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BATON ROUGE, LA, September 28, 2021 – Louisiana received a waiver extension allowing recipients of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Disaster SNAP (DSNAP) and Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits to use to purchase “hot” or prepared foods through October 28, 2021.

Normally, SNAP benefits cannot be used to purchase “hot food products prepared for immediate consumption.” Waiving that restriction is vital in the aftermath of a storm such as Hurricane Ida, where many residents are displaced and cannot access a kitchen to prepare their meals.

The waiver extension, issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and Food and Nutrition Service and granted September 26, allows SNAP recipients to use their benefits to buy prepared foods available at any retailer that accepts EBT cards in Louisiana. Restaurant purchases are still prohibited.

More information about the “hot foods” waiver can be found at http://dcfs.la.gov/hotfoods.

For more information about DSNAP, visit http://dcfs.la.gov/dsnap.