Florida SNAP recipients face new limits on soda, candy, and ultra-processed desserts starting April 20

Florida’s SNAP benefits will restrict soda, energy drinks, candy, and ultra-processed desserts starting April 20 to promote nutritious diets

FLORIDA, USA — Florida’s new restrictions for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are set to begin on April 20.

These restrictions will make things like soda, energy drinks, candy, and ultra-processed desserts no longer available to purchase using SNAP benefits.

The Healthy Snap Florida website says the soda category includes regular, diet, and zero-sugar soft drinks such as Coca-Cola, Sprite, Diet Coke, Mr. Pibb, Coke Zero, Sprite Zero, Pepsi, 7UP, Diet Pepsi, Dr Pepper, and Canada Dry, as well as comparable store-brand versions.

Benefits may still be used to purchase sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade, plain or naturally flavored sparkling waters, and beverages containing more than 50% juice or fewer than 5 grams of added sugar per serving.

“Candy” includes products made with sugar or artificial sweeteners combined with ingredients such as chocolate, fruit, nuts, caramel or flavorings, and sold in forms like bars, drops or bite-sized pieces.

Trail mix that contains candy is also not eligible for purchase.

Items such as granola bars, breakfast toaster strudels, breakfast biscuits like BelVita, and toaster pastries like Pop-Tarts may still be purchased with benefits, even if they contain sweeteners or chocolate.

“Ultra-processed prepared desserts” means a processed, shelf-stable, ready-to-eat, pre-packaged sweet food intended for immediate consumption without any further preparation.

Freshly prepared baked goods can still be purchased with SNAP benefits.

Benefit amounts will not be impacted by these changes and recipients are still able to redeem them at the same stores.

SNAP recipients will also receive updates through the MyACCESS portal, text messages and program materials. 

In addition, SNAP-authorized retailers will receive in-store flyers to help identify ineligible items, which will be automatically blocked from purchase with SNAP benefits at checkout.

The website says, “Florida made this change to better align SNAP with its intended purpose: providing low-income households access to a more nutritious diet to help alleviate hunger and combat malnutrition. By excluding soda, energy drinks, candy, and ultra-processed shelf-stable prepared desserts, the state is taking a proactive step to ensure SNAP benefits are used for more nourishing foods.”