There’s no single nationwide SNAP food ban going into effect in 2027. That’s the first thing to get straight, because a lot of confusion online comes from treating this as one federal rule. It isn’t. Restrictions are rolling out state by state through USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) waivers, and each state has its own list of restricted foods and its own start date.
If you’re on SNAP, the questions that actually matter are practical ones. Can you still buy soda? What about candy, energy drinks, or a box of donuts? And when does your state’s rule actually kick in?
The honest answer: it depends entirely on where you’re swiping your EBT card.
Also Check Your State’s SNAP Junk Food Ban List Before 2027
SNAP Food Restrictions by State: 2027 50-State Guide
The table below reflects the current status based on available USDA, state, and implementation information. These waivers move — court rulings and revised state plans can change things fast — so confirm anything critical with your state agency before you rely on it.
| State | 2027 Status | Restricted Foods / Current Note |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Alaska | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Arizona | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Arkansas | Active | Soda, certain fruit/vegetable drinks and candy |
| California | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Colorado | Court status | Soft-drink waiver was struck down |
| Connecticut | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Delaware | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Florida | Active | Soda, energy drinks, candy and prepared desserts |
| Georgia | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Hawaii | Scheduled | Soft drinks; April 1, 2027 |
| Idaho | Active | Soda and candy |
| Illinois | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Indiana | Active | Soft drinks and candy |
| Iowa | Court status | Restriction waiver was struck down |
| Kansas | Scheduled | Candy and soft drinks; February 15, 2027 |
| Kentucky | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Louisiana | Active | Soft drinks, energy drinks and candy |
| Maine | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Maryland | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Massachusetts | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Michigan | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Minnesota | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Mississippi | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Missouri | Scheduled | Candy, prepared desserts and certain beverages; February 15, 2027 |
| Montana | Scheduled | High-sugar beverages, energy drinks, candy and prepared desserts; September 30, 2027 |
| Nebraska | Partly changed | Earlier soda/energy-drink waiver struck down; candy restriction scheduled for November 2026 |
| Nevada | Future | Candy and sugar-sweetened beverages; February 1, 2028 |
| New Hampshire | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| New Jersey | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| New Mexico | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| New York | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| North Carolina | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| North Dakota | Active | Soft drinks, energy drinks and candy |
| Ohio | Scheduled | Sugar-sweetened beverages; October 1, 2026 |
| Oklahoma | Active | Soft drinks and candy |
| Oregon | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Pennsylvania | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Rhode Island | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| South Carolina | Active | Candy, energy drinks, soft drinks and other sweetened beverages |
| South Dakota | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Tennessee | Court status | Restriction waiver was struck down |
| Texas | Active | Sweetened drinks and candy |
| Utah | Active | Soft drinks |
| Vermont | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Virginia | Scheduled | Sweetened beverages; October 1, 2026 |
| Washington | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| West Virginia | Court status | Soda waiver was struck down |
| Wisconsin | No approved restriction identified | No current restriction identified |
| Wyoming | Scheduled | Sweetened carbonated beverages; February 1, 2027 |
Arkansas, Florida, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah already have active restrictions. Kansas, Hawaii, Missouri, Montana and Wyoming have dates locked in for later. And Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee and West Virginia have all seen their waivers hit legal trouble.
Which States Have SNAP Restrictions Starting in 2027?
A handful of states have restrictions landing specifically within 2027. Here’s where things stand for each.
Kansas
Kansas will restrict candy and soft drinks starting February 15, 2027. The Kansas Department for Children and Families has been clear: this applies to every SNAP household buying at a Kansas SNAP-authorized retailer. It doesn’t touch eligibility. It doesn’t touch benefit amounts — those still follow the SNAP payment dates your state already runs on.
There’s a detail worth flagging here. Once the restriction begins, someone visiting from another state can’t use SNAP to buy restricted candy or soda at a Kansas retailer either. The rule follows the store, not the cardholder.
