The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), often known as “food stamps,” serves as a crucial support system, helping millions of families across the United States acquire the food they need. This program is designed with a clear purpose: to ensure individuals and households have access to healthy and nutritious meals, contributing to overall well-being. Because SNAP addresses such a fundamental need, many people frequently have questions about the specific items that can or cannot be purchased with their benefits. Among these common inquiries is whether certain specialized items, such as dry ice, are covered by the program. This report aims to clarify that particular question and explain the rules surrounding the purchase of dry ice with SNAP benefits, alongside a broader overview of other eligible and ineligible items.
Understanding SNAP: What Is Covered?
SNAP benefits are primarily intended for buying “food for the household”. This means the program focuses on items that families will eat or use directly in the preparation of meals at home. The guidelines provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees SNAP, define what falls into this category.
What Is Covered?
The core of SNAP eligibility revolves around basic groceries that form the foundation of a healthy diet. This includes a wide array of fresh fruits and vegetables, various types of meat, poultry, and fish, and essential dairy products like milk and cheese. Staple items such as breads and cereals are also fully covered. These are recognized as the primary “staple food categories” that the SNAP program aims to support, ensuring households can build balanced meals.
Beyond these foundational groceries, SNAP benefits can also be used for other food items that contribute to a household’s diet. This includes common snack foods, a variety of non-alcoholic beverages like soda, juice, or plain water, and even seeds and plants that are intended to grow food for the household to eat. This broad coverage ensures that families have flexibility in their food choices while adhering to the program’s overall goal of providing nourishment.
An interesting point of clarification often arises regarding ice. Regular ice, the kind made from frozen water that is typically sold in bags, is indeed an eligible item. The USDA classifies regular ice as a “food product”. This classification stems from its common use in important food-related tasks, such as storing food to keep it fresh or chilling beverages for consumption. Therefore, if a household needs ice to preserve perishable groceries or for a picnic, their SNAP benefits can be used for regular ice.
What Is Not Covered?
While SNAP covers a broad range of food items, there are clear restrictions on what cannot be purchased. These restrictions are in place to ensure the program’s funds are used specifically for food.
A primary exclusion is any item considered a “non-food item”. This category is quite broad and includes a wide variety of household goods and personal care products. For example, SNAP benefits cannot be used for pet foods, cleaning supplies, paper products like toilet paper or paper towels, hygiene items such as soap or shampoo, or cosmetics. The program’s focus is strictly on human consumption and food production, not general household necessities.
Certain specific items are also explicitly prohibited. Alcohol and tobacco products, including beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes, and various tobacco forms, are not eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits. Similarly, vitamins, medicines, and supplements are excluded. If an item carries a “Supplement Facts” label, it is generally considered a supplement and cannot be bought with SNAP.
Another important restriction applies to foods that are hot and ready to eat at the point of sale. This means items like a hot rotisserie chicken from the deli or a prepared hot coffee are not eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits. The program is designed for groceries intended for home preparation and consumption.
Generally, live animals are also not eligible. However, there are very specific exceptions, such as shellfish, fish that have been removed from water, or animals that are slaughtered before they are picked up from the store.
More recently, the USDA has also provided specific clarification regarding cannabis products. Foods and drinks that contain controlled substances like cannabis, marijuana, or CBD are explicitly not eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits, reinforcing the program’s commitment to legal and safe food items.
The distinction between items that are considered “food products” and those classified as “non-food items” is a subtle but critical aspect of SNAP eligibility. While the general rule is that “any food for the household” is eligible and “any nonfood items” are not , the example of regular ice highlights a nuance. Regular ice is allowed because it is deemed a “food product” due to its use in the storage and preparation of food. This expands the definition of “food” beyond direct consumption to include items that are essential for the safe handling and utility of food. In contrast, dry ice, as will be discussed, is explicitly classified as a “non-food item”. This difference illustrates that eligibility depends not only on whether an item serves a food-related purpose but also on its composition and potential for direct edibility or its direct derivation from a consumable substance like water. If an item is fundamentally inedible and chemically distinct from food components, it falls into the “non-food” category, regardless of its utility in food preservation. This demonstrates a precise boundary where “food product” implies a closer, more direct relationship to consumable food substances than merely a functional role.
The Big Question: Can You Buy Dry Ice with Food Stamps?
One of the most common questions regarding SNAP eligibility pertains to dry ice, especially given its utility in keeping items very cold.
Direct Answer: No, Dry Ice Cannot Be Purchased with SNAP Benefits.
Despite its powerful cooling capabilities and usefulness for keeping things frozen, dry ice is not an eligible item for purchase with SNAP benefits.
Why Dry Ice Is Different
The reason dry ice is excluded from SNAP eligibility lies in its fundamental composition and nature. Dry ice is not the same as regular ice; it is not frozen water. Instead, dry ice is made from frozen carbon dioxide, which is a gas. Because dry ice is not made of water and cannot be eaten or consumed as a drink, the government classifies it as a “non-food item”.
