Florida has paved the way for new SNAP restrictions in 2026.
According to News4JAX sister station WKMG in Orlando, the upcoming crackdown comes thanks to a new pilot program, which allows states to block the purchases of certain goods under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Recommended Videos
And in Florida, state officials are gunning to eliminate some unhealthy foods from the lineup of goods that SNAP recipients can use their funds on.
In the Sunshine State, SNAP recipients will no longer be able to use their benefits to purchase the following items next year:
- Soda — A beverage made with carbonated water that is flavored with added sugar or artificial sweeteners like corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar and sucrose
- Does not include carbonated water that is plain or naturally flavored
- Does not include any beverage that is over 50% vegetable or fruit juice by volume
- Does not include a beverage with less than five grams of added sugar
- Energy drinks — A beverage containing at least 65 milligrams of caffeine per eight fluid ounces that are advertised as being specifically designed to provide metabolic stimulation or an increase to the consumer’s mental physical energy
- Does not include coffee or tea
- Candy — A product involving the preparation of sugar or artificial sweeteners in combination with chocolate, fruits, nuts, caramels, gummies, and hard candies or other ingredients/flavorings in the form of bars, drops or pieces
- Prepared desserts — A processed, shelf-stable, ready-to-eat, pre-packaged sweet food intended for immediate consumption without any further preparation
The newly prohibited foods join a list of items that are already restricted under the SNAP welfare program, including alcoholic beverages, tobacco and hot foods.
But while the new rules were originally set to take effect on Jan. 1, an updated waiver modification shows that they will now kick off on April 20, 2026.
From there, the waiver will remain in effect for two years — through April 19, 2028. During this time, state officials will be responsible for reporting on the results of these changes.
A recent report by the Mississippi State Auditor states that over 20% of nationwide SNAP spending is on junk food like prepared desserts, salty snacks, sugary drinks and candy.