Arkansas sets stage for healthy SNAP ban that will leave a bitter taste across state

Little Rock: Arkansas has become the first state to request federal approval to ban soft drinks and candy from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps. Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced the move Tuesday, arguing that the current system promotes unhealthy eating habits among low-income families.

The proposed restrictions, set to take effect in July 2026, would exclude soda (including diet versions), fruit drinks with less than 50% real juice, candy, and artificially sweetened snacks from SNAP purchases. However, the plan would allow beneficiaries to buy hot rotisserie chicken, which is currently prohibited.

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Sanders, joined by US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, said the change aims to improve the health of Arkansas’s 350,000 SNAP recipients. “Taxpayers deserve a say in what the program funds,” Rollins added. The proposal aligns with Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative, which seeks to curb obesity and diabetes by limiting federal subsidies for unhealthy foods.

Anti-hunger advocates oppose the measure, arguing that SNAP recipients are no more likely to buy junk food than other low-income Americans. Gina Plata-Nino of the Food Research and Action Center called the restrictions discriminatory, noting that SNAP provides only about $6.20 per day for food.

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA), which oversees SNAP, has previously rejected similar waiver requests, citing implementation challenges and lack of clear health benefits. Arkansas will now open a 30-day public comment period before the USDA makes a final decision.