Spending Your FoodShare Benefits

You can use your benefits to buy food at some farmers markets and at grocery stores that have the Quest® sign.

Your benefits will be put into your FoodShare account using an Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) system. You can spend them by using your Wisconsin QUEST card. 

Your QUEST card lets you use your benefits at the swipe card terminals in the check-out line in food stores. You use your card like a debit card and there is no fee to you. 

You can use your benefits to buy foods such as:

• Breads and cereals,
• Fruits and vegetables,
• Meats, fish and poultry, 
• Dairy products, and
• Seeds and plants to grow food for your family to eat.

For a more detailed list, go to the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) website.

You cannot use your benefits to buy items such as:

• Nonfood items (pet foods, paper products, soaps, and household supplies, grooming items, tooth paste and cosmetics, etc.),
• Beer, wine, liquor, cigarettes or tobacco,
• Food that will be eaten in the store, or 
• Hot foods (example; food that is purchased and cooked at the store).

If you eat at a group meal site for senior citizens or have your meals delivered to your home, you can use FoodShare benefits to pay for these meals, if the site or provider is authorized to accept the QUEST card.

You can use your benefits at one of the following if the facility is authorized to accept the QUEST card:

• Drug and alcohol treatment center,
• Shelter for battered women,
• Shelter for the homeless, or
• Group home for people with disabilities.

You can learn more on how to use your card or how to contact QUEST Customer Service by watching the "FoodShare Wisconsin - A Recipe For Good Health" video at dhs.wisconsin.gov/em/av/ebt-vids.htm.  Information is also available on the Customer Help web.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the base of race, color, national origin, age, disability, sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an individual’s income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected by genetic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities).

If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html, or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632-9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Washington, D.C. 20250-9410, by fax (202) 690-7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov.

Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339; or (800) 845-6136 (Spanish).

USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Last Revised: June 07, 2013