Does the "Big Beautiful Bill" change what foods you can buy with SNAP?
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The reconciliation bill signed into law by President Trump on July 4, 2025—known as the "Big Beautiful Bill"—does not change what groceries you can buy with SNAP benefits or ban buying “junk food” like soda, chips, or candy with SNAP benefits.
However, the new law does include significant changes to SNAP that could affect millions of Americans who rely on food assistance, including updated work requirements for who can get SNAP.
And separate from that new legislation, some states are seeking to restrict what foods SNAP-recipients can buy with their benefits and take some items, like soda and energy drinks, off the list.
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What can you buy with SNAP under the new law?#what-can-you-buy-with-snap-under-the-new-law
The new bill doesn't add new restrictions on what foods you can purchase with your SNAP benefits.
You can still use SNAP to buy most groceries, including fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, bread, cereal, beans and grains, snacks, and non-alcoholic beverages like water and juice.
The same items that were off-limits before are still off-limits now. SNAP benefits still can't be used to buy:
- Hot prepared foods that are ready to eat, like hot rotisserie chicken or hot pizza slices
- Foods meant to be eaten in the store, like items from a restaurant inside a grocery store
- Medications and supplements like vitamins, cold and flu medicine, and other pharmacy products
- Household essentials like toilet paper, paper towels, wipes, or diapers
- Personal care items like shampoo, soap, and toothpaste
- Alcohol and tobacco products
- Live animals (except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals prepared for pickup)
- Pet food and pet treats
Which states are banning junk food for SNAP?#which-states-are-banning-junk-food-for-snap
While the federal bill didn't change what you can buy with food stamps, several states are taking their own action to restrict certain food purchases on SNAP.
As of June 2025, the federal government has approved requests from six states to ban specific foods under SNAP:
- Arkansas banned soda, fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice, unhealthy drinks, and candy
- Idaho banned soda and candy
- Indiana banned soft drinks and candy
- Nebraska banned soda and energy drinks
- Iowa banned nearly all "taxable" food items under Iowa law, including candy, ready-to-eat kettle corn or caramel corn, marshmallows, soda, and fruit juices with less than 50% fruit or vegetable juice
- Illinois banned soda and candy
These restrictions will start on January 1, 2026 for all states except Arkansas, which will start July 1, 2026.
Other states considering junk food bans#other-states-considering-junk-food-bans
State lawmakers in Alabama, Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Michigan, Montana, Louisiana, Tennessee, and Colorado are proposing their own SNAP restrictions on junk food.
Texas, and West Virginia have already submitted requests to the federal government for approval.
If all the states currently considering food restrictions get approval, the bans would affect more than seven million Americans who use SNAP.
