a SNAP!
If you would like assistance, call 855.826.0920 and one of our representatives would be happy to help you. Or click the button and fill out the form and we will contact you.