New SNAP restrictions in Florida limit purchases on items like soda and candy. Officials aim to encourage healthier eating, but access challenges remain.
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — New restrictions on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits are now in effect across Florida, limiting what recipients can purchase and raising concerns among some.
As of April 20, SNAP benefits no longer cover items such as soda, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed desserts like cookies and snack cakes.
In Jacksonville, more than 160,000 people rely on SNAP benefits each month, representing about 57,000 households. The average benefit is approximately $190 per person per month.
For many families, those benefits are essential — but access to healthy, affordable food is not always easy.
Rhonda Jackson, a Jacksonville SNAP recipient, said the new rules are already making grocery shopping more difficult.
“Now I’m being told what I can buy and what I can’t buy and I don’t think that’s right,” Jackson said.
Jackson said she was surprised to learn some items she previously purchased were no longer covered.
“I couldn’t even get an Arizona, V8 juice or Welch’s juice with my food stamps,” she said.
She added that confusion at checkout has added to her frustration, as both customers and store employees adjust to the changes.
“I feel like we should be able to choose,” Jackson said. “Cause all food is healthy, it’s whether or not you indulge in it.”
State officials say the changes are intended to encourage healthier eating habits and better align SNAP benefits with nutrition guidelines in an effort to combat hunger and malnutrition.
But local advocates say the issue goes beyond what people can buy.
Dr. Eva Hardrick, executive director of Northside Community Involvement, said her organization has seen an increase in demand at its food pantry, which distributes about 15,000 pounds of food each month to Jacksonville families.
“I have seen an uptick in the people that come to the resource center looking for food,” Hardrick said.
She said while promoting healthier options is important, access remains a challenge for many families.
“They do need to eat healthy and be able to feed a family,” Hardrick said.
Hardrick noted that transportation barriers and limited access to grocery stores can make it difficult for residents to obtain fresh food.
“A lot of times they’re asking for fresh fruits, but they will take whatever it is that we have at the time,” she said. “Sometimes I will take from my house and bring to help support some of the things that they’re asking for.”
Despite the new restrictions, some items remain eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits, including sports drinks, sparkling water, tea and certain packaged snacks such as granola bars and breakfast pastries.