Wyoming
Wyoming’s restriction on sweetened carbonated beverages starts in February 2027. Candy gets added to the list a year later, in February 2028 — so this one rolls out in two phases.
Hawaii
Hawaii’s soft-drink restriction is set for April 1, 2027.
Missouri
Missouri’s Healthy SNAP program covers candy, pre-packaged ready-to-eat desserts, and certain beverages. The definitions behind these categories were approved by FNS back in June 2026, and they’re more specific than most people assume.
Montana
Montana’s restriction — covering high-sugar beverages, energy drinks, candy, and prepared desserts — is scheduled for September 30, 2027, the latest 2027 date on this list.
What Foods Are Being Restricted?
The categories repeat across states, but no two waivers are identical.
| Food Category | 2027 SNAP Status |
|---|---|
| Soda and soft drinks | Restricted in some states |
| Candy | Restricted in some states |
| Energy drinks | Restricted in some states |
| Sweetened beverages | Restricted in some states |
| Prepared desserts | Restricted in some states |
| Certain fruit drinks | Restricted in some states |
| Certain vegetable drinks | Restricted in some states |
| Regular fruits and vegetables | Generally SNAP eligible |
| Meat, poultry and fish | Generally SNAP eligible |
| Milk and dairy products | Generally SNAP eligible |
| Bread and grains | Generally SNAP eligible |
| Seeds and food-producing plants | Generally SNAP eligible |
Definitions do a lot of work here. Kansas, for instance, excludes anything with milk, milk products, soy, rice, or similar milk substitutes from its “soft drink” definition. Drinks that are more than 50% fruit or vegetable juice get excluded too.
Missouri goes further, spelling out exact criteria for what counts as candy versus a pre-packaged dessert. Calling any of this a generic “junk food ban” misses the point — these are legal definitions with real boundaries.
Can You Buy Soda With SNAP in 2027?
Depends entirely on the state you’re standing in when you check out.
Some states restrict soda or soft drinks under an approved waiver. Others have nothing on the books. Kansas will restrict qualifying soft drinks starting early 2027; Wyoming’s version, covering sweetened carbonated beverages, begins that same February.
Can You Buy Candy With Food Stamps?
Same rule applies — it comes down to the state and how that state legally defines candy.
Kansas will restrict qualifying candy purchases beginning in early 2027. Missouri has its own FNS-approved definition covering specific candy products, and it doesn’t match Kansas’s list line for line.
Can You Buy Energy Drinks With EBT?
In several states, no. Nationwide, it’s not restricted at all.
State definitions get technical fast — caffeine content, added stimulants, sweeteners, juice percentage. Don’t assume every can on the shelf gets treated the same way. Check your state’s actual definition before you rely on a general answer.
Can You Buy Desserts With SNAP?
Some states restrict prepared or pre-packaged desserts. Others leave them under regular SNAP rules entirely.
Missouri’s definition is a good example of how detailed this gets — doughnuts, brownies, cupcakes, cookies, snack cakes, muffins, pastries, and similar ready-to-eat items all fall under its restriction.
What Foods Can You Still Buy With SNAP?
A food restriction doesn’t shut off your SNAP card for regular groceries. Far from it.
- Fruits and vegetables
- Meat, poultry and fish
- Milk and dairy products
- Bread and cereals
- Other food for household consumption
- Seeds and plants that produce food
Kansas confirms directly that its restriction leaves these staples untouched. And regular federal SNAP rules already exclude alcohol, tobacco, vitamins and medicines, nonfood household items, and hot food sold at point of sale — restrictions or not, those exclusions were never going anywhere.
Do SNAP Food Restrictions Change Your Benefits?
No. A purchase restriction and a benefit change are two completely different things.
Kansas states this outright: its waiver doesn’t alter SNAP eligibility requirements or how much a household receives. It only changes what that money can buy. If you’re unsure where your household stands, running the numbers through a SNAP eligibility calculator by state is a faster way to check than guessing.
So if a restricted item ends up in your cart, you’ll need another payment method for that one item. Everything else on your SNAP balance still works exactly like before.
