a) SNAP
benefits shall be used to purchase eligible food from food retailers and/or
wholesalers and for qualified individuals to use at approved restaurants
participating in the Restaurant Meals Program authorized by the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) to accept SNAP benefits.
b) SNAP benefits may be used to purchase
seeds and plants for use in gardens to produce food for personal
consumption.
c) SNAP benefits may
not be used to:
1) purchase alcoholic
beverages and tobacco
2) pay back
grocery bills (incurred prior to receipt of SNAP benefits.)
3) purchase hot foods or hot food products
which can be eaten immediately and that are sold in retail food stores, except
as indicated in section (e) below.
d) Households that do not reside in permanent
dwellings or have no fixed mailing address may use their SNAP benefits to
purchase meals prepared for and served by USDA authorized public or private
nonprofit establishments which feed such individuals and public or private
nonprofit shelters which provide temporary residence (except that such
establishments and shelters may only request voluntary use of SNAP benefits by
such individuals and may not request such households to pay more than the
average cost of the food contained in a meal served by the establishment or
shelter. "Average cost" refers to direct costs, through purchases of food used
in preparation of meals. For purposes of this rule, "average cost" shall be
determined by averaging costs over a period of one calendar month.).
e) The Restaurant Meals Program (RMP) permits
SNAP households who are homeless or whose members are all elderly (60 or older)
and/or disabled and their spouses with the ability to use their Electronic
Benefit Transfer (EBT) card to purchase prepared food at concession prices
(prices for meals sold to SNAP customers that are below the regular menu price)
from restaurants authorized by USDA Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) and
contracted with the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS) to participate
in the program. The EBT system will electronically identify an eligible
recipient at the point of sale.