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Nebraska households using SNAP may soon be unable to buy candy with their financial assistance. The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services announced Thursday it will seek a federal waiver to make certain sugary treats ineligible to purchase under the program.
Nebraska DHHS cited concerns about excess sugar consumption linking to “a range of serious health conditions” like heart disease and diabetes.
“This step supports healthier SNAP purchasing decisions and reflects the Department’s commitment to improving health outcomes for Nebraskans,” Shannon Grotrian, Director of the Office of Economic Assistance, said in a press release.
If approved, the restrictions would go into effect on Nov. 1, 2026. Retailers would be responsible for updating their systems to block SNAP dollars from being used for ineligible candy purchases.
This builds upon Nebraska's existing Healthy Choice Waiver, which banned purchases of soda and energy drinks with SNAP dollars starting on Jan. 1, 2026.
“There’s absolutely zero reason for taxpayers to be subsidizing purchases of soda and energy drinks,” Gov. Jim Pillen said in a January press release. “SNAP is intended to help families access nutritious food, and there’s nothing healthy about what we are removing through this waiver."
Opponents worry restrictions could be hard for SNAP users to navigate, reduce choices and create stigmas about what low-income Americans buy.
Nebraska’s proposed SNAP ban on soda and energy drinks was the first waiver of this kind to be approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture last May. In addition to health concerns, the USDA has cited sugary drinks as the top cost-driver in the SNAP program.
According to a 2016 USDA study, soft drinks are the top SNAP commodity by expenditure at 5.4% total. An updated study has not been completed in the past decade.
Twenty-two states have some kind of item restriction on SNAP purchases through a Healthy Choice Waiver. States can request a waiver to “deviate from specific regulatory provisions” in SNAP if the Food and Nutrition Service determines that “the waiver would result in a more effective and efficient administration of the program.” No other administration, including President Donald Trump's first administration, has approved these waivers in the past.