IN WEST VIRGINIA: SNAP Bans on Soda, Candy Began on Jan. 1

Last updated: January 2, 2026 10:11 am

SNAP Bans on Soda, Candy in 5 States to Begin on Jan. 1

12/31/2025|Updated: 12/31/2025

Residents in five states receiving federal food assistance will face new restrictions on their benefits when it comes to purchasing soda, candy, and other items categorized as unhealthy starting Thursday, marking the first push to overhaul the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah, and West Virginia are leading the charge on the new restrictions through waivers approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

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SNAP Bans on Soda, Candy in 5 States to Begin on Jan. 1 SNAP Obesity Rates

The changes affect about 1.4 million SNAP participants under the Trump administration’s Make America Healthy Again initiative, pioneered by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins.

The effort targets obesity and diabetes tied to sugary beverages and snacks. SNAP, which assists 42 million Americans at a cost of $100 billion annually, has long permitted purchases of most foods except alcohol, tobacco, and hot prepared items.

“We cannot continue a system that forces taxpayers to fund programs that make people sick and then pay a second time to treat the illnesses those very programs help create,” Kennedy said in a December statement.

Utah and West Virginia will prohibit soda and soft drinks. Nebraska’s ban covers soda and energy drinks. Indiana will ban soft drinks and candy. Iowa imposes the broadest limits, barring taxable foods such as soda, candy, and some prepared items.

SNAP Obesity Rates

SNAP participants had an almost double obesity rate than eligible non-participants, with 30 percent versus 17 percent, according to a National Institutes of Health study.