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States Begin Testing Soda and Candy Bans in Food Assistance Programs
Removing soda and candy from SNAP programs
Supper Team
August 20, 2025
In partnership with
Can limiting sugary drinks and candy in food assistance programs help improve the health of millions of Americans? A growing number of states are launching pilot programs to find out.
In a new push to improve nutrition among low-income families, 12 states have received federal approval to test restrictions on the purchase of soda, energy drinks, and certain candies through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps.
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These pilot programs aim to reduce consumption of added sugars — a known driver of obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease — without cutting off essential food access.
“We believe in personal choice,” said Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been a public advocate for healthier eating through the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative. “But that doesn’t mean taxpayer-funded programs should subsidize soda and junk food.”
A Health-First Approach to SNAP
SNAP currently allows the purchase of nearly any food or beverage from grocery stores, excluding alcohol, hot prepared foods, and supplements. But some nutrition experts and public health advocates have long questioned whether it's wise to allow sugary beverages — the leading source of added sugar in the American diet — to be bought with taxpayer dollars.
The pilot bans are currently in place in Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Texas, Utah, and West Virginia. The waivers allow these states to test whether restrictions on sugar-heavy items can lead to better dietary habits among SNAP recipients.
Colorado is currently the only state that has paired a soda restriction with a proposal to expand access to healthier foods — a combination that public health advocates say is key.
“This is a big step toward reducing rates of obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay,” Colorado Governor Jared Polis said in a statement, highlighting the health-driven nature of the waiver.
What Do the Experts Say?
Despite the intentions, the evidence linking SNAP soda bans directly to improved health outcomes is still limited.
Joelle Johnson, deputy director for Healthy Food Access at the Center for Science in the Public Interest, said there is little research to confirm whether restrictions on candy and sugary drinks lead to meaningful changes in diet or long-term health.
“You can’t say with confidence that banning soda through SNAP will reduce diet-related disease,” Johnson explained. “The impact depends on what people choose instead.”
Other experts agree that focusing solely on what’s restricted misses the bigger picture. For example, if healthier options aren’t made more affordable or accessible alongside restrictions, families may just shift their purchases rather than improve their diets.
Food Access vs. Food Quality
Many advocates argue that improving food quality in SNAP should go hand-in-hand with ensuring access to fresh, affordable, and nutritious options. In some states, this might mean expanding benefits for fruits and vegetables, or supporting local partnerships with farmers markets and food banks.
Nutritionist Priya Fielding-Singh, from the George Washington University Global Food Institute, emphasized that real progress comes when restrictions are paired with positive incentives.
“Any effort to encourage healthier eating should also come with more resources and support,” she said. “People need the means and access to make nutritious choices, not just fewer unhealthy ones.”
Looking Ahead
These pilot programs are temporary and meant to gather data, not make permanent policy changes — at least not yet. They present an opportunity to better understand how changes to SNAP purchasing rules affect diet quality and long-term health.
And while these initiatives are still in early stages, they could help shape the future of food assistance in the U.S.
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