Even though dry ice is highly effective for preserving food and other goods by keeping them deeply frozen, SNAP benefits are specifically designed to help individuals and families purchase items they can eat or drink. Non-edible items, even if they are related to food storage or preservation, are generally not covered by the program. The program’s focus remains on providing direct nutritional support.
What About Regular Ice?
It is important to remember that while dry ice is not allowed, regular ice is. Households can use their SNAP benefits to buy regular ice, whether it is crushed ice or block ice sold in bags. As mentioned, the USDA considers regular ice a “food product” because it is commonly used in the storage and preparation of food. For instance, it can be used to keep groceries cold on the journey home, to chill beverages, or to maintain the freshness of food for an outdoor event like a picnic. Therefore, for general cooling and food preservation needs involving consumable ice, SNAP benefits are applicable.
The distinction between regular ice and dry ice, despite both being used for food preservation, highlights the strict boundaries of the SNAP program, which aims to provide “nutritious food”. Both regular ice and dry ice serve the practical purpose of preserving food. However, regular ice is composed of water, which is consumable and a component of many foods and drinks. Dry ice, on the other hand, is made of carbon dioxide, which is not edible or drinkable. The USDA’s decision to permit the purchase of regular ice but disallow dry ice, even though both aid in food preservation, demonstrates a clear line. SNAP benefits are intended for items that are either directly edible or drinkable, or are a direct derivative of a consumable substance (like water in ice) that directly aids in the handling or preparation of food. Items that serve a purely utility function, such as preservation, but are not themselves consumable or derived from consumable components, are excluded. This reinforces that the program’s primary focus is on providing edible provisions for direct consumption and their immediate, consumable aids, rather than general household or utility items, even if those items have a tangential use in food handling. It underscores the program’s commitment to alleviating food insecurity by concentrating on the “food” aspect itself.
Here is a quick overview of SNAP eligibility for ice and other common items:
SNAP Eligibility: Ice and Other Common Items at a Glance
| Item Category | SNAP Eligible? | Quick Explanation |
| Fruits, Vegetables | Yes | Food for the household |
| Meat, Poultry, Fish | Yes | Food for the household |
| Dairy Products | Yes | Food for the household |
| Breads, Cereals | Yes | Food for the household |
| Regular Ice | Yes | Considered a food product for storage/preparation |
| Dry Ice | No | Non-food item, not edible or drinkable |
| Alcohol, Tobacco | No | Not considered food |
| Vitamins, Supplements | No | Not considered food; have “Supplement Facts” labels |
| Cleaning Supplies | No | Non-food household items |
| Hot, Prepared Foods | No | Not for home consumption at point of sale |
Key Takeaways for SNAP Users
The most important aspect for SNAP users to remember is that benefits are specifically allocated for buying food and items that help grow food for the household. If an item is not intended to be eaten or drunk, it is generally not covered by SNAP, even if it serves a useful purpose related to food storage or other household needs. This is the fundamental reason why dry ice, along with pet food and cleaning supplies, is not eligible for purchase.
It is also important to understand that while the federal rules provide clear guidelines on what constitutes a “non-food item,” some states may have their own specific rules regarding certain food items. For example, the USDA has approved special permissions for some states, such as Arkansas, Idaho, and Utah, to exclude items like soda or candy from SNAP purchases. This indicates that while the core definition of “non-food” items remains consistent nationally, there can be state-level variations in what is considered an eligible food item.
This distinction highlights a consistent approach to “non-food item” exclusion versus state waivers. While states can obtain waivers to restrict certain food items like soda or candy, the fundamental exclusion of “non-food items” such as dry ice, pet food, or cleaning supplies appears to be a consistent, non-waivable federal rule. There is no indication that states can redefine core “non-food items” as eligible. This suggests a hierarchy in SNAP regulations: the federal government maintains a firm, universal stance on what constitutes an ineligible “non-food item.” While states might have flexibility to further restrict certain food items based on local health or policy initiatives, they do not seem to have the authority to make non-food items eligible. Therefore, advice to contact a local SNAP office is primarily relevant for understanding these state-specific food restrictions or application procedures, rather than the fundamental classification of items like dry ice. This reinforces the federal government’s clear intent for SNAP benefits to be used strictly for food and food-producing items, not general household goods.
If there are ever specific questions about an item or a need for more information about the rules in a particular area, the best course of action is to contact the local SNAP office. They can provide the most accurate and up-to-date information relevant to a specific state or situation.
Conclusion
In summary, when considering the purchase of ice with SNAP benefits, a key distinction must be remembered: regular ice, the kind made from frozen water, can be bought because it is classified as a food product used for storage and preparation. Conversely, dry ice cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits because it is a non-food item that is not edible or drinkable.
The SNAP program is fundamentally designed to help families acquire food for their tables, and its rules consistently reflect this goal by focusing on edible items and those directly involved in food production or preservation through consumable means. Understanding these specific rules can empower households to make the most of their benefits and ensure they are used effectively for their intended purpose.