Can I purchase Baskin Robbins ice cream cake with CalFresh EBT benefits?
So my kid's birthday is coming up next week and I wanted to surprise him with an ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins. He's been talking about it for MONTHS. I'm currently on CalFresh benefits and wondering if I can purchase it with my EBT card? I know food stamps covers 'food items' but not sure if specialty cakes count or if Baskin Robbins even accepts EBT payments. Anyone here know the rules on this? I don't want to go to the store and be embarrassed if they reject my card. Thanks!!
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Amina Bah
Yes and no. U can buy ice cream cakes with ebt BUT only if ur buying from grocery stores like savemart, foodsco, etc that accept ebt. Specialty food places like baskin robbins usally DONT take ebt even tho the cake is technically food... its dumb i know
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Paolo Marino
AuthorOh man that's a bummer. My son specifically wants the BR one with the little basketball decorations on it. Guess I'll have to figure something else out. Thanks for letting me know!
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Oliver Becker
The previous commenter is correct. CalFresh benefits can only be used at authorized food retailers. Bakeries and ice cream shops like Baskin Robbins are generally classified as 'eating establishments' by SNAP guidelines, not authorized food retailers, even when selling items you take home. Your best option is to check grocery stores that accept EBT - many have ice cream cakes in their freezer section that might be a good alternative. Stores like Walmart, Target, Safeway, etc. often have decent selections.
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Natasha Petrova
This is so confusing tho!! If ice cream is food and cake is food then why isn't an ice cream cake food?? The whole system makes no sense. They should let people buy birthday cakes for their kids!
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Oliver Becker
I understand the frustration. The distinction isn't about whether something is food or not - it's about where you purchase it. SNAP/CalFresh is primarily designed for grocery purchases from authorized retailers. Many specialty shops and restaurants are classified differently under program rules, regardless of what they're selling.
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Javier Hernandez
have u tried calling BR directly? some locations might take ebt but most dont. i tried using mine at cold stone once and got rejected lol
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Paolo Marino
AuthorI haven't called yet but that's a good idea. I'll try calling my local store tomorrow. Fingers crossed!
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Emma Davis
Calling won't help - I worked at Baskin Robbins last year and NONE of our locations accept EBT. It's a corporate policy, not a store-by-store decision. Save yourself the embarrassment. The system literally doesn't have EBT as a payment option at checkout. Your best bet is getting a cake from Walmart or Safeway with your EBT, then maybe buying some BR ice cream separately to eat with it? Not the same, I know, but at least you'd have something.
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LunarLegend
This is accurate. According to USDA regulations, specialty food shops like ice cream parlors and bakeries generally don't qualify as SNAP retailers even when selling take-home items. It's not about the food itself but about the primary business classification. For birthday celebrations, grocery store bakeries and freezer sections are your best options when using CalFresh benefits.
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Malik Jackson
You know what's ridiculous about the whole CalFresh system? That you can buy soda and candy but not a birthday cake from certain places. My daughter's birthday was last month and I had the EXACT same problem. Wanted to get her a special cake but nope! Had to settle for a grocery store one. The whole thing is designed to make you feel bad for being poor. And don't get me started on trying to reach anyone at the county office when you have questions about what's covered...
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Isabella Oliveira
truth!! i spent 2 hours on hold last month trying to ask a simple question about my benefits. kept getting disconnected!
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Natasha Petrova
Try using Claimyr for calling the CalFresh office! I was having the same issue with waiting forever and getting disconnected. Then someone told me about claimyr.com and it was a game changer - they wait on hold for you and call you when a real person answers. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8
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Javier Hernandez
walmart has those cookie cakes with frosting that look fancier than regular cakes my kids love them and there only like $12 with ebt
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Paolo Marino
AuthorThanks for the suggestion! I might check those out. My son is really set on ice cream cake though since it's gonna be hot next week. Wish the rules were more flexible for special occasions.
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Amina Bah
idk if this helps but my sister makes ice cream cakes at home!! just buy ice cream with ebt, let it soften, put in cake pan, refreeze, then decorate. cheaper than BR too
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Emma Davis
This is actually a great idea. You can buy ice cream, cake mix, and frosting all with EBT at any grocery store. There are tons of YouTube tutorials on making homemade ice cream cakes. Might be more work but you could customize it exactly how your kid wants it.
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Paolo Marino
AuthorYou guys are amazing! I never even thought about making one. Just looked up some videos and it doesn't seem too hard. Think I'm going to try this route - might even be more special since it's homemade. Thank you all for the help and suggestions!!
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Emma Bianchi
That's such a sweet idea! Making it at home could actually be even better than store-bought. You could get his favorite ice cream flavors and maybe add some of those basketball decorations he wanted on top. Plus kids love knowing their parents made something special just for them. Good luck with the homemade cake - I'm sure he'll love it!
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