Map Shows 10 States Changing Rules on SNAP Benefits

A number of states across the country are considering restrictions on what Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients can buy using their welfare benefits.

Why It Matters

SNAP benefits—commonly known as “food stamps”—are administered nationwide to low- and no-income households that would otherwise struggle to afford groceries. In 2023, the program served an average of 42.1 million people per month—some 12.6 percent of U.S. residents.

Critics argue that SNAP’s allowance for purchasing sugary snacks, soda and junk food promotes unhealthy eating habits, which can lead to obesity and other related health issues.

What to Know

Ten U.S. states, all Republican-led, are considering barring SNAP recipients from buying “junk” foods – such as candy, soda, and other items that are high in sugar and fat – using their benefits.

Currently, across all states, the benefit can be used for “any food or food product intended for human consumption,” except alcohol, tobacco and hot foods, including those prepared for immediate consumption.

Each of the bills being considered by state lawmakers involve requesting a waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which pays for the program. SNAP waivers are in effect in several states and were widely used during the coronavirus pandemic to expand access to food benefits, including waivers that shortened the application process, allowed online grocery orders, and suspended time limits on how long SNAP can be administered to a claimant for.

However, no waiver is in place in any state that bars SNAP recipients from buying foods based on how “healthy” they are.

The following states are considering legislation to stop SNAP junk food and drink purchases:

• Arizona – bill being considered to stop purchases of soda products containing natural or artificial sweeteners. Passed House of Representatives in February.
• Arkansas – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said in a letter to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that she “intends to pursue a SNAP Waiver from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service that would support fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, and protein and prohibit using SNAP for junk food.”
• Idaho – bill being considered to request federal approval to exclude candy and soda from the list of foods eligible for purchase using SNAP. Passed the House in early March.
• Iowa – bill proposed that SNAP benefits can only be used for purchasing “real” eggs, meat, dairy, bread and grains, as well as all fruits and vegetables, all cereals, nuts, pasta, rice and legumes. Advanced by an Iowa House subcommittee in late February.
• Missouri – bill introduced in the House, proposing to ban “candy and soft drinks.”
• Montana – bill to prohibit candy and soda purchases. Due a final Senate reading later before moving to the state House.
• Tennessee – like Montana, a bill focused on banning candy and soft drink purchases. Passed the state House and is being considered in the Senate.
• Texas – bill introduced in January proposing to ban the purchase of any carbonated beverage that contains more than 1 gram of added sugar.
• Utah – another bill proposing ban on candy and soda. It passed readings in the Senate earlier this month and is being considered by the House.
• West Virginia – bill introduced in the House in February to ban candy and soft drinks from being bought with SNAP benefits.

What People Are Saying

Senator Daniel Zolnikov, the bill sponsor in Montana: “People said this bill is against low-income individuals but let me be clear: I am not against low-income folks having a soda or a treat. But I am against the endless marketing to parents and our children that processed food and drinks is the equivalent to that of produce, fruits, and meat. And as our health worsens and obesity rates increase, our healthcare costs continue to balloon, putting our medical system at stake.”

Senator Mike Lee of Utah: “American tax dollars should not be used to pay for junk food and endanger the health of the most vulnerable Americans. The fastest way to Make America Healthy Again is to encourage balanced diets and stop subsidizing unhealthy food choices.”

Valerie Imbruce, director of the Center for Environment and Society at Washington College, told Newsweek: “Controlling how the poor eat is a paternalistic response to a problem that is not based in SNAP recipients’ inability to make good decisions about healthy foods, it is a problem of the price differential in choosing healthy or junk foods. Soda and candy are much cheaper and more calorie dense than 100 percent fruit juices or prebiotic non-artificially sweetened carbonated beverages, thanks to price supports and subsidies by the federal government to support a U.S. sugar industry.”

Kavelle Christie, a health policy and advocacy expert, told Newsweek: “These proposals may seem appealing at first—after all, who wouldn’t want to promote healthier eating habits? However, examining them closely makes it clear that the intent is power and controlling individuals with low incomes rather than improving nutrition. SNAP has long been a political target, often viewed as a means to impose moral judgments on low-income families rather than recognized as the essential safety net it truly is.”

What’s Next

None of the bills has been passed by both legislative chambers. All will require approval from the state governor before waiver requests can be considered by the USDA.