The Texas SNAP food ban is one of the most searched benefits topics in the country right now, and Texas holds a unique distinction: it became the first state in the nation to fully implement a sweeping soda-and-candy restriction under a formal SNAP waiver. Since April 1, 2026, SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) recipients in Texas can no longer use their Lone Star Card to buy candy and sweetened drinks. The restriction stems from Senate Bill 379 (SB 379), passed during the 89th Texas Legislature and signed by Governor Greg Abbott, with the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) granting federal approval in August 2025. SNAP serves roughly 3.5 million low-income Texans, making this one of the largest-scale rollouts of any state’s SNAP food restriction so far. This guide explains exactly what is banned, what remains eligible, the newest court developments affecting SNAP waivers nationwide, and where to check your YourTexasBenefits account status. We’ll be updating this article monthly as HHSC and USDA release new implementation details.
A major nationwide legal development is also driving searches right now: a federal judge recently struck down SNAP restriction waivers in five other states, and many Texans are asking whether their state’s ban could be next. As of today, Texas’s waiver has not been affected by that ruling and remains fully enforced statewide. Because the legal landscape around SNAP food restriction waivers is shifting quickly in 2026, it is important to rely on current, verified information instead of outdated headlines. Below, we cover the exact restricted items, the full legal timeline, the ongoing court case that could still reshape this policy, and the official Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) resources you need for login, registration, and Lone Star Card balance checks.
Texas’s SNAP food restriction, created under Senate Bill 379, excludes candy and sweetened drinks from items eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits statewide. The Texas Department of Health and Human Services (HHSC) formally requested the waiver on June 26, 2025, USDA approved it on August 4, 2025, and the restriction took effect on April 1, 2026. It is a two-year federal demonstration project running through March 31, 2028, with the option for Texas to request up to three annual extensions. As part of the waiver’s conditions, Texas must survey SNAP recipients both before and after the effective date to measure whether the change is leading to healthier food choices.
Texas SNAP Food Ban 2026 Key Highlights
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Program Name | Texas SNAP Purchase Restrictions (SB 379 Healthy Foods Waiver) |
| Administering Agency (State) | Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) |
| Federal Agency | USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA), formerly FNS |
| Governor | Greg Abbott |
| Legislative Basis | Senate Bill 379, 89th Texas Legislature (2025) |
| Waiver Request Date | June 26, 2025 |
| Waiver Approval Date | August 4, 2025 |
| Effective Date | April 1, 2026 |
| Project End Date | March 31, 2028 (renewable up to 5 years total) |
| What’s Restricted | Candy and sweetened drinks (5g+ added sugar or any artificial sweetener) |
| What’s Not Restricted | Fruits, vegetables, meats, cereals, milk, plants, and garden seeds |
| Texans on SNAP (approx.) | About 3.5 million |
| Court Challenge Status | Separate lawsuit blocked waivers in 5 other states (Texas unaffected so far) |
| Card Used in Texas | Lone Star Card (EBT) |
Who Is Affected by the Texas SNAP Food Ban 2026?
Every household currently receiving SNAP benefits through the Lone Star Card is affected by this restriction. This includes:
- Working families and single-parent households receiving monthly food benefits
- Seniors and people with disabilities enrolled in SNAP
- Households also receiving TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) cash assistance alongside food benefits
- SNAP recipients shopping at any of Texas’s more than 22,000 SNAP-authorized retailers
SNAP eligibility rules themselves have not changed. Income limits, household size calculations, and recertification schedules remain governed by existing federal and state SNAP rules. The restriction only changes what recipients can buy with their existing monthly benefit, not who qualifies or how much they receive.
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What’s Banned Under the Texas SNAP Food Ban?
This is the section most people are searching for, so here is the exact restriction language used by HHSC and USDA.
Since April 1, 2026, SNAP benefits in Texas cannot be used to purchase:
- Candy bars
- Candy-coated items — nuts, raisins, or fruits that have been candied, crystalized, glazed, or coated with chocolate, yogurt, or caramel
- Sweetened drinks, including nonalcoholic beverages made with water that contain 5 grams or more of added sugar, or any amount of artificial sweetener
What remains eