Four U.S. states to implement SNAP junk food purchase bans

Montana, North Dakota, South Carolina, and Virginia will begin implementing restrictions on food purchases made with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on November 1, 2026. These measures, part of a broader trend of states enacting waivers to prohibit the purchase of certain items, primarily target soda, energy drinks, and candy.

In Virginia, the restriction specifically prohibits carbonated sweetened beverages, including regular, diet, and zero-sugar sodas, as well as carbonated energy drinks. Other beverages such as milk, juice, iced tea, and non-carbonated energy drinks remain eligible. Virginia officials have designated this as the ‘SNAP Healthy’ initiative, aimed at improving long-term health outcomes.

The implementation of these bans is linked to the Trump administration’s ‘Make America Healthy Again’ (MAHA) initiative. These states join several others, including Indiana, Utah, Idaho, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Texas, Florida, and Arkansas, which have already enacted similar waivers.

While some states move forward, others face legal hurdles. A U.S. District Judge recently vacated the USDA’s approval of a pilot program for Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia, ruling that the USDA lacked the authority to approve state requests to bar specific food items. Critics of the new restrictions argue the measures represent government overreach and unfairly target low-income individuals.