SNAP recipients in five states will be banned from using assistance for candy and soda, beginning 2026

Published December 31, 2025 12:05pm ET



More than 1.4 million recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program across five states will be banned from using federal food assistance for candy and soda purchases, starting Thursday.

Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and West Virginia are the first group of 18 states to set food restriction waivers at the start of the new year, according to the Department of Agriculture. The waivers target different junk food items in each state.

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