More than a dozen states are rolling out unprecedented restrictions on what food stamp recipients can buy with their benefits, with three states set to implement changes in February as part of the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative.
Idaho and Oklahoma will implement SNAP junk-food purchase restrictions on February 15, while Louisiana follows on February 18. These states join Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and West Virginia, which have already begun limiting purchases of items like soda, candy, and energy drinks through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“Under the MAHA initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic diseases epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long,” said Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins in a statement announcing the changes.
The restrictions vary by state but generally target sugary beverages and candy. Louisiana’s waiver, for example, will block the use of SNAP benefits for soft drinks, energy drinks, and candy starting February 18, according to documents from the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service.
Why now? The policy shift comes as SNAP spending has ballooned to over $100 billion annually, supporting more than 42 million Americans with an average monthly benefit of $190.59 per person in fiscal year 2024.
More States Joining in 2026
The rollout won’t stop with February’s changes. Ten additional states — Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virginia — plan to implement similar restrictions in 2026, marking a significant shift in how the federal food assistance program operates.
Texas has one of the more detailed plans, with restrictions set to begin April 1, 2026, blocking “sweetened drinks” defined as nonalcoholic beverages containing five or more grams of added sugar or any amount of artificial sweetener.
Iowa’s approach is broader, restricting “all taxable food items except food producing plants and seeds” beginning January 1, 2026, while Colorado will focus solely on soft drinks starting April 30, 2026, according to USDA filings.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. praised the participating states, saying, “Thank you to the 18 governors who are leading the charge on SNAP reform to restore the health of Americans—especially our kids. Their courageous leadership is exactly what we need to Make America Healthy Again.”
Arkansas will implement one of the more comprehensive bans starting July 1, 2026, restricting soda, fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice, and candy, according to program guidelines.
Critics argue these restrictions unfairly target low-income Americans, while supporters maintain they address public health concerns. The restrictions come as part of a broader push by the administration to address what it calls a “chronic disease epidemic” affecting millions of Americans across income levels.
With the changes rolling out over the next two years, the $100 billion SNAP program is undergoing its most significant transformation in decades — and the 42 million Americans who rely on it will soon find fewer options in their shopping carts.
