Nearly a dozen more states are moving to restrict SNAP purchases in the coming months.
The changes reflect a growing push to steer SNAP spending toward healthier choices — or, as the Trump administration frames it, “real food.”
Over the past several months, states have been rolling out new limits on what SNAP dollars can buy. In most cases, the new policies prohibit spending on soda, energy drinks, and candy.
Eight more states — Arkansas, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, Ohio, North Dakota, South Carolina, and Virginia — are set to add similar restrictions in 2026. Colorado initially faced an earlier deadline, but its target implementation date was pushed back to October, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Kansas, Nevada, and Wyoming will roll out their own restrictions within the next two years.
By 2028, nearly half of all states will have laws on the books barring SNAP recipients from using their benefits to purchase sugary drinks or certain sweets.
SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, helps low- and no-income Americans afford groceries by loading a monthly benefit amount onto a debit card. Restrictions on what recipients can purchase with their benefits have existed for years — alcohol and tobacco, for example, have long been off-limits.
Soon, additional restrictions will extend to retailers as well. The USDA, which administers SNAP, recently announced it will require SNAP-authorized retailers to stock a broader range of nutritious foods. Starting this fall, retailers must carry seven types of items across four food categories: protein, grains, dairy, and produce.
“SNAP authorized retailers accept over $90 billion a year, or $236 million a day, in taxpayer dollars—USDA is making sure they’re actually in the business of selling food,” said Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins in a press release.
The agency said more details on how the new rules work would be forthcoming.
SNAP, formerly the Food Stamp Program, helps approximately 1 in 8 Americans afford groceries.
Leave a Comment