SNAP rules could change in another state
Nevada could become the next state to block unhealthy purchases from being bought with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits.
State officials who oversee the state’s food stamp program are preparing to seek federal approval to restrict how benefits can be spent, including barring their use for sugary drinks, energy beverages and some types of candy.
Why It Matters
Any potential change would impact the estimated 505,500 SNAP recipients in the Silver State.
It also comes on the heels of 18 states having similar waivers approved in the past year. The changes, approved through federal waivers, reflect a wider White House effort to curb diet-related disease while reshaping how one of the country’s largest safety net programs operates.
What To Know
At a legislative hearing on Tuesday, the Division of Social Services said it intends to apply for a waiver that would take effect in 2028. At the same time, the state plans to ask the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA)—which oversees and pays for the program—to expand what recipients can purchase with their benefits, including allowing the purchase of more hot, prepared foods like rotisserie chickens.
SNAP, commonly known as food stamps, delivers monthly help with grocery costs to more than 40 million Americans with low or no income. Although the program operates under rules set by the USDA, states are permitted to seek waivers that give them flexibility to change how certain parts of the program are run.
Over the course of 2025, 18 states had waivers approved that block candy and/or soda products from SNAP. These are Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia and West Virginia.
Although the specifics vary by state, the proposed rules generally focus on foods and beverages commonly described as “junk food”—products that tend to be high in sugar, fat or calories and offer little nutritional benefit.
Some of these changes came into force at the start of 2026, namely in Indiana, Iowa, Nebraska, Utah and West Virginia, as of January 1. Others are scheduled for changes to begin throughout the rest of the year.
Backers of the restrictions argue they would help address diet-related illnesses and ensure public funds are not spent on unhealthy products. Opponents counter that such limits are unlikely to alter eating habits and instead amount to an ideological attempt to police how low-income households buy food.
What People Are Saying
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said in December: “President Trump has made it clear: We are restoring SNAP to its true purpose—nutrition. Under the MAHA [Make America Healthy Again] initiative, we are taking bold, historic steps to reverse the chronic diseases epidemic that has taken root in this country for far too long.
“America’s governors are answering that call with courage and innovation, offering solutions that honor the generosity of the taxpayer while helping families live longer, healthier lives. With these new waivers, we are empowering states to lead, protecting our children from the dangers of highly processed foods, and moving one step closer to the president’s promise to Make America Healthy Again.”
Stephanie Hodges, public health dietitian at The Nourished Principles, told Newsweek: “Restrictions alone are unlikely to improve eating habits. The primary barrier to consuming healthier food is affordability.
“Banning certain foods, without incentives, is not going to have the impact many policymakers think it will.”
What Happens Next
Nevada has not yet formally sent its waiver to the USDA.
