Double Up Food Bucks Colorado: Get More Produce With Your SNAP Benefits
If you receive SNAP benefits in Colorado, there’s a simple program that can help you bring home twice as much fresh, healthy produce, at no extra cost to you. It’s called Double Up Food Bucks, which matches the SNAP dollars you spend on fruits and vegetables, so your food budget goes further and more of your money stays in the local community.
Community Food Share believes everyone deserves access to nourishing food. Programs like Double Up Food Bucks are one of the easiest ways to make fresh produce more affordable, and we want to make sure the families and neighbors we serve know how to take full advantage. Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is Double Up Food Bucks?
Double Up Food Bucks is a statewide Colorado program that helps SNAP participants afford more fresh fruits and vegetables. When you spend your SNAP benefits at a participating location, the program matches what you spend and gives you additional money to buy Colorado-grown produce.
The idea is beautifully simple, and it creates a win for everyone involved. Families get more fresh, healthy food. Local farmers gain new customers. And more food dollars stay right here in Colorado’s communities and economy. The program has been serving Coloradans for a decade, and it continues to grow across the state.
The best part: If you already have a Colorado EBT card, you’re automatically eligible. There’s no separate application, no sign-up, and no extra paperwork. You simply shop at a participating location, and the match happens as you go.
How Does Double Up Food Bucks Work?
The program works a little differently depending on where you shop, but the core idea is that when you spend your SNAP dollars, you get matching dollars back for fresh produce. Here’s how it plays out in the two most common places you’ll use it.
At Farmers Markets
Farmers markets are where Double Up Food Bucks started, and they’re still one of the best places to use it. Here’s the basic process:
- Visit the market’s info or welcome booth first. Tell the staff how much you’d like to spend from your EBT card that day.
- Swipe your EBT card at the booth. For every dollar you spend, you’ll receive a dollar in Double Up Food Bucks, up to the daily limit.
- Shop the market. Use your SNAP dollars on SNAP-eligible foods, and use your Double Up Food Bucks to buy fresh, Colorado-grown fruits and vegetables from participating vendors.
It’s a wonderful way to eat seasonally, discover local produce, and support the farmers who grow our food. Market staff is usually happy to walk you through the process the first time, so don’t hesitate to ask.
At Grocery Stores
You don’t have to wait for market day. A growing number of grocery stores across Colorado also participate in Double Up Food Bucks. At participating stores, for every dollar you spend on SNAP-eligible items, you earn a dollar toward fresh fruits and vegetables.
The way you receive and redeem your match, such as a coupon, a voucher, or a receipt credit, varies by store, so it’s worth asking a cashier or the customer service desk how it works at your location.
Double Up Food Bucks can be used on fresh fruits and vegetables, and at many locations also on dried beans and even seeds or plants that grow food. Your regular SNAP dollars still cover everything they normally would, so you’re not giving anything up by participating.
How Much Can You Earn with Double Up Food Bucks?
At participating locations, Double Up Food Bucks matches your SNAP purchases dollar for dollar, up to $20 per day. So if you spend $20 in SNAP dollars, you can earn $20 in Double Up Food Bucks to spend on fresh produce, effectively doubling your produce budget for the day.
Because funding and program details can change from year to year and from store to store, it’s always a good idea to confirm the current daily match at your specific location. The staff at the market booth or store can tell you the most up-to-date amount.
Stack It With the SNAP Produce Bonus
Colorado offers a second produce program that you can use at the same time as Double Up Food Bucks. It’s called the SNAP Produce Bonus, and stacking the two can meaningfully increase how much fresh food you bring home.
With the SNAP Produce Bonus, when you buy eligible fruits and vegetables at participating retailers, you’re reimbursed up to $60 per month. What makes it especially flexible is that the bonus you earn can then be spent on any SNAP-eligible item at any SNAP retailer, not just produce.
The two programs work together: You can receive up to $20 per day in Double Up Food Bucks AND up to $60 per month through the SNAP Produce Bonus. They’re separate programs, so the amounts add on top of each other. That’s a real boost to your household’s fresh food budget.
Participating locations differ between the two programs, so check which programs your favorite market or store offers. You can find current details and participating locations on the Double Up Food Bucks Colorado website (doubleupcolorado.org) and the Colorado Department of Human Services SNAP Produce Bonus page.
Where to Use Double Up Food Bucks
Double Up Food Bucks is available at more than 100 locations across Colorado, including farmers markets, grocery stores, and some community-supported agriculture (CSA) programs. Locations change seasonally, and new sites are added over time, so the best way to find a spot near you is to check the official map.
- Find a location: Visit doubleupcolorado.org for an up-to-date, searchable list of participating farmers markets and stores across the state.
- Ask a local expert: You can also dial 211 to speak with a community resource specialist who can help you find participating locations in your area.
- Check with us: The team at Community Food Share is always happy to help you find food resources near you, including Double Up locations in Boulder and Broomfield Counties.
A seasonal note: Many Colorado farmers markets and food box programs run spring through fall and close for the season around the end of October, while some grocery store locations offer the program year-round. If you love shopping the markets, plan your visits before they wrap up for the year, and switch to a participating grocery store in the colder months.
Don’t Let Your Bucks Expire
Double Up Food Bucks are meant to be used, not saved indefinitely, so keep an eye on the expiration date printed on your vouchers or coupons. Expiration timelines vary depending on where you earned them. At some locations, vouchers expire quarterly (at the end of March, June, September, and December). At others, they may expire a set number of days after you receive them, or at the end of the following month.
The simplest rule of thumb: check the date on your coupon as soon as you receive it, and plan to use your bucks on your next produce shopping trip. That way you’ll always get the full benefit of what you’ve earned.
Why Fresh Produce Matters for Your Family
Fresh fruits and vegetables are some of the most nourishing foods you can put on your table, but they can also feel like a stretch on a tight budget. That’s exactly the gap Double Up Food Bucks is designed to close. By making produce more affordable, the program helps families eat more of the foods that support good health, energy, and growing kids.
There’s a community benefit, too. Every dollar you spend through the program supports Colorado farmers and keeps food dollars circulating close to home. When you shop Double Up, you’re nourishing your own family and strengthening the local food system at the same time.
Community Food Share Is Here to Help
Double Up Food Bucks is one of many tools that can help you and your family access fresh, healthy food. If you’re not yet enrolled in SNAP, or you have questions about your benefits, Community Food Share is here to help you every step of the way.
Need help applying for SNAP? Our bilingual team offers free, one-on-one SNAP application assistance. Contact us at SNAP@communityfoodshare.org or call (303) 652-3663.
Looking for food right now? Our Louisville food pantry and mobile food pantries serve Boulder and Broomfield County residents; no SNAP approval required. Use our Food Finder Map to locate resources near you.
Fresh, healthy food should be within reach for everyone. Whether it’s through Double Up Food Bucks, SNAP, or one of our food programs, we’re here to help you find what you need to nourish yourself and your family.