Why Do SNAP Food Restriction Lists Keep Changing?
Because a lot has to happen before a restriction actually sticks. Here’s the sequence:
- A state requests a waiver.
- USDA/FNS reviews and approves or rejects it.
- The state builds out implementation rules.
- Retailers update point-of-sale systems.
- A court challenge may follow.
- The state may delay or revise the plan.
That last step matters more than people expect. In June 2026, a federal judge ruled against waivers in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia, finding that USDA had misapplied federal law in approving them.
Which is exactly why an old “SNAP banned foods by state” list you found six months ago might already be wrong.
Can You Use Your EBT Card in Another State?
Yes. SNAP benefits generally work at authorized retailers outside the state that issued your card — but the purchase restrictions follow the store, not your home state.
Kansas makes this especially clear: its rules apply to any transaction at a Kansas SNAP-authorized retailer, including purchases made by someone whose EBT card was issued elsewhere. A Kansas cardholder shopping in another state follows that state’s rules instead. If income eligibility ever comes into question across state lines, the SNAP income limits by state for 2026 are worth checking, since limits aren’t uniform either.
This matters most if you live near a state border or travel often for work or family.
How Do Retailers Know Which Foods Are Restricted?
The point-of-sale system does the heavy lifting.
Kansas requires retailers to update their systems so restricted items simply won’t process on SNAP. Scan a restricted product, and the register asks for another payment method for that item — nothing else on the transaction is affected.
Practically, that means you don’t need to memorize every restricted SKU in your state. The register already knows.
Official Resources
- Check Your State’s SNAP Waiver Status — USDA FNS
- Find Your State SNAP Agency — USDA FNS
- Apply for SNAP Benefits — Benefits.gov
- Verify SNAP-Authorized Retailers Near You — USDA FNS
FAQs About SNAP Junk Food Restrictions 2027
What are the new SNAP food restrictions for 2027?
There’s no single nationwide ban. Restrictions vary by state and can include soda, soft drinks, candy, energy drinks, sweetened beverages, and prepared desserts.
Which states are banning soda with SNAP?
Kansas, Wyoming, Hawaii, and several others have active or scheduled soft-drink waivers. The exact definition of “soda” changes from state to state.
Which states are banning candy with SNAP?
Kansas, Idaho, Indiana, Louisiana, Oklahoma, and South Carolina are among the states with active or scheduled candy restrictions.
Can I buy Coke with food stamps?
Depends on where you buy it and how that state defines a restricted soft drink. In states with an active waiver, a product like Coke may not be SNAP eligible.
Can I buy Gatorade with SNAP?
It depends on classification. Some state waivers cover sports drinks or energy-type beverages specifically — check your state’s current definition before assuming.
Can I buy energy drinks with EBT?
Some states restrict them, some don’t. Both the definition and the start date vary.
Do SNAP food restrictions reduce my monthly benefit?
No. These waivers change what you can buy, not how much you receive. Kansas confirms this distinction directly in its program guidance.
Do SNAP restrictions apply to everyone?
Yes, within a state’s participating retailers. Kansas applies its rule even to SNAP cards issued by another state.
When do the new SNAP restrictions start?
Dates vary: February 2027 for Wyoming, February 15, 2027 for Kansas and Missouri, April 1, 2027 for Hawaii, and September 30, 2027 for Montana.
Are SNAP food restrictions federal or state-specific?
SNAP itself is federal. These food-restriction waivers, though, are approved and implemented state by state through USDA/FNS.
Conclusion
None of this is static. A restriction that’s active today could end up in court next year, and a “future” date could move up or slide back without much warning. The one thing worth doing before every big shopping trip: check your specific state’s current rule, not a list you bookmarked months ago. That five-minute check saves you from an awkward moment at checkout.
Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes and is not an official USDA or state SNAP notice. SNAP food-restriction waivers and effective dates can change. Check your state SNAP agency or USDA/FNS for the latest rules before making a purchase.