SNAP food restriction waivers allow U.S. states to restrict what can be purchased with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. These waivers are approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) and most include items such as soda and candy.
Background In 2025, the Trump administration encouraged governors to request waivers to limit the purchases of soda and processed food using SNAP benefits. Without states requesting waivers, such a restriction would need Congress.
State waivers The following states have received waivers: State Date requested Date obtained Targeted start date SNAP coverage exemptions Arkansas April 2025 June 2025 July 1, 2026 Candy, soda, <50% natural fruit and vegetable juices, energy drinks, "unhealthy drinks" Colorado May 2025 August 4, 2025 October 30, 2026 Soft drinks Florida August 4, 2025 April 20, 2026 Candy, soda, energy drinks, prepared desserts Hawaii April 1, 2027 Soft drinks Idaho June 2025 February 15, 2026 Candy, soda Indiana May 2025 January 1, 2026 Candy, soft drinks Iowa May 2025 January 1, 2026 "All taxable food items as defined by the Iowa Department of Revenue except food producing plants and seeds for food producing plants". Kansas February 15, 2027 Candy, soft drinks Louisiana May 2025 August 4, 2025 February 18, 2026 Candy, energy drinks, soft drinks Missouri September 2025 February 15, 2027 Candy, prepared desserts, "unhealthy beverages" Montana September 30, 2026 Candy, energy drinks, high-sugar beverages, prepared desserts Nebraska May 2025 January 1, 2026 Soda, energy drinks, soft drinks, candy (from November 1, 2026) Nevada February 1, 2028 Candy, sugar-sweetened beverages North Dakota September 1, 2026 Candy, energy drinks, sweetened beverages Ohio October 1, 2026 Fountain drinks, sugar-sweetened beverages Oklahoma July 2025 August 2025 February 15, 2026 Candy, soft drinks South Carolina August 31, 2026 Candy, energy drinks, soft drinks, sweetened beverages Tennessee July 31, 2026 Processed foods and beverages, including candy, energy drinks, and soda Texas August 4, 2025 April 1, 2026 Sweetened drinks and candy Utah June 2025 January 1, 2026 Soft drinks Virginia October 1, 2026 Sweetened beverages West Virginia August 4, 2025 January 1, 2026 Soda Wyoming February 1, 2027 Sweetened, carbonated beverages
Mississippi requested a waiver in October 2025. In March 2026, Wisconsin enacted a law requiring itself to seek a federal waiver to prohibit Food Share (the Wisconsin SNAP program) benefits' use to purchase candy or soft drinks. , neither state has been granted a waiver according to the USDA's site.
Policy debate Anti-hunger advocates argue that research suggests SNAP users buy no more soda or junk food than other low-income Americans, and that banning those items can reduce choice and dignity for people receiving relatively small daily benefits ($6 a day) while creating stigmatization and confusion on the rules at checkout.
Trade associations representing grocery retailers and beverage manufacturers argue that such bans could be difficult and expensive to implement at the point of sale, and that the policy overstates the role of soft drinks in obesity compared to other factors.
Supporters of the waivers, including Trump administration officials and some public-health advocates, argue that excluding soda, candy and other sugary products would better align SNAP with the program's nutrition goals and could help reduce diet-related disease.
Litigation In March 2026, Reuters reported that five SNAP recipients sued USDA in federal court over the waivers. According to the lawsuit, the plaintiffs argued that the restrictions destabilized food access, created confusion at checkout, and exceeded USDA's legal authority. The suit sought to invalidate the approved waivers.
On June 22, 2026, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson ruled in favor of the plaintiffs and blocked the waivers in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Jackson held that USDA lacked authority to approve waivers that narrowed the statutory definition of "food" under SNAP, and that the agency failed to follow required administrative procedures, including public notice requirements for pilot projects with significant public impact.
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