What to know about Florida's SNAP changes
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Illustration: Shoshana Gordon/Axios
Soda and sweets are no longer eligible purchases under Florida's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Why it matters: Hundreds of thousands of households in Tampa Bay can no longer use their benefits to buy a box of Little Debbie's, a liter of Coca-Cola or a Hershey bar at the checkout.
- It's a restriction that some experts say can complicate lines at the grocery store and create unnecessary shame.
Driving the news: SNAP, often called food stamps, helps low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities buy groceries.
- Twenty-two states have moved to narrow SNAP's list of eligible foods as part of the Trump administration's push to "restore nutritional value" in the program.
- Florida got the green light in August to bar SNAP recipients from using their benefits to purchase soda, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed desserts. The program took effect this week and will end in two years.
The big picture: About 1 in 10 households in Tampa Bay receive SNAP, more than 225,000 in all, according to the latest U.S. Census data.
- Hillsborough County has the most SNAP households in the region (77,704), while Polk County has the highest share (14.6%).
Zoom in: Here are the items no longer eligible for purchase.
- Soda, which the state defined as a beverage made with carbonated water and flavored with sugar or artificial sweeteners. Sports drinks like Gatorade and sparkling waters such as LaCroix are still eligible.
- Energy drinks, which the state defined as a beverage with at least 65 milligrams of caffeine per 8 fluid ounces, marketed as increasing the consumer's mental and physical energy. Coffee and tea are still eligible.
- Prepared desserts, which the state defined as processed, pre-packaged sweet foods intended for immediate consumption. This includes snack cakes like Twinkies and cookies like Oreos.
- Candy, which the state defined as sugar or artificial sweeteners combined with chocolate, fruits, nuts, caramels and gummies. Granola bars, Pop-Tarts and breakfast toaster strudels are still eligible.
Between the lines: The state says it made this change to "better align SNAP with its intended purpose: providing low-income households access to a more nutritious diet to help alleviate hunger and combat malnutrition."
- However, Christopher Bosso, a political science professor at Northeastern University, argued in an op-ed that because SNAP is "supplemental," most enrolled households will just use other funds to buy those foods.
- One study also found little difference between purchases made by households with SNAP and those without benefits, with 20 cents of every dollar spent on sweetened beverages, desserts, candy and sugar.