Short answer
What can you buy with SNAP?
SNAP covers food for the household: fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy, breads and cereals, snack foods and non-alcoholic drinks, and seeds and plants that grow food. (USDA FNA, What Can SNAP Buy?) It never covers alcohol, tobacco, vitamins and supplements, hot foods, or nonfood items like pet food and paper goods. (USDA FNA, What Can SNAP Buy?) Some states now limit soda and candy: Indiana since January 1, 2026, and Texas since April 1, 2026. (Indiana FSSA, Smart SNAP) (Texas HHSC, SNAP Purchase Restrictions)
USDA's own list of what households can buy: (USDA FNA, What Can SNAP Buy?)
- Fruits and vegetables;
- Meat, poultry, and fish;
- Dairy products;
- Breads and cereals;
- Other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages; and
- Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat.
| Rule | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Covered | Any food for the household: fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy, breads and cereals, snack foods, non-alcoholic drinks, and seeds and plants that grow food | (USDA FNA, What Can SNAP Buy?) |
| Never covered | Alcohol, tobacco, cannabis or CBD foods, vitamins and supplements, most live animals, hot foods, and nonfood items | (USDA FNA, What Can SNAP Buy?) |
| Hot food | Not if it is hot at the point of sale | (USDA FNA, What Can SNAP Buy?) |
| Restaurant Meals Program | State option for households where everyone is 60 or older, disabled, homeless, or an eligible client's spouse; Massachusetts runs it | (USDA FNA, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program) |
| Texas | No candy or sweetened drinks since April 1, 2026 | (Texas HHSC, SNAP Purchase Restrictions) |
| Indiana | No sugary drinks or candy since January 1, 2026 | (Indiana FSSA, Smart SNAP) |
| Massachusetts, Minnesota, Kentucky | No approved restriction waiver as of October 25, 2026; the federal list applies | (USDA FNA, SNAP Food Restriction Waivers) |
Source: USDA FNA, What Can SNAP Buy? and SNAP Food Restriction Waivers; Texas HHSC; Indiana FSSA. Verified .
Your state and the store's checkout decide what your EBT card covers. Benefit Bull is free and never touches your benefits.
What can you never buy with SNAP?
USDA lists what households cannot buy with SNAP: (USDA FNA, What Can SNAP Buy?)
- Beer, wine, and liquor.
- Cigarettes and tobacco.
- Food and drinks containing controlled substances such as cannabis/marijuana and CBD.
- Vitamins, medicines, and supplements. If an item has a Supplement Facts label, it is considered a supplement and is not eligible for SNAP purchase.
- Live animals (except shellfish, fish removed from water, and animals slaughtered prior to pick-up from the store).
- Foods that are hot at the point of sale.
- Any nonfood items such as pet foods; cleaning supplies, paper products, and other household supplies; and hygiene items and cosmetics.
These rules are the same in every state. Some states add their own limits on top, covered below.
Split your cart at checkout: food on the EBT card, paper towels, pet food, and vitamins on another payment.
Can you buy hot food or restaurant meals with SNAP?
Food that is hot at the point of sale is on USDA's no list, so a hot meal from the deli counter is not SNAP eligible. (USDA FNA, What Can SNAP Buy?)
The exception is the Restaurant Meals Program, a state option that lets certain SNAP clients buy prepared meals at participating restaurants. To use it, you must be certified for SNAP in a state that runs the program, and every member of your household must be 60 or older, disabled, homeless, or the spouse of a client who is eligible for the program. (USDA FNA, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program) You do not ask the restaurant: the state codes eligible EBT cards, and a card is automatically declined if the client is not eligible. (USDA FNA, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program)
USDA lists nine states that run it: Arizona, California, Illinois (Cook and Franklin Counties only), Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Rhode Island, and Virginia. (USDA FNA, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program) Texas, Indiana, Minnesota, and Kentucky are not on that list. For other SNAP rules at 60 and older, see SNAP for seniors.
If you live in a program state and everyone in your home is 60 or older, disabled, or homeless, ask your state SNAP agency whether your card is coded for restaurant meals.
Which states limit soda and candy on SNAP?
USDA has approved food restriction waivers that let states block certain items, mostly soda and candy. These are the approved states and their target implementation dates as listed by USDA. (USDA FNA, SNAP Food Restriction Waivers)
| State | Target implementation date | What USDA says it restricts |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | July 1, 2026 | Restricts purchase of soda, fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50% natural juice, energy drinks, unhealthy drinks, and candy. |
| Florida | April 20, 2026 | Restricts purchase of soda, energy drinks, candy, and prepared desserts. |
| Idaho | Feb. 15, 2026 | Restricts purchase of soda and candy. |
| Indiana | Jan. 1, 2026 | Restricts purchase of soft drinks and candy. |
| Louisiana | Feb. 18, 2026 | Restricts purchase of soft drinks, energy drinks, and candy. |
| Oklahoma | Feb. 15, 2026 | Restricts purchase of soft drinks and candy. |
| Texas | April 1, 2026 | Restricts purchase of sweetened drinks and candy. |
| Utah | Jan. 1, 2026 | Restricts purchase of soft drinks. |
| Montana | Nov. 1, 2026 | Restricts purchase of high-sugar beverages, energy drinks, candy, and prepared desserts. |
| North Dakota | Nov. 1, 2026 | Restricts purchase of sweetened beverages, energy drinks, and candy. |
| South Carolina | Nov. 1, 2026 | Restricts purchase of candy, energy drinks, soft drinks, and sweetened beverages. |
| Virginia | Nov. 1, 2026 | Restricts purchase of "sweetened beverages." |
| Nebraska | Dec. 1, 2026 | Restricts purchase of soda, soft drinks, and energy drinks. Effective March 1, 2027, restricts purchase of soda, soft drinks, energy drinks, and candy. |
| Wyoming | Feb. 1, 2027 | Restricts sweetened, carbonated beverages. |
| Kansas | Feb. 15, 2027 | Restricts candy and soft drinks. |
| Missouri | Feb. 15, 2027 | Restricts purchase of candy, prepared desserts, and certain unhealthy beverages. |
| Hawaii | April 1, 2027 | Restricts purchase of soft drinks. |
| Ohio | April 1, 2027 | Restricts sugar-sweetened beverages and all fountain drinks. |
| Nevada | Feb. 1, 2028 | Restricts candy and sugar sweetened beverages. |
Colorado, Iowa, Tennessee, and West Virginia also had approvals, but on June 22, 2026, a federal court in Washington, D.C. (Aragon et al. v. Rollins et al.) ordered that USDA's approval be vacated and that the waivers may not proceed. (USDA FNA, SNAP Food Restriction Waivers) USDA's map also marks states with pending requests, but the page does not list them in text, so they are not shown here.
If your state is on this list, check its own SNAP page for the exact item rules. Each state defines soda and candy a little differently.
What changed in Texas?
Since April 1, 2026, Texas has blocked candy and sweetened drinks on the Lone Star Card; a sweetened drink here means a water-based drink with at least 5 grams of added sugar or any artificial sweetener. (Texas HHSC, SNAP Purchase Restrictions) Milk drinks, drinks that are more than half juice, drinks with natural sweeteners such as stevia and under 5 grams of added sugar, and medical-grade electrolyte drinks not labeled as sports drinks are still allowed, and the rule is the same online and in stores. (Texas HHSC, SNAP Purchase Restrictions) For the Lone Star Card and Texas income limits, see our Texas SNAP guide.
In Texas, check the label for added sugar and sweeteners before a drink goes on the EBT side of the belt.
What changed in Indiana?
