OMAHA, NEB. — Nebraska has become the first state to receive US Department of Agriculture approval for a Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) waiver that bans the use of benefits for purchases of soda and energy drinks.
The waiver, due to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2026, amends the statutory definition of food for purchase in Nebraska’s SNAP from “any food or food product for home consumption” to exclude soda, “soft drinks” and energy drinks. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins signed the state’s waiver on May 19.
“Today’s waiver to remove soda and energy drinks from SNAP is the first of its kind, and it is a historic step to ‘make America healthy again,’” Rollins said.
Other states that have requested or are considering SNAP waivers — for soda, candy and/or other items — reportedly include Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Tennessee, Texas, Utah and West Virginia.
“There’s absolutely zero reason for taxpayers to be subsidizing purchases of soda and energy drinks,” Nebraska Governor Jim Pillen said. “SNAP is about helping families in need get healthy food into their diets, but there’s nothing nutritious about the junk we’re removing with today’s waiver.”
Currently, about 42 million people receive benefits under SNAP, according to USDA data. One concern about waivers to exclude food and beverages deemed unhealthy is that it could complicate administration of the program and hike costs, since restrictions would vary from state to state. The waiver requested by Arkansas, for example, aims to ban soda and candy from SNAP but include hot rotisserie chicken. Before the waivers, SNAP recipients generally could buy anything except alcohol, tobacco, hot foods and personal care products.
