Yes, you can buy coffee with food stamps, as long as it is coffee you prepare at home. SNAP covers packaged coffee across our coffee aisle, but hot coffee and drinks made to order at a counter are not covered.
Since 2026, some states also exclude sweetened ready-to-drink coffee and energy drinks from SNAP coverage. Rules vary by state, so you should check your state guidelines before buying pre-made bottled coffee.
Coffee SNAP covers
You can buy these items with your EBT card:
Whole bean coffee
Ground coffee (regular, decaf, flavored)
Instant coffee and instant espresso
K-Cup and other single-serve pods
Nespresso capsules
Cappuccino and latte mixes
Cold brew concentrate
Unsweetened bottled cold coffee
The test is simple: if it has a Nutrition Facts label and you take it home to prepare, it's covered.
Ingredients Arabica Coffee.
Ingredients Arabica Coffee.
Ingredients Coffee.
Ingredients Ground Arabica Coffee.
Pods and K-Cups
Pods and K-Cups are packaged groceries for home brewing and are covered by SNAP. You can use your EBT card for single-serve pods and capsules in our coffee aisle.
Ingredients Coffee.
Ingredients Ground Arabica Coffee.
Ingredients Ground Arabica Coffee, Natural Flavors.
Ingredients 100% Arabica Coffee (10% from Kona, Hawaii).
Ingredients 100% Arabica Coffee.
Ingredients 100% Arabica Coffee.
Coffee creamer and milk
Creamer of every kind (liquid, powdered, non-dairy such as oat, almond, and coconut, flavored), half-and-half, cream, and milk are covered. No state restriction we found names creamer. Sugar, honey, and other sweeteners for your coffee are covered too.
Ingredients Corn Syrup Solids, Vegetable Oil (Hydrogenated Coconut and/or Palm Kernel), Sodium Caseinate (a Milk Derivative), Less than 2% of Dipotassium Phosphate, Mono- and Diglycerides, Silicon Dioxide, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Annatto and Turmeric Extract (Color).
Ingredients INGREDIENTS: CORN SYRUP SOLIDS, HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL (COCONUT AND/OR PALM KERNEL AND/OR SOYBEAN), AND LESS THAN 2% OF DIPOTASSIUM PHOSPHATE, SODIUM CASEINATE (A MILK DERIVATIVE)**, SODIUM ALUMINOSILICATE, MONO- AND DIGLYCERIDES, ANNATTO COLOR. **Not a source of lactose
Ingredients Water, Sugar, Vegetable Oil (High Oleic Soybean and/or High Oleic Sunflower), Sodium Caseinate (from Milk)*, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Dipotassium Phosphate, DATEM, Polysorbate 60, Carrageenan. * Not a Source of Lactose.
Ingredients Water, Coconut Cream, Almonds, Natural Flavors, Acacia Gum, Dipotassium Phosphate, Sunflower Lecithin, Sea Salt, Gellan Gum
Ingredients Water, Propylene Glycol, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Sucralose, Lactic Acid, Acesulfame Potassium, Potassium Sorbate (Preservative), Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Caramel Color.
What SNAP doesn't cover
SNAP does not cover every coffee item in our stores:
Hot coffee or any food hot at the point of sale
Drinks made to order at a café or coffee bar, hot or iced
Coffee makers, grinders, and filters (not food)
The federal reason is that the USDA excludes foods that are hot at the point of sale. For example, a bag of Starbucks beans from the coffee aisle is covered, but a latte from the Starbucks counter in the same store is not.
States that restrict sweetened coffee drinks and energy drinks
The USDA has approved waivers that let some states take soda, sweetened drinks, energy drinks, or candy off the SNAP list. Each state writes its own definitions, so the same bottled coffee can be covered in one state and not the next.
The most common carve-out is that drinks made with milk or a milk substitute stay covered. Unsweetened coffee, grounds, pods, and creamer are not restricted in any of these states.
State | What SNAP won't cover | Sweetened bottled coffee | Starts |
|---|---|---|---|
Soda, drinks under 50% juice, sweetened ready-to-drink coffee and tea, energy drinks, candy | Not covered, even with milk | July 1, 2026 | |
Soda, energy drinks, candy, prepared desserts | Covered. Coffee does not count as soda or an energy drink | April 20, 2026 | |
Sweetened drinks, candy | Not covered unless it has milk or a milk substitute | February 15, 2026 | |
Sweetened drinks including energy drinks, candy | Not covered unless it has milk or a milk substitute | January 1, 2026 | |
Carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks, candy | Covered unless carbonated | February 18, 2026 | |
Drinks with more than 10 g sugar per 8 fl oz, energy drinks, candy, shelf-stable desserts | Not covered over 10 g of sugar per 8 fl oz, milk or not | November 1, 2026 | |
Sweetened drinks, energy drinks, drink mixes, candy | Bottled coffee with added sugar is not covered | November 1, 2026 | |
Soft drinks including energy drinks and sweetened tea, candy | Covered. Coffee does not count as a soft drink | February 15, 2026 | |
Soft drinks, sweetened drinks, energy drinks, candy | Not covered unless it has milk or a milk substitute | November 1, 2026 | |
Drinks with 5 g or more added sugar or any artificial sweetener, candy | Not covered unless it has milk or a milk substitute | April 1, 2026 | |
Carbonated sweetened soft drinks | Covered | January 1, 2026 | |
Carbonated sweetened drinks | Covered | November 1, 2026 | |
Soda, soft drinks, energy drinks; candy from March 1, 2027 | Check the state page | December 1, 2026 | |
Sweetened drinks, candy | Not covered unless it has milk or a milk substitute | February 15, 2027 | |
Drinks with more than 10 g sugar per serving, energy drinks, candy, prepared desserts | Not covered over 10 g of sugar per serving unless it has milk | February 15, 2027 | |
Carbonated sweetened drinks | Covered | February 1, 2027 | |
Carbonated drinks with more than 10 g sugar per serving | Covered | April 1, 2027 | |
Drinks with sugar or syrup as a main ingredient, fountain drinks | Check the USDA waiver list | April 1, 2027 | |
Sugar-sweetened drinks, candy | Covered. Coffee drinks are excluded | February 1, 2028 |
Court orders have stopped the restrictions approved for Colorado, Iowa, Tennessee and West Virginia, so the standard federal rules apply there for now.
State rules change and some start later, so check your state's page before you shop, and in states not listed the standard federal rules apply. You can review the USDA's list of state food restriction waivers and check your state's SNAP agency for details where you live.
Does Starbucks take EBT?
Standalone Starbucks stores do not accept EBT because they are restaurants, not grocery retailers. The Starbucks counters inside our stores make drinks to order, so those drinks are not covered, hot or iced. Packaged Starbucks coffee and bottled Starbucks drinks from our aisles are covered, within your state's rules on sweetened drinks.
Using EBT at our stores
At checkout the register applies SNAP to eligible items and you pay the rest another way. We also take EBT for Drive Up & Go pickup and delivery, but delivery fees and tips need another payment method. Learn more in our guide to using SNAP EBT at Safeway.
Brewing at home
You can make coffee at home with these straightforward methods:
Drip: 2 tablespoons ground coffee per 6 ounces of water, adjust to taste.
French press: same ratio with coarse grounds, steep 4 minutes.
K-Cup machine: the smallest cup setting gives a stronger cup.
Cold brew: 1 cup coarse grounds to 4 cups cold water, steep 12 to 24 hours, strain, keeps in the fridge up to 2 weeks.
For more tips, read our cold brew and iced coffee guide.
Common questions about coffee and SNAP
Can you buy coffee with food stamps?
Yes, SNAP covers coffee you prepare at home, including beans, ground coffee, instant coffee, pods, and creamer. Hot prepared coffee is not covered.
Can you buy coffee creamer with EBT?
Yes, all types of coffee creamer are covered by EBT. This includes liquid, powdered, dairy, and plant-based varieties.
Can you buy K-Cups with EBT?
Yes, K-Cups are covered by EBT. Nespresso capsules and other single-serve pods are also covered.
Can you buy hot coffee with EBT?
No, hot coffee is not covered. Federal rules exclude food and drinks that are hot at the point of sale.
Can you buy iced coffee with EBT?
Bottled or canned iced coffee sold cold is usually covered. Unsweetened iced coffee is covered everywhere. Sweetened ready-to-drink coffee is restricted in some states unless it contains milk, and in Arkansas even with milk. Iced coffee made to order is not covered.
Does Starbucks accept EBT?
Standalone Starbucks stores do not accept EBT. Packaged Starbucks products in our aisles, such as ground coffee, whole beans, and bottled drinks, are covered.
Can I buy energy drinks with EBT?
It depends on your state. Several states now restrict energy drinks, including Arkansas, Florida, Indiana, Louisiana, Montana, North Dakota, and South Carolina. Elsewhere, drinks with a Nutrition Facts label are covered and those with a Supplement Facts label are not.
Does EBT cover coffee makers?
No, EBT covers food and beverage items only. Coffee makers, grinders, and paper filters are not covered.
Is organic coffee covered by SNAP?
Yes, organic coffee is covered by SNAP as long as it is packaged for home preparation.
Can I use EBT online at Safeway?
Yes, we accept EBT online for Drive Up & Go pickup and delivery orders. Delivery fees and tips need another payment method.
Are there limits on how much coffee I can buy?
No, there are no item limits on coffee under federal SNAP rules.