Since January 1, 2026, Indiana has blocked sugary drinks and candy on SNAP. (Indiana FSSA, Smart SNAP) Indiana says sugary drinks include sodas, sports drinks, and energy drinks, and candy includes chocolate, gummies, hard candies, and similar confectionery items. (Indiana FSSA, Smart SNAP)
Two exceptions matter at the shelf. Candy does not include any preparation requiring refrigeration, and the sugary drink rule leaves out drinks made with milk or a milk substitute such as soy or rice, and drinks sweetened only with fruit or vegetable juice. (Indiana FSSA, Smart SNAP) Indiana calls the program Smart SNAP, and all SNAP purchases in Indiana follow it. (Indiana FSSA, Smart SNAP) For Indiana income limits, see Indiana SNAP income limits.
In Indiana, a treat that needs refrigeration is not counted as candy, and a drink sweetened only with fruit or vegetable juice is not counted as a sugary drink. A sports drink is.
What about Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Kentucky?
None of the three is on USDA's list of approved food restriction waivers as of October 25, 2026, so the federal list above is what applies. (USDA FNA, SNAP Food Restriction Waivers) Massachusetts is one of the states that runs the Restaurant Meals Program, and USDA lists its contact as DTA.RMP@mass.gov. (USDA FNA, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program) See Massachusetts SNAP income limits.
Minnesota: no approved restriction waiver and no Restaurant Meals Program on USDA's lists. (USDA FNA, SNAP Food Restriction Waivers) (USDA FNA, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program) See Minnesota SNAP income limits.
Kentucky: no approved restriction waiver and no Restaurant Meals Program on USDA's lists. (USDA FNA, SNAP Food Restriction Waivers) (USDA FNA, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program) See Kentucky SNAP income limits.
Waivers change often. We check the USDA list monthly and update this page when it changes.
Texas says Lone Star Card purchases outside Texas follow the rules of the state you are in, so check the list for wherever you shop.
Can you use SNAP for holiday meals?
Holiday groceries count when they are food for the household: meat and poultry, produce, dairy, breads, and baking staples fall in USDA's covered groups. (USDA FNA, What Can SNAP Buy?) In Texas and Indiana, candy and sweetened drinks are out. (Texas HHSC, SNAP Purchase Restrictions) (Indiana FSSA, Smart SNAP) Hot prepared platters are out everywhere. (USDA FNA, What Can SNAP Buy?)
To stretch a holiday month, see whether SNAP benefits roll over and 10 ways to cut your grocery bill.
Buy the turkey or ham cold and cook it at home. A hot rotisserie chicken at checkout is not SNAP eligible.
Which SNAP food rules matter most?
- Jan. 1, 2026
- Indiana's limit on sugary drinks and candy began
- April 1, 2026
- Texas's limit on candy and sweetened drinks began
- 19
- States with an approved restriction waiver on USDA's list, October 25, 2026
- 9
- States that run the Restaurant Meals Program, per USDA
See which food programs may fit your household, with estimated values and official links.
Sources: (Indiana FSSA, Smart SNAP) (Texas HHSC, SNAP Purchase Restrictions) (USDA FNA, SNAP Food Restriction Waivers) (USDA FNA, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program)
What this adds up to
Your EBT card covers food for the household and never covers alcohol, tobacco, supplements, hot foods, or nonfood items. (USDA FNA, What Can SNAP Buy?) Texas and Indiana now also block candy and sweetened drinks, more states start in November 2026 and later, and the list changes often, so check USDA's map before you shop. (Texas HHSC, SNAP Purchase Restrictions) (Indiana FSSA, Smart SNAP) (USDA FNA, SNAP Food Restriction Waivers) For who may qualify for SNAP, see SNAP income limits. Questions about this guide: ben@benefitbull.com.
Sources
Every claim above links to the source it came from. Figures checked October 2026. Last updated October 25, 2026.
- USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, What Can SNAP Buy? (page updated June 04, 2025) (accessed October 25, 2026)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, SNAP Food Restriction Waivers (page updated October 13, 2026) (accessed October 25, 2026)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Administration, SNAP Restaurant Meals Program (page updated August 07, 2026) (accessed October 25, 2026)
- Texas Health and Human Services, SNAP Purchase Restrictions (accessed October 25, 2026)
- Indiana FSSA Division of Family Resources, Smart SNAP (accessed October 25, 2026)
