SNAP Food Restriction Waivers Expand to 21 States in 2026 — What It Means for Your EBT Card

If you use SNAP benefits in one of 21 states, the items you can buy with your EBT card are changing in 2026. The USDA has approved new Food Restriction Waivers that limit the purchase of certain non-nutritious items — but your benefit amount stays the same.

What Happened
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service has approved SNAP Food Restriction Waivers for more than 20 states as part of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative. These waivers allow states to restrict what SNAP recipients can purchase with their Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) cards — specifically targeting items like soda, candy, and other foods with low nutritional value.

As of March 2026, approved states include Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia.

What This Means for You
If you receive SNAP benefits in one of the approved states, here is what changes:

Your monthly benefit amount does not change. The dollar value of your EBT benefits remains exactly the same.
Certain items will be blocked at checkout. When you try to purchase a restricted item, the transaction for that specific item will be declined at the register.
Eligible food items are not affected. Fruits, vegetables, meat, dairy, bread, and other nutritious foods remain fully eligible — as do seeds and plants for growing food.
Each state’s waiver is slightly different based on what the state submitted to USDA. Missouri’s waiver, for example, focuses on restricting candy and soda, while other states may have broader or narrower lists.

Who Is Affected
All current SNAP recipients in waiver-approved states are automatically subject to the new restrictions. No application or action is required from you — the restrictions are applied at the point of sale through the EBT system.

If you live in a state not on the approved list, your SNAP benefits continue exactly as before.

How to Check Your State’s Specific Restrictions
Because each state submitted its own waiver with unique product restrictions, the exact list of ineligible items varies. To find out what is restricted in your state:

Visit your state’s SNAP agency website (search “[your state] SNAP benefits”)
Call your local SNAP office
Check the official USDA waiver tracker at fns.usda.gov
How to Apply for SNAP (If You’re Not Already Enrolled)
If you are not yet receiving SNAP benefits and want to apply, you can do so through your state’s SNAP agency. Basic eligibility requires your household income to be at or below 130% of the federal poverty level — for a family of four, that is approximately $3,250 per month in gross income.

Apply online through your state’s benefits portal or visit benefits.gov to find your state’s application link.

💡 Tip: If you receive SNAP benefits, consider opening a free Chime bank account to manage your household budget alongside your EBT card. Chime has no monthly fees, no minimum balance, and is available to everyone regardless of credit history.

Open Free Chime Account →
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my SNAP dollar amount decrease?
No. The restriction applies only to what you can buy, not how much you receive.

What if I accidentally try to buy a restricted item?
The transaction for that specific item will be declined at checkout. You can still purchase all other eligible items in your cart.

Is my state on the approved list?
As of March 2026, waivers have been approved for over 20 states. Check the USDA’s official map at fns.usda.gov for the latest updates.

Source: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition Service — fns.usda.gov. Updated March 16, 2026.