Big Lots EBT issue: why did I owe $6 when buying only food items with CalFresh?

This happens at Big Lots a lot actually. Even though items seem like they should be EBT eligible, there are specific rules about what qualifies as SNAP-eligible food. Some common things that don't qualify that might have been in your cart: - Energy drinks (if classified as supplements) - Certain prepared foods/meals - Snacks with supplemental nutrition claims - Some imported food items - Vitamins or supplements that look like food Did you get a detailed receipt that shows which items weren't covered? Usually there's a marking on the receipt showing which items were EBT and which weren't.

big lots is weird with ebt!!! i bought the EXACT same granola bars there and at food4less and they were covered at food4less but not at big lots. think it depends on how the store categorizes stuff in their system

The protein bars are definitely your culprit. CalFresh has specific rules about nutrition bars - if they're labeled as dietary supplements (check if there's a Supplement Facts panel instead of a Nutrition Facts panel), they're NOT eligible for EBT. Also, if they contain certain supplements or have claims like "protein supplement" on the packaging, they don't qualify. The microwavable rice cups should be covered as they're just pre-cooked rice, not a prepared meal with multiple components. Another possibility: some stores don't properly code all their food items in their point-of-sale system as SNAP-eligible, especially discount stores like Big Lots that don't primarily sell groceries. That's why the same item might be covered at a regular grocery store but not at Big Lots.

I used to work at a convenience store that accepted EBT and I can tell you the classification system is WEIRD. Energy drinks are the best example - Monster and Red Bull didn't qualify for EBT but Rockstar did because of how they're classified (supplement vs. food). Same with protein bars - some qualify, some don't. Next time, ask the cashier to do a subtotal after each item if you're not sure, or shop at regular grocery stores where more items tend to be properly coded for EBT in their systems.

Had this problem all the time at Big Lots!!! Even weirdly with some canned goods sometimes!! The WORST is when you're counting on your CalFresh covering everything and then you're stuck at the register trying to figure out what to put back cause you dont have cash. SO EMBARRASSING!!!!

If you ever need to check what qualifies, the USDA has an official list of SNAP-eligible foods: https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items Basically: ✅ Fruits and vegetables ✅ Meat, poultry, fish ✅ Dairy products ✅ Breads and cereals ✅ Snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages ✅ Seeds and plants that produce food ❌ Vitamins, medicines, supplements ❌ Hot foods or foods ready to eat in-store ❌ Non-food items (pet food, cleaning supplies, hygiene items, etc.) The tricky part is items that straddle the line between food and supplements, like those protein bars you mentioned. Always check for "Nutrition Facts" vs "Supplement Facts" label.

If you ever need to contact the CalFresh office to ask about eligible items or other questions about your benefits, I recommend using Claimyr to get through to a person quickly. I used to spend hours trying to get through their phone system, but Claimyr got me connected to a real person in minutes. Their service calls the office for you and calls you back when there's a live person on the line. I used their demo video at https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8 to see how it works before trying it. Check out claimyr.com if you're interested - it saved me so much frustration.

pro tip: save ur receipts and look at them after. most stores print little markers next to the items that were covered by EBT so u can see exactly what wasnt covered. helps for next time!

Another thing to consider is that sometimes there are discrepancies in how items are categorized. If you believe something should be EBT eligible but wasn't accepted, you can actually report this to the USDA SNAP Retailer Service Center. They can investigate if a store is incorrectly categorizing eligible food items. For future shopping, you might want to stick to major grocery stores for your CalFresh purchases, as they typically have better systems in place for identifying eligible items. Big Lots, Dollar General, and similar discount stores sometimes have issues with their POS systems not properly identifying SNAP-eligible foods.

Just wanted to add that you can also use the SNAP Retailer Locator on the USDA website to find stores in your area that are authorized to accept EBT and have better track records with properly coding items. Some smaller discount stores like Big Lots are newer to accepting EBT and their systems aren't always updated correctly. Also, if you're shopping on a tight budget, consider downloading store apps before you shop - some will show EBT eligibility right in the app so you can plan your purchases ahead of time. Safeway and Lucky's apps do this pretty well in California. One last tip: if you're ever unsure about an item, you can ask the cashier to ring it up separately first to test if it's EBT eligible before adding your other items. Saves the embarrassment of finding out at the end!

I've had similar issues at Big Lots and other discount stores! One thing that really helped me was learning to look for the actual food category codes on items. If you look closely at the barcode area on packaging, sometimes there are tiny numbers that indicate the product category - grocery stores use these to determine EBT eligibility automatically. Also, I've noticed that Big Lots sometimes carries "club store" sized items or bulk packaging that can be coded differently than regular grocery store versions of the same products. The protein bars you mentioned are definitely tricky - even regular granola bars can be non-eligible if they're marketed as "energy" or "performance" bars instead of just snacks. For future reference, Target and Walmart tend to have much more reliable EBT systems if you need to shop at discount retailers. Their POS systems are better at catching eligible items correctly.