Starting in 2026, a growing number of states have received USDA approval to limit what people can buy with SNAP benefits. 

This move bans items such as soda, energy drinks, candy, and ultra-processed desserts at checkout in participating states. The Food & Nutrition Service’s list shows multiple state waivers approved with staggered start dates next year. Banned items vary by state, but commonly include sugar-sweetened beverages and candy.

According to reports, between a dozen and nearly 20 states have received or requested waivers, such as Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Tennessee, Virginia, Idaho, Indiana, Nebraska, Utah, and Hawaii. Under approved demonstrations, EBT purchases would be blocked for specific product categories while staples such as milk, bread, eggs, produce, meat, and baby formula would remain eligible.

Implementation uses product-category codes at checkout, so cards simply won’t work for banned items. That shifts where and how low-income shoppers plan grocery runs, especially in neighborhoods with limited healthy options.

The ban is a part of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative, a public health move meant to curb sugar intake and diet-related illness among communities that experience higher rates of hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Critics counter that the evidence is thin that purchase bans alone improve long-term health. They warn that the rules risk stigmatizing recipients, creating new administrative burdens, and failing to address root causes such as food deserts, benefit levels, and access to affordable, nutritious options. Legal challenges and court scrutiny have already slowed or complicated parts of the rollout.

SNAP is the nation’s most extensive nutrition program, serving roughly 41-42 million people monthly in recent years. That’s about one in eight Americans, and children make up a large share of participants. National reports show SNAP reaches over 40 million people and that in prior measures, nearly half of non-Hispanic Black children have been covered by SNAP, illustrating how deeply the program intersects with Black families’ food security.

Changes that reduce purchasing power or complicate benefits will likely hit Black households in affected states harder, especially in states with limited grocery access. Researchers stress nutrition improvements are more likely when purchase rules are paired with higher benefits, targeted subsidies for healthy foods, store incentives, and culturally relevant nutrition information, not just narrower lists.

If you use SNAP, check your state’s SNAP agency for the approved waiver details and start planning for which items may be blocked at checkout. Local resources like food banks, community-run cooking programs, and state nutrition offices can help bridge gaps while implementation rolls out.