4 States Move To Ban Soda And Candy From SNAP Benefits, Is New York Next?

West Virginia was the first State to start the process of banning soda and candy from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. (SNAP) Now Arkansas, Idaho and Indiana have taken similar steps to ban 'junk food', will New York be next?

Following the campaign slogan 'Make America Healthy Again', Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is encouraging Governors to submit waivers to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to ban access to junk food through SNAP.

Get our free mobile app

As of today the SNAP program has strict rules and regulations in place regarding the use of SNAP benefits. Here are some of the items New Yorkers are NOT ALLOWED to purchase with SNAP:

• Beer, wine, alcohol
• Hot foods
• Pet food
• Tobacco
• Vitamins and medicines

Here are some of the items New Yorkers are ALLOWED to purchase with SNAP:

• Soda
• Breads and cereals
• Fruits and vegetables
• Snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages
• Meats, fish and poultry
• Dairy products

According to Newsweek, several states are considering SNAP bans on soda and other items. Here are a few:

• Tennessee
• Michigan
• Arizona
• Texas
• Louisiana

In January, Governor Kathy Hochul announced that nearly $6.5 billion was delivered to needy families through New York's SNAP program in 2024. Hochul has yet to weigh in on her stance on banning access to junk food in New York.

No New Yorker should ever go hungry, and no parent or caregiver should have to choose between buying groceries or keeping the lights on. We need congressional leaders to step up and maintain funding for SNAP. - Governor Kathy Hochul