Arkansas and Indiana could become the first US states to ban soda and candy from the food stamps program that helps low-income people pay for groceries.

The states’ Republican governors have formally asked the Trump Administration to remove the items from the list of approved foods covered by Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

The controversial move is aimed at improving the health of the hundreds of thousands of residents in those states who rely on food stamps.

While the plans would ban sugary and high calorie sweets, they would also exclude purchases of diet sodas and fruit juice with less than 50 percent natural juice. 

Restricting junk food from the $100billion-a-year federal SNAP program has been a key goal for health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr and his ‘Make America Healthy Again’ agenda. 

Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Tuesday that ‘taxpayers are subsidizing poor health,’ adding: ‘We’re paying for it on the front end and the back end.’

In Indianapolis, Governor Mike Braun was joined by Kennedy and Dr Mehmet Oz, head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Braun said the sweeping changes would ‘put the focus back on nutrition — not candy and soft drinks.’

In Indianapolis, Governor Mike Braun (left) was joined by Kennedy and Dr Mehmet Oz , head of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

In Indiana, candy and soft drinks would be taken off the list of foods eligible to be paid for with SNAP benefits. 

Arkansas’ plan, which could take effect in July 2026, goes beyond just soda and candy. It would make the following foods ineligible for SNAP coverage: soda, including no- and low-calorie soda; fruit and vegetable drinks with less than 50 percent natural juice; ‘unhealthy drinks’; candy, including confections made with flour like Kit Kat bars; and artificially sweetened candy. 

However, it would also add coverage for hot rotisserie chicken, which had previously been excluded from the program. 

Braun also issued executive orders changing work requirements for SNAP participants and reinstated rules requiring participants to provide information on their income and assets. 

Kennedy said about SNAP’s current guidelines: ‘They changed our food system in this country so that it is poison to us.

‘We can’t be a strong nation if we are not a strong people.’ 

SNAP served nearly 42million Americans in 2024. The program provides assistance for low-income families to purchase fruits, vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, breads and cereals, snacks and plants that can produce food. 

It is run by the USDA and administered through individual states. In general, benefits are available to households with gross income at or below 130 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $33,500 a year for three people.  

Over the past two decades, lawmakers in several states have proposed halting SNAP payments for soda, chips, ice cream and ‘luxury meats’ like steak, as well as bottled water and decorated birthday cakes. 

Since 2004, there have been six previous requests for waivers, including four that were not approved, one that was withdrawn and one request that was incomplete.

Arkansas’ plan, which could take effect in July 2026, goes beyond just soda and candy. It would ban diet soda and some fruit juices 

The USDA said about rejected waivers there was no clear standard to define certain foods as unhealthy and that restrictions would be difficult to implement, complicated, costly and might not change participants’ food purchases or improve health.

Antihunger groups oppose SNAP food restrictions, saying that research shows that program participants are no more likely than other low-income Americans to buy sugary drinks or snack foods.

And they say that limiting food choices undermines the autonomy of people who receive a benefit of about $187 per month — or about $6.20 per day.

‘They just seem to be targeting a specific population without having data that says that they are the issue or that this is going to improve,’ said Gina Plata-Nino, a deputy director at the Food Research and Action Center, a nonprofit advocacy group.

Trade groups representing beverage and candy makers criticized the effort, saying that they narrowly target SNAP participants.

Representatives for American Beverage accused state and federal officials of ‘choosing to be the food police rather than take truly meaningful steps to lift people off SNAP with good-paying jobs.’

Chris Gindlesperger, a spokesman for the National Confectioners Association, called the approach ‘misguided.’

‘SNAP participants and non-SNAP participants alike understand that chocolate and candy are treats – not meal replacements,’ Gindlesperger said.