Purchasing with SNAP
CalFresh-EBT benefits can now be used to purchase CalFresh eligible items online at LA River Farmers' Market, Crenshaw Farmers' Market, and Compton College Farmers' Market. Eligible items include any food for human consumption except hot or ready to eat foods. Examples of eligible items include fruits & vegetables, breads & grains, dairy products, meat, fish, eggs, jams & honey, and pre-packaged items such as juice, hummus, salsa, tortilla chips, and cookies etc. Food-producing seeds and plants are also eligible.
LA River Farmers’ Market offers a match of up to $35 in nutrition incentives for CalFresh-EBT shoppers, which are provided as vouchers (or a discount when shopping online) that can be spent on market products. The first $25 in EBT dollars spent get matched with Market Match. Market Match can be used for fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs, in addition to food producing plants. The last $10 in EBT dollars (dollars 26-35) spent are matched with Park Bites. Park Bites can be used for any food item or drink at the market. So, if an EBT customer spends $35 of their Calfresh benefits, they’ll get an extra $35 as a discount in the categories named above to spend on eligible food items.
Please note: If your cart has hot or ready to eat food and drinks that are not covered completely by Park Bites, you will have to pay the remainder using a credit or debit card as hot or ready to eat food and drinks are not CalFresh-EBT eligible.
Crenshaw Farmers' Market and Compton College Farmers' Market offer a match of up to $30 in nutrition incentives for CalFresh-EBT shoppers, which are provided as vouchers (or a discount when shopping online) that can be spent on market products. The EBT dollars spent get matched with Market Match up to $30. Market Match can be used for fresh fruits, vegetables, and herbs, in addition to food producing plants.
Please note: If your cart has any hot or ready-to-eat items, you will have to pay for those using a credit or debit card as they are not CalFresh-EBT or Market Match eligible.
Market Match is a program of the Ecology Center and is funded in part through the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the USDA’s National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Additional support for Market Match comes from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, American Rescue Plan fund. Park Bites are funded by LA River State Park Partners.
- Select a market that accepts EBT as a payment and click it to shop the market’s menu.
- Browse the menu for the items you want to purchase. You can use the“All Vendors” drop-down or the search bar to search for a specific vendor. You may only use EBT to pay for items that have a “SNAP” tag on them. If an item is eligible for Park Bites or Market Match, it will have a“Park Bites” or "Market Match" tag on the item. To add an item to your cart, change the Qty by clicking the + button on an item.
- After adding all your items to the cart, click on the “Shopping Cart” icon in the top right to checkout.
- At the bottom of the checkout page, click the box next to“Purchasing with EBT?” to confirm you are planning to pay with EBT when you pick-up your order in person at the market.
- The system will automatically deduct your Market Match and Park Bites incentives so long as you are buying eligible items. There is a $2 deposit on your credit card required in order to ensure that you remember to pick-up your order from the farmer’s market. If you do not show up, your card may be charged up to a $10 fee.
- Click Checkout, fill out your customer information, and choose a pick up time. Click Next, enter your credit card or debit card to pay the deposit and for any non-eligible items.
- You'll receive an order confirmation. On the day of the market and at your chosen pick up time, go to the eat! booth (next to the EBT Incentives table) to pick up your order and process your EBT card for the amount still owed. Do not forget to bring your EBT card with you!
