Food
NYC Health Bucks Daily Cap for SNAP Shoppers Rises to $14 at Green Markets in January 2027
Starting January 2027, New Yorkers on SNAP can earn up to $14 a day in Health Bucks, up from $10, at more than 100 farmers markets and farm stands citywide. Every $2 spent on fresh produce earns a $2 coupon, the city says.
By NBT Editors · 2026-11-01
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced on October 29 that New Yorkers enrolled in SNAP will be able to earn 40% more in Health Bucks, the city's matching program for fresh produce. Health Bucks are $2 coupons. At participating farmers markets and farm stands, every $2 a shopper spends in SNAP benefits earns $2 in Health Bucks, up to a daily cap. From January 2027, that cap rises from $10 to $14.
The coupons can be used on fresh fruits and vegetables at more than 100 farmers markets and farm stands across New York City. By raising the cap, the administration expects to distribute nearly $2.3 million in Health Bucks to SNAP participants in 2027 alone, money it says will benefit dozens of local vendors. The coupon design for 2027 carries the "up to $14 per day" wording and points shoppers to nyc.gov/healthbucks for a list of markets, or to 311.
Funding comes from city money plus $5.7 million in new grant funding through the federal Gus Schumacher Nutrition Incentive Program, which backs projects that increase fruit and vegetable purchases by SNAP recipients. Separately, the Health Department works with community and faith-based organizations to hand out Health Bucks to people who take part in nutrition education and other health-related activities.
The announcement cited new Health Department research on adults at risk of food insecurity. Nearly 8 in 10 had difficulty affording balanced meals, 18% had eaten no fruits or vegetables the previous day, and nearly one-third had received food from emergency services such as pantries. "Every day, New Yorkers walk into a store hoping prices haven't gone up again," Mamdani said.
Health Bucks began in 2005, and this year marks its 20th anniversary; the Health Department has distributed more than $20 million since then. The city presents the change as part of a wider push on food affordability, which includes naming La Marqueta in East Harlem as the first site for a municipal grocery store. The administration plans one such store in each borough by the end of Mamdani's first term.
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