Starting Monday, SNAP recipients are not eligible to purchase any foods with their benefits that are considered unhealthy or ultra-processed.
FLORIDA, USA — Changes to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs (SNAP) are beginning this week in Florida.
Starting Monday, SNAP recipients are not eligible to purchase any foods with their benefits that are considered unhealthy or ultra-processed.
In August, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins signed the waivers for Florida and five other states, allowing them to “amend the statutory definition of food for purchase” for SNAP benefits starting in 2026.
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These new guidelines are similar to an initiative Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. previously laid out regarding a ban on sugary drinks, candy and other items from being eligible for SNAP benefits.
What can no longer be purchased with SNAP benefits in Florida?
Starting Monday, recipients of SNAP in Florida can no longer buy, according to Florida Healthy SNAP:
Sodas are now prohibited from being purchased with SNAP, including any Coca-Cola and Pepsi products, as well as Canada Dry.
Along with regular versions of soda, this also includes diet and zero-sugar versions.
SNAP now prohibits the purchase of energy drinks, which include products that contain 65 milligrams or more of caffeine per 8 ounces and anything that’s marketed to boost energy or alertness.
Several brands include Monster, Red Bull, Celsius and 5-Hour Energy.
Candy products banned from SNAP purchases include products made from sugar or artificial sweeteners combined with chocolate, fruit, nuts, caramel, gummies, and hard candies or other ingredients or flavorings in the form of bars, drops, or pieces.
Several prohibited brands include Hershey’s, Snickers, Sour Patch Kids, Skittles and more.
SNAP benefits cannot be used to buy ultra-processed desserts, meaning anything shelf-stable, ready-to-eat, pre-packaged sweet food intended for immediate consumption without any further preparation.
This includes snack cakes like Twinkies, Ho Hos and Swiss Rolls; packaged sweets like Sno Balls, Oatmeal Creme Pies and Market Pantry Golden Crème Cakes; cookies like Chips Ahoy!, Keebler Chips Deluxe and Oreos.
What can still be purchased with SNAP benefits in Florida?
Health officials did clarify on some items that can still be purchased with SNAP that you may think falls into some of these categories.
SNAP benefits can still be used to purchase sports drinks like Gatorade and Powerade, or flavored sparkling waters such as LaCroix or Bubly. Additionally, any drink that contains more than 50% juice or has less than 5 grams of added sugar per serving, can be bought.
While you cannot purchase energy drinks, coffee and tea are still eligible to be purchased through SNAP benefits.
Snacks such as granola bars, breakfast toaster strudels, breakfast biscuits like BelVita, breakfast toaster pastries like Pop-Tarts and freshly prepared baked goods can also be purchased with SNAP.
Why are SNAP benefits changing in Florida?
Florida officials say these changes are intended to provide low-income households with access to more nutritious foods to help alleviate hunger and combat malnutrition, a reason they say better aligns with SNAP’s “intended purpose.”
“By excluding soda, energy drinks, candy, and ultra-processed shelf-stable prepared desserts, Florida is taking a proactive step to ensure SNAP benefits are used for more nourishing foods,” the Florida Healthy SNAP website says.