How you can turn $1 worth of food stamps into $25 worth of goods with rarely known hack

A RARELY known food stamp hack can help recipients turn $1 in funds into $25 worth of goods.

Around 42million Americans across the country receive SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits that help them to buy groceries.

The money is provided through an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card, used as a debit card to buy food at authorized retail food stores.

However, recipients are limited on where they can shop for groceries and how much funds they receive through the program.

Recipients looking to stretch every dollar can spend their SNAP bucks buying producing-bearing plants to grow their own food and save money.

In fact, SNAP benefits can be used to purchase vegetable seeds, herbs, fruit trees, tomato plants and vegetable starts.

According to the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service, "The Food and Nutrition Act of 2008 (the Act) states that SNAP households may use SNAP benefits to purchase seeds and plants which produce food for consumption.

"Eligible seeds and plants include vegetable seeds and plants that produce food such as tomato and green pepper plants. Other eligible items include fruit trees, food-producing roots, bushes and bulbs such as asparagus roots and berry bushes.

"Seeds and plants that produce cooking spices are also eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits," the agency states.

The USDA says every $1 that a gardener spends on seeds and fertilizer, they’ll save about $25 worth of food.

The tricky part for food stamp recipients is finding a store that accepts SNAP payments and sells seeds or seedlings.

SNAP recipients should remember that local farmers’ markets and individual sellers may also accept food stamp benefits.

Who can apply for food stamps?

You must apply for SNAP in the state where you currently live.

Each state has a different application form and process.

Generally, SNAP is limited to people with gross incomes up to 130% of the federal poverty line.

This currently starts at $12,880 for a single-person household and increases depending on the family size.

For example, the poverty threshold for a four-person household is $26,500.

You can see poverty guidelines on the US Department of Health website.