Most states pass out food stamps based on the initial of the person's last name (except for emergency food stamps) Where I live, those first in line for food stamps get theirs on the fifth of the month. If I were drawing it, I'd have to wait until the 19th. Check your local state to find out how food stamps are being distributed.
One job I had, we got paid on the first and the fifteenth. To get around the rush, we tried doing our bulk shopping when I got home from work, or roughly, about 2AM. No crowds. Avoided Walmart, as they're busy because they always understaff the registers. Guess there are a lot of government workers in your area, or those that receive their pensions.