More states are restricting junk-food purchases by SNAP recipients — here’s where
Woman shops at a Publix Grocery Store in Georgia (Photo by: Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Six more states are banning SNAP recipients from using their taxpayer-funded food assistance benefit to purchase junk food.
On Wednesday, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins announced that Hawaii, Missouri, North Dakota, South Carolina, Virginia, and Tennessee will amend the statutory definition of "food for purchase" under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beginning in 2026.
Dig deeper:
The six states join 12 other states; Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia, adding the food purchase restrictions. The new regulations will begin next year with most states implementing the restrictions on Jan. 1, 2026 and others later in the year.
The banning of junk food from SNAP purchases is part of the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative.
What they're saying:
"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.
"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," said Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.,
What we know:
The new restrictions will vary by state, but most will restrict the purchase of soda, energy drinks, and candy.
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By the numbers:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) oversees the SNAP program, which in fiscal year 2024 cost just over $100 billion, providing an average of $190.59 a month per person to over 42 million people.
The federal government sends SNAP funds to states which administer applications and determine eligibility based on federal guidelines. Benefits are loaded on prepaid cards through the Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) system and beneficiaries use the cards at stores to pay for their groceries.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by the US Department of Agriculture and previous FOX Television Stations reporting. This story was reported from Orlando.