More than a third of states will prohibit the purchase of some foods, and states will shoulder more of the program’s administrative cost.
Americans using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase groceries may need to adjust their shopping habits in 2026 as some states will prohibit the use of SNAP funds to purchase certain “junk foods.”
Also starting next year, states will have to shoulder a larger portion of the cost of running the program. In addition, states could lose funds if their payment error rate is too high.
Here is what to know about the overhaul of America’s largest nutrition program.
Restrictions on Purchases in Some States
Eighteen states will restrict the purchase of certain foods lacking in nutritional value next year. The changes are being made under the banner of the Make America Healthy Again initiative launched by the Department of Health and Human Services. To institute the changes, the states had to submit and have approved a waiver of federal rules from the Department of Agriculture, which oversees the nutrition program.
The starting dates for the restrictions and the foods prohibited vary by state.
Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and West Virginia will implement purchase restrictions on Jan. 1, 2026. Idaho, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Colorado, Texas, Virginia, and Florida have starting dates from February to April. Arkansas, Tennessee, Hawaii, South Carolina, North Dakota, and Missouri will begin their bans between July and October.
Most of these states have removed candy, soda, and energy drinks from the list of SNAP-eligible items.
In Tennessee and Iowa, SNAP beneficiaries cannot use the funds to purchase processed foods. Tennessee defines a processed food as one that has been changed in any way from its natural state.
Prepared desserts, such as cakes and cookies, are restricted in Florida and Missouri.
In Iowa, foods that are prepared for consumption or come with eating utensils may not be purchased with SNAP funds. Cold, unpackaged foods without utensils, such as bread, fruit, or canned goods, are still permitted.
See the accompanying map to find specific start dates and any applicable restrictions for each state.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said these are “bold” and “historic” steps to reverse the chronic diseases epidemic in the United States.
“We are restoring SNAP to its true purpose—nutrition,” Rollins said in a written statement.
“With these new waivers, we are empowering states to lead, protecting our children from the dangers of highly-processed foods, and moving one step closer to the President’s promise to make America Healthy Again.”
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said, “We cannot continue a system that forces taxpayers to fund programs that make people sick and then pay a second time to treat the illnesses those very programs help create.”
These restrictions mark the first time in the program’s history that the Department of Agriculture has granted SNAP waivers.
From the early 2000s through 2024, the department consistently denied state requests to restrict specific food items under SNAP.
In 2007, the USDA issued a paper explaining its reasons for denying such waivers, arguing that “no clear standards exist for defining foods as good or bad, or healthy or not healthy.”
The first-ever approval came on May 19, when Rollins signed Nebraska’s waiver request, followed quickly by approvals for Indiana and Iowa on May 22, 2025. Since then, 15 additional states have received waivers.
By Sylvia Xu
