New Texas SNAP Rules Ban Candy and Sugary Drinks

Texas has officially restricted what more than 3.5 million SNAP recipients can buy with their benefits, barring most candy and sweetened beverages from the program as of this week. The changes, passed during the 2025 legislative session, are now being enforced at grocery store checkouts across the state.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is administering the new rules under Senate Bill 379, which prohibits using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits to purchase what lawmakers classified as less healthy foods. Retailers are required to block restricted items at the point of sale, and some stores have already posted signs alerting customers.

The list of newly ineligible items is specific. SNAP funds can no longer cover candy bars, gum, taffy, sour candy, or nuts, raisins, and fruits that have been candied, glazed, crystallized, or coated with chocolate, yogurt, or caramel. On the beverage side, any drink containing five grams or more of added sugar is off the list, as are beverages made with artificial sweeteners, including many sodas and sports drinks.

Not everything sweet is blocked. Milk and milk substitutes, drinks with more than 50% fruit or vegetable juice, and beverages sweetened with stevia or monk fruit that fall under the five-gram threshold remain eligible. Medical-grade electrolyte drinks used to treat dehydration, not branded as sports drinks, are also still covered.

“This change was made to comply with Senate Bill 379, which prohibits the use of SNAP benefits to purchase less healthy foods like candy and sweetened drinks,” the Texas Health and Human Services Commission said in a statement. “The intent is to encourage the purchase of nutritious foods, such as fruits and vegetables.”

Most staple foods remain untouched. Fruits, vegetables, meat, bread, dairy, and pantry goods are still fully covered under the program.

The policy puts Texas among a small group of states pushing to reshape what federal nutrition assistance can buy. Proponents argue SNAP dollars should prioritize nutritional value. Critics have questioned whether such restrictions stigmatize low-income shoppers or create confusion at checkout.

For North Texans who rely on SNAP, which includes working families, seniors, veterans, and children, the practical shift starts at the grocery store. Cashiers and self-checkout systems must now screen out restricted items, a technical and logistical challenge retailers are already navigating.

From a health standpoint, some nutrition professionals see merit in the direction of the policy, particularly for children.

“When we’re thinking about lowering sugar consumption, we want to focus on foods with added sugars,” said Mikie Rangel, a clinical dietitian with Children’s Health. “Foods with added sugars tend to be higher in calories and lower in nutrition, which can lead to excessive weight gain when they’re overconsumed.”

Rangel also pointed to dental health as a real concern. “When there’s too much sugar in the diet, there’s extra sugar for bacteria in our mouths to feed on, which causes cavities,” she said. Reducing added sugar intake can also help stabilize blood sugar levels, she noted.

Texas is home to some of the highest rates of diet-related illness in the country, and the state’s Republican-led Legislature has made healthier eating incentives a recurring policy priority. At the federal level, the USDA must approve any state waiver to restrict SNAP purchases beyond standard federal guidelines, meaning Texas needed a formal exemption to make these changes stick.

The rollout will test whether point-of-sale technology can reliably flag every restricted product, and whether SNAP recipients across the state have received enough notice to adjust their shopping. Some store locations have posted signage, but advocates have raised questions about whether outreach has reached all affected households, particularly non-English speakers.

With 3.5 million Texans depending on SNAP, even minor confusion at checkout can mean real disruption to families managing tight grocery budgets. The Health and Human Services Commission will be watching closely as the new rules settle in.