For people trying to balance a limited grocery budget, Double Up Food Bucks helps SNAP shoppers stretch their dollars when buying fruits and vegetables. But this Nebraska Extension food subsidy program does more than simply provide food — it gives people the opportunity to eat the foods that work best for themselves and their families, with a little monetary breathing room, while still encouraging healthy eating.
All SNAP recipients are eligible to benefit from Double Up Food Bucks. When they use their EBT card to purchase fruits and vegetables from participating locations, they can receive up to an additional $20 per day for fruits and vegetables.
The program began in Nebraska in 2017 in only two locations. Today 25 grocery stores and farmers markets in 15 communities across the state participate.
“We reach about 4,000 people annually,” said Tara Dunker, the Nebraska Extension educator who oversees the program. “Since 2017 the families who have participated in Double Up Food Bucks have spent more than $1.9 million using these incentives to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables.”
Emily Gratopp, a Nebraska Extension educator in Lancaster County, says that one of the key features of Double Up Food Bucks is the sense of independence it gives participants. Because the exchange happens in the store or at the booth, people can purchase the foods that they want. Plus the program fits their families’ needs and is tailored to cultural cuisines. This is a sharp contrast from food assistance programs that simply give participants pre-selected food packages.
“Double Up is a unique program because, when you look at food access, you typically see handouts that involve little choice,” Gratopp said. With Double Up Food Bucks, “the person has so much more autonomy. It’s so much more empowering for the family to get to make those decisions.”
The keyword, according to Dunker and Gratopp, is “dignity.” Double Up Food Bucks moves away from people being told what choices to make, and instead trusts them to make their own healthy decisions.
“I think that we can all agree that everybody deserves the dignity of being able to put good, fresh food on the table for themselves and their families,” Dunker said. “That type of program is being done by Nebraska Extension.”
Consumers are not the only beneficiaries of Double Up Food Bucks. Participating stores are expected to source produce from local growers when possible. So not only do sellers see increased clientele, but many local farmers create long-lasting accounts with those who purchase their produce regularly. Yes, SNAP shoppers gain more access to fresh foods, but also local dollars stay in and circulate throughout Nebraska communities.
Katie Jantzen, owner of West End Farm near Plymouth, sells her produce at farmers markets in Plymouth, Beatrice and Lincoln, and she participates in Double Up Food Bucks at the Lincoln market.
“This is really something that I see as a benefit,” she said. “Not just for me as a producer, but obviously for all of the recipients who can access more food. It really benefits the community all the way around.”
Shannon McCord, the third-generation owner of the Ideal Market in Superior, called Double Up Food Bucks a “win-win” program for the entire community.
“This is a home run,” he said. “This is something that can help your community, and the more that [shoppers] can buy on SNAP dollars, the more they can put their other money towards other things they can buy in your stores.”
Lori Allison is the front end manager at Open Harvest in Lincoln, a cooperative grocery store that has participated in Double Up Food Bucks since 2018. She says that, in addition to the business it brings to local stores and producers, her appreciation for the program comes from interacting with the customers.
“They’re really happy, they’re surprised, they’re delighted, they’re grateful,” she said. “One of the first comments I can remember is, ‘Wow, I can buy some fruit? I don’t have to just eat oatmeal for breakfast?’ It’s a thing that makes you feel cared for.”
According to Dunker and Gratopp, that feeling of being cared for is one reason customers develop a sense of dignity and self-ownership as they participate in the program.
Jantzen agrees.
“I think it’s really important for people of any income level to have access to healthy, fresh, local produce,” she said. “That’s something that Double Up can provide for people — give them that same level of dignity to be able to purchase food for their families.”
To learn more about Double Up Food Bucks, join the program or find a participating location near you, visit doubleupnebraska.org or the Nebraska Extension website.
