If your EBT card has been riding around in your wallet, this is your nudge to use it. In Bismarck and across North Dakota, families who received Summer EBT benefits this year are being reminded to spend any remaining funds before the expiration date shown in their account this fall, according to North Dakota Health and Human Services.
Summer EBT deadline: use it before it disappears
Summer EBT works like SNAP and is loaded onto your household’s EBT card; once the program’s funds expire, the dollars are removed and can’t be replaced, the agency notes on its public guidance, per ND Health and Human Services. That means it’s worth checking your balance and the expiration date today so you can plan a grocery run before the benefit times out.
If you’re not sure when your Summer EBT dollars expire, look for the date in your EBT account or call the number on the back of your card for your exact timeline, as advised by ND Health and Human Services. Expiration can vary by household based on when funds were issued.
Practical details on where and how to use EBT
You can spend Summer EBT at most grocery stores and other retailers that already accept SNAP. Some online retailers also process EBT for SNAP‑eligible items; the U.S. Department of Agriculture keeps a current list of participating sites by state on its SNAP Online Purchasing page.
Eligible purchases include staples like fruits and vegetables, meat, dairy, bread and cereals, and other items allowed under SNAP, according to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Hot foods and non-food items don’t qualify. If you shop farmers markets, many accept EBT—check the market’s website or info booth before you go.
When you pay with your card, your receipt typically shows your remaining balance; that’s a quick way to keep tabs as you plan meals, per retailer guidance and USDA SNAP materials. If you prefer, you can also check your balance and transaction history through your card’s phone line or web portal—use the contact information printed on the back of your card.
Why this matters for families here
Summer EBT is designed to help cover grocery costs when school cafeterias aren’t serving daily meals, a gap many Bismarck households feel between June and August, according to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service. Locally, families often coordinate these benefits with the start of the school year and meal applications through Bismarck Public Schools, so spending down remaining dollars can ease the squeeze on early‑fall budgets.
Community partners also encourage families to use every available dollar before it expires so those funds translate into food on local tables, a point echoed in outreach from the Great Plains Food Bank. If you need help turning benefits into a practical meal plan, food pantries and school nutrition offices can point you to recipes and budgeting tools.
Encouraging timely action
Unspent Summer EBT funds don’t carry over indefinitely; they disappear after the program’s expiration window for your household, according to ND Health and Human Services. A quick check now can prevent losing help you’ve already been awarded.
To see your exact balance and expiration, use one of these routes: check your latest receipt after an EBT purchase, log in to your card account using the web address on the back of your card, or call the card’s customer service number—those are the official channels cited by ND Health and Human Services. If you hit a snag, local assistance lines at organizations such as the Great Plains Food Bank can help you troubleshoot and point you to additional resources.
What you can do today
- Check your EBT account for your Summer EBT balance and expiration date, then sketch out a grocery list so you can use the funds in time.
- Shop at stores and markets that accept EBT; if you’re trying an online retailer, confirm North Dakota participation on the USDA’s SNAP Online Purchasing list before placing an order.
- If your household also relies on school meals, make sure your student’s meal application is current with Bismarck Public Schools so you’re covered during the school year.
What to Watch
State agencies typically share reminders about Summer EBT timelines in late summer and early fall; keep an eye on ND Health and Human Services and your EBT account messages for any updates. Looking ahead, program details and enrollment information for next summer will be announced closer to spring; checking early can help you avoid last‑minute scrambles.
