SNAP beneficiaries in Florida will no longer be allowed to buy these popular foods
SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) beneficiaries in Florida will no longer be able to purchase a range of foods considered to have low nutritional value starting January 2026.
Sugary drinks like sodas and energy drinks are included in the list of prohibited foods for SNAP beneficiaries in Florida. Candy and prepared desserts will also not be purchasable with the EBT card, which is automatically reloaded each month with SNAP assistance.
The federal program, administered by the states and benefiting nearly 42 million low-income Americans, already prohibited the purchase of prepared meals, personal care products, alcoholic beverages, cigars and tobacco with SNAP benefits.
States prohibit buying junk food with SNAP
In response to criticism that the program allows the purchase of “junk food,” the Department of Agriculture granted 12 states permission to approve waivers and expand the list of foods that cannot be bought with SNAP. The first to make the waivers were Nebraska, Iowa, Indiana, Arkansas, Idaho and Utah.
Florida, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Colorado and West Virginia joined on July 4, as announced by Agriculture Secretary Brooke L. Rollins, alongside Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services.
The USDA is providing states with greater flexibility to manage their programs through the approval of SNAP Food Restriction Waivers, which restrict the purchase of non-nutritious products like sodas and sweets, according to the Department of Agriculture's website. These waivers are a crucial step to ensure taxpayer dollars provide nutritious options that improve health outcomes within SNAP.
In Florida, the SNAP program assists 3 million low-income individuals. The average monthly benefit for each user is $184.
In Miami-Dade County, nearly a quarter of households rely on SNAP to pay for their groceries –- the fifth highest rate of any county in Florida, according to Census Bureau data.
The One Big Beautiful Bill includes cuts to SNAP benefits totaling $287 billion over the next 10 years. It also expands work requirements for older beneficiaries and some parents.
This story was originally published August 7, 2025 at 11:57 AM with the headline "SNAP beneficiaries in Florida will no longer be allowed to buy these popular foods."
