Will our mixed household qualify for CalFresh/EBT with one income and 2 kids (plus baby on the way)?

You absolutely should apply ASAP! For CalFresh, they consider you a household if you buy and prepare food together - marriage doesn't matter. Your pregnancy will count as another household member once you provide verification (usually a doctor's note). The gross monthly income limit for a household of 4 in 2025 is around $3,750, and for 5 people it's about $4,400. With only one income and multiple kids, you have a good chance of qualifying. They'll probably ask for bank statements as part of verification, and negative balances do show financial need. If you're having trouble getting through to your county CalFresh office on the phone (which is super common), I used a service called Claimyr that was a lifesaver. It holds your place in the phone queue and calls you back when a worker is available to talk. Saved me hours of waiting on hold. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a demo video that explains it: https://youtu.be/eZ19FHRETv8?si=_CXnXqNXbLl26WB8

yes u definitely qualify in your situation! me and my bf aren't married either and we get calfresh for our family. they don't care about marriage status, just who lives together and eats together. and negative bank balance doesn't matter, they look at income not what's in your account. but keep paystubs cause they'll want to see those!

You need to know about the resources limit too. In California, the resource limit for most households is $4,250 (or $5,500 if at least one household member is disabled or 60+ years old). Resources include cash, money in bank accounts, stocks, etc. But they DON'T count your home, personal property, or retirement accounts. With negative bank balances, that won't be an issue for you. BTW they DO count you as pregnant, but it's a separate form called a CW 8 that asks for Pregnancy Verification from your doctor. They'll add your baby after they're born too. Apply now because processing can take up to 30 days!!

I was in your exact situation 3 months ago (pregnant with 2 kids and boyfriend is only income). We qualified for $950/month for our family of 4 (they didn't count pregnancy yet cuz I didn't know to bring proof). MAKE SURE you tell them about all your expenses - rent, utilities, childcare costs if any. The more expenses you have that they can deduct, the more benefits you get. Good luck mama!

The system is RIGGED to make it hard to apply. They will ask for a million documents and then claim they never received them. MAKE COPIES OF EVERYTHING and get receipt numbers for everything you submit!!! And don't believe them when they say your application is complete, follow up EVERY WEEK or your app will sit there for months!!! They denied me twice before finally approving me even though my situation never changed. You have to FIGHT for your benefits!

One more thing to consider - if you apply and qualify, you might automatically qualify for other programs too. When we got CalFresh, we also got reduced-price internet ($10/month), utility assistance through LIHEAP, and free cell phone service. My kids also automatically qualified for free school meals. It's worth applying for everything you can!

To directly answer your question: Yes, a household of 4 with one income under the limits will absolutely qualify. Apply through BenefitsCal.com - it's the fastest way. You can upload all your documents there too. Your unborn baby counts once you provide verification. The fact that you're not married is completely irrelevant for CalFresh eligibility. Currently in 2025, a household of 4 can have gross monthly income up to about $3,750. Even if you're slightly over that, you might still qualify after deductions. Negative bank balance actually doesn't matter for eligibility - they only care about income, not what's currently in your accounts.

OP, how's your application process going? Were you able to get through to your county office? My advice is to complete the application online AND call to follow up, as sometimes online applications can sit pending if you don't call. Don't wait too long if you're struggling with food now - there are emergency food banks that can help while you wait for CalFresh to be approved.