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If you receive SNAP benefits (formerly known as Food Stamps) and have a liking for fish, crab, oysters, and other seafood, you might be wondering about seafood places that accept EBT near you.
EBT cards provide benefits for those enrolled in the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP). Seafood is among the staple items you can purchase with EBT, available at popular seafood markets across the U.S. and local grocery stores.
Knowing which fish markets accept EBT near you is beneficial, allowing you to buy fresh-caught seafood to enjoy at home.
In this post, I’ll highlight the top seafood markets that accept EBT payments. Additionally, if you’re not close to these markets, I’ve included a list of grocery stores that accept EBT, providing in-store and online access to seafood.
What is an EBT card?
An EBT card, or Electronic Benefits Transfer card, is a debit card designed for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) recipients. It works like a regular debit card with a security PIN and a magnetic strip. However, it has a specific purpose – to pay for eligible items at authorized retailers.
Unlike a regular debit card that allows you to buy anything with sufficient funds, EBT cards can only be used to purchase items that qualify under SNAP. Later, we’ll outline the items eligible for purchase using an EBT card.
Who qualifies for an EBT card?
SNAP benefits, designed for the less fortunate and low-income families, have specific eligibility criteria. To apply for the EBT card, you must be a resident of your current state. The program considers various factors to determine qualifications.
Here is a list of individuals who can receive EBT benefits:
Homeless individuals:
- Despite myths suggesting otherwise, homeless individuals can qualify for SNAP benefits.
- A fixed residence or mailing address is not required.
- Homeless individuals can use a shelter letter to apply for the benefits, including access to prepared meals.
The elderly:
- Elderly individuals, often without a fixed source of income, are eligible for SNAP benefits.
- Once qualified, they can receive support at designated places, including access to seafood.
People living with disabilities:
- Individuals with disabilities facing challenges in putting food on the table receive SNAP benefits.
- Discrimination and difficulties in meal preparation contribute to their eligibility for the program.
Low-income families:
- Families earning less than 130% of the poverty level qualify for EBT benefits.
- Eligible families can use the card at restaurants, soup kitchens, and seafood markets accepting EBT.
- While there are restrictions on certain purchases, the card allows families to buy staples for a balanced diet.
- EBT benefits cover various food items, including fruits, vegetables, meat, candy, dairy, poultry products, snacks, non-alcoholic beverages, and bread and cereals.
Can I use EBT at Seafood places near me?
Certainly! You can use your EBT card to buy fresh, frozen, and packaged seafood at seafood markets and grocery stores. Items such as shrimp, lobster, fish, crab, mussels, and oysters are eligible for purchase with food stamps. However, EBT cards cannot be used for hot or prepared foods at seafood restaurants.
While some states have a Restaurant Meals Program that enables elderly, homeless, and disabled SNAP recipients to use their SNAP EBT cards at authorized restaurants, seafood places are generally not actively participating in this program.
What can you buy with an EBT card?
Your EBT card is for purchasing specific items. Here’s a list of what you can buy:
- Bread and cereals: pita bread, rye bread, tortillas, pasta, bagels, and rice.
- Candy
- Chips
- Cold sandwiches
- Cooking oils: olive oil and vegetable oil
- Dairy products: cheese, milk, and almond milk.
- Desserts: ice cream, cookies, or brownies
- Fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, or canned)
- Non-alcoholic beverages: soft drinks (like Sprite and Pepsi) and energy drinks (like Red Bull).
- Other foods, including snack foods
- Pork products: chops, sausages, bacon, and tenderloin.
- Poultry products: chicken and eggs
- Red meat: steak, ribs, and ground beef
- Salads
- Seafood: fish, shrimp, shellfish, and lobster.
- Seeds and plants for household food production
- Snack crackers
What can’t you buy with an EBT card?
EBT cards, or food stamps, cover essential food items and non-alcoholic beverages. However, they cannot be used for:
- Alcohol (beer, wine, liquor), cigarettes, or tobacco.
- Hot prepared foods.
- Live animals, except for shellfish, fish taken from the water, and animals slaughtered before store pickup.
- Non-food items, including: Cleaning supplies, paper products, pet foods, hygiene items, cosmetics, vitamins, medicines, and supplements.
Seafood Markets that accept EBT
If you use an EBT card, you’ll be pleased to know that several seafood markets allow you to use it to purchase fresh fish, shrimp, and other items. While grocery stores also offer seafood, these markets specifically cater to those with SNAP benefits.
Here are the top seafood markets that accept EBT.
Boston Public Market
- Location: Boston, Massachusetts
- Opening hours: Mon-Sat: 8 am – 6 pm, Sun: 10 am – 6 pm
- What it offers: An indoor, year-round marketplace featuring seasonal, locally sourced food from Massachusetts and New England. Find seafood, fresh produce, meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, baked goods, specialty items, crafts, and prepared meals.
John Yi Fish Market
- Location: Inside Reading Terminal Market, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Opening hours: 8 am – 6 pm
- What it offers: Discover a variety of farmed and wild-caught fish, sushi-grade tuna and salmon, and live lobsters.
Portland Fish Market
- Location: Portland, Oregon
- Opening hours: 10 am – 7 pm
- What it offers: Explore a selection of fish like Albacore tuna, black cod, and halibut. Also, find shellfish such as octopus legs, mussels, clams, shrimp, oysters, and house-smoked seafood like salmon, scallops, and trout.
Saltwater Seafood Market and Fry Shack
- Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
- Opening hours: Mon: Closed, Tue-Fri: 9 am – 7 pm, Sat: 8:30 am – 6 pm, Sun: 9 am – 4 pm
- What it offers: Wide variety of fresh and frozen fish and shellfish, including blue crabs, catfish, clams, cod, rainbow trout, salmon, shrimp, snapper, scallops, and live lobster.
Jersey City Fish Stand
- Location: Jersey City, NJ
- Opening hours: Year-round, Mon-Fri: 11:30 am – 7 pm, Sat: 10:30 am – 5 pm, Closed on Sundays
- What it offers: Sustainable, local fresh and frozen seafood, including fish, lobster, and shrimp.
Long John Silver’s
- Location: Nationwide, EBT accepted at select California locations
- Opening hours: Vary by location
- What it offers: Seafood-based meals such as fish and chips, fish sandwiches, and fish tacos.
Pike Place Fish Market
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Opening hours: Year-round, 7 am – 5 pm daily
- What it offers: Fresh seafood, including crabs, salmon, and halibut.
Seafood places that don’t accept EBT
Most seafood markets and restaurants in the United States do not accept EBT. Here’s a list of such places:
- 4th Street Shrimp Store
- Andria’s Seafood Restaurant & Market
- Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips
- Atlantic Seafood Market
- Bahama Breeze
- Bonefish Grill
- Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
- Captain Ds Seafood
- Carolina Meat & Fish Co.
- Conrad’s Crab & Seafood Market
- Crab Cake Cafe
- Crab Pot ATL
- Crabby Bil’s
- Jersey City Fish Stand
- Joe’s Crab Shack
- King’s Fish House
- Legal Seafoods
- Long John Silver’s
- Mac’s Seafood Markets
- McCormick and Schmick’s
- McGrath’s Fish House
- Milwaukee Public Market/St. Paul Fish Company
- Monahan’s Seafood Market
- Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen
- Pappas Seafood Co.
- Red Lobster
- Rockfish Seafood Grill
- San Pedro Fish Market
- Santa Monica Seafood Market & Café
- Shells Restaurant
- Paul Fish Company
- The Crazy Crab
- The District Fishwife
- The Lobster Place Seafood Market
- Truluck’s Seafood Steak and Crab House
Buy Seafood with EBT from these grocery stores
Purchase seafood using your EBT card at various grocery stores. While not many seafood markets accept EBT, numerous grocery stores do, making it convenient for you to access various seafood options. Explore the seafood selections at these EBT-friendly grocery stores, including options like salmon, shrimp, and cod.
Here is a list of grocery stores where you can use your EBT card to buy seafood:
Albertsons Seafood
Albertsons, a large home delivery retailer in 25 U.S. states, offers a range of fresh and frozen seafood, sushi, and shelf-stable tuna. Their products undergo a thorough inspection, ensuring delivery of fresh and healthy items nationwide, marked by an in-house seafood certification logo.
ALDI
ALDI, a discount grocery chain with 1,700 outlets in 37 states, stands out with a streamlined selection of around 1,300 low-priced grocery items, including frozen meat, poultry, and seafood. ALDI is now USDA-licensed to accept EBT cards for purchasing in-store and online seafood. SNAP participants can explore a variety of fresh Atlantic salmon, steelhead trout, tilapia fillets, and cold smoked salmon.
BJ’s Wholesale Club:
Operating in Massachusetts, Ohio, and Michigan, BJ’s Wholesale Club boasts an extensive seafood selection, accepting EBT cards for in-store and online purchases. Their eligible seafood items include fresh and frozen lobster, crab, salmon, calamari, and shrimp. Members enjoy free pickup, shipping, or same-day delivery for SNAP EBT-eligible purchases.
Costco
As the third-largest global retailer, Costco operates on a membership-only basis, providing a wide range of groceries and household items. With numerous locations nationwide, Costco offers an extensive seafood selection, with government subsidies and discounts making it accessible to a broad audience.
Food Lion
Food Lion, present in 10 U.S. states, accepts EBT cards for in-store and online purchases. Their seafood menu includes fresh and frozen fish, shrimp, inland Atlantic salmon, crab, and shellfish. Customers can also link their MVP loyalty cards to earn reward savings and redeem digital coupons.
Giant Eagle
Established during the First World War, Giant Eagle operates in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Indiana, and Maryland. Their seafood section accepts EBT card purchases for a variety of canned, frozen, and fresh seafood.
Hy-Vee
Hy-Vee offers a diverse selection of farm-raised and wild-caught seafood in-store and online, catering to EBT program participants.
Kroger
With over 2,900 locations, Kroger operates supermarkets and convenience stores under various labels. Most Kroger stores accept EBT cards, providing access to groceries and seafood for EBT program participants.
Publix
Publix, the largest employee-owned grocery chain, accepts EBT cards for seafood purchases in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. They offer a variety of fresh and wildly caught seafood.
Safeway
With efficient home grocery delivery, Safeway accepts EBT cards in several states, allowing customers to purchase seafood and other food items conveniently.
Sam’s Club
Operated by Walmart, Sam’s Club, a members-only club, accepts EBT cards for eligible seafood purchases, offering a range of groceries, including fresh meat and produce.
Target
Target provides various seafood options both online and offline, allowing customers to use their EBT cards for eligible purchases.
Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s, a nationwide grocery chain with over 530 stores, offers a selection of seafood and accepts EBT cards as an approved retailer on the SNAP program.
Wegmans Food Markets
With 108 stores nationwide, Wegmans joined the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot program, accepting EBT cards for eligible seafood in-store or online purchases through Instacart.
Whole Foods Market
Whole Foods Market, known for organic and nutritious options, accepts EBT cards for eligible seafood purchases in all 500 stores across the United States.
WinCo Foods
WinCo Foods, a privately-owned grocery chain, offers discounted seafood to SNAP program participants at most outlets, allowing EBT card usage at checkout.
BI-LO
BI-LO, primarily located in the southeastern U.S., participates in the EBT program, accepting cards for eligible purchases of groceries and household items.
Raley’s Supermarkets
Raley’s Supermarkets, a family-operated chain with over 120 stores, accepts EBT cards for eligible food purchases in northern California and Nevada.
Harris Teeter
Harris Teeter, operating in the South Atlantic states, is an EBT participant, allowing cardholders to purchase most grocery items.
Jewel-Osco
Jewel-Osco, headquartered in Illinois, accepts EBT cards at all locations for eligible purchases, including unprepared food items and plants.
Food 4 Less
Food 4 Less, owned by Kroger, is a national warehouse store grocery chain that accepts EBT cards to purchase eligible food items.
Smith’s Food and Drug
Smith’s Food and Drug, operating in the western and southwestern U.S., accepts EBT for eligible purchases, including most food items.
H-E-B
Based in Texas, H-E-B accepts EBT cards in over 350 stores, allowing eligible purchases of unprepared food items and seeds or plants.
This comprehensive list provides a clear overview of grocery stores and supermarkets that accept EBT cards for seafood and other eligible purchases.
Order seafood online from grocery stores that accept EBT
In the past, food stamps could only be used in-store, making online grocery shopping, including seafood, challenging. However, the USDA’s SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot has changed that.
This pilot program allows SNAP beneficiaries to use their EBT cards to buy groceries online from participating retailers in select states. It’s a convenient way to order seafood without going to the store.
You can use your valid EBT card to pay for your online grocery orders, either in full or in part, from eligible stores in participating states. Check my list of online grocery stores that accept EBT for delivery or pick-up. The list includes states involved in the SNAP online purchasing pilot and the grocery stores that accept EBT online in each state.
Below is a straightforward list of online retail stores that accept SNAP payments, organized by state:
Amazon
Amazon, a leading online retailer, offers a wide range of grocery items through Amazon Fresh, Whole Foods Market, and its main platform. This includes pantry staples like caviars, roes, fresh crab cakes, dried, fresh, and frozen seafood, imitation crab, Surimi, and smoked and cured fish. Amazon is now part of the SNAP Online Purchasing Pilot program, accepting SNAP EBT online in all US states except Alaska.
If you have a valid SNAP EBT card, you can conveniently shop for eligible groceries and deals on Amazon. SNAP-eligible items are labeled “SNAP EBT eligible,” and you can pay using your EBT card. It’s important to note that additional payment methods are required for delivery or service fees and tips, similar to ALDI.
Price Chopper Supermarkets
Price Chopper Supermarkets, operating in Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, Pennsylvania, and Vermont, participates in the SNAP program. It accepts EBT card payments for SNAP-eligible food items, including various seafood such as fresh, frozen, and packaged options, wild-caught cod, raw shrimp, and smoked salmon. When shopping, ensure the product is SNAP-eligible by clicking on it before adding it to your cart.
Walmart
Walmart’s Meat and Seafood department offers a diverse selection of fresh and frozen fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, and seafood seasonings. Walmart allows SNAP participants to use their EBT cards at checkout in 49 states, with Alaska residents using EBT cards at pickup.
To use your EBT card at Walmart, update your payment information to include the EBT card. Then, sign in to your Walmart pickup and delivery account on the website or mobile app, select seafood labeled “EBT Eligible,” fill your cart, checkout, and choose EBT as your payment method.
The bottom line
SNAP benefits help cover food and drink costs for individuals facing homelessness, disabilities, elderly individuals, and those with low incomes. EBT cards simplify access to these benefits, functioning like regular debit cards at approved retailers.
Several seafood places accept EBT cards, such as Boston Public Market, John Yi Fish Market, Portland Fish Market, and Saltwater Seafood Market & Fry Shack.
Consider checking your local grocery store if these specific seafood markets are not nearby. Many popular grocery chains, including Whole Foods, Giant Eagle, and Costco, accept EBT. Some even allow online seafood orders using your EBT card.