More help for the pantry will soon arrive in the accounts: Do you have the Lone Star Card ready? Because these days they will drop up to $1,756 extra to buy food. Yes, you read that right. Here we tell you everything you need to know so you don’t miss a cent and understand what is happening with these benefits. Let’s try to untangle this mess.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is a special program that assists millions of people throughout the United States, in all 50 states and also in other territories such as Guam, and the United States Virgin Islands (Puerto Rico has an equivalent program as well).
When am I due to receive my SNAP benefits in Texas?
It turns out that deposit dates depend on the last two digits of your EDG number (super technical, we know). If your number ends in 00-03, your money will arrive on February 16. But don’t worry, here is the complete breakdown so you don’t have any doubts (dates up to the weekend):
- 14-17: February 20
- 18-20: February 21
- 21-24: February 22
- 25-27: February 23
Confused about the EDG? Basically, if you were approved before June 1, 2020, they deposit you between the 16th and 28th. If it was after, you get between the 1st and 15th. Nothing out of this world, very easy to understand, actually.
The maximum SNAP benefits are determined by several factors, among which the income, assets, and capital that the household has, as well as the size of the household in terms of number of people, stand out:
SNAP benefits by household size
Household Size Maximum Monthly Benefit, Fiscal Year 2025 Estimated Average Monthly Benefit, Fiscal Year 2025*
- 1 person: $292 (average $199)
- 2 people: $536 (average $364)
- 3 people: $768 (average $594)
- 4 people: $975 (average $726)
- 5 people: $1,158 (average $845)
- 6 people: $1,390 (average $1,018)
- 7 people: $1,536 (average $1,116)
- 8 people: $1,756 (average $1,317)
- Each additional person: $220
The SNAP EBT card: your new best friend
Think of it like a debit card, but instead of spending your paycheck, it has SNAP benefits. This is how the EBT Card works. You use it anywhere that accepts EBT (yes, even some farmers’ markets).
To qualify, you must meet certain income requirements. But don’t stress: the best way to find out is to contact your local human services office. They explain everything to you and even help you with the paperwork. Of course, each case is unique, so don’t assume you don’t qualify without asking. Find the information in your state of residence and apply today, because the funds are already secured by the US Department of Agriculture.
The hot gossip: Are they going to ban sodas with SNAP?
Here comes the controversy. A congressman from Texas is proposing that sodas, candy and other snacks cannot be purchased with benefits. The reason? They say it is to promote healthier eating. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Brooke Rollins, two figures in the new administration, are pushing this idea.
Kennedy said on Fox News: “We shouldn’t use taxes to make people eat poison.” Rollins, for his part, questions whether taxpayers want their money to fund sugary drinks. But… is it so easy to prohibit it?
Here comes the fine print that no one reads: It turns out that SNAP is governed by the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008, which allows you to purchase any edible product except alcohol, tobacco and hot food ready to go. To change that, Congress would have to modify the law, or states would have to request special permits. And that is not so simple.
In recent years, several states have tried to ban things like bottled water, French fries, or even steaks (fancy meat, they say!). So far, none have prospered. Because? Because there is debate: Is it fair to control what people buy with their benefits? Or is it about educating for nutrition without prohibiting it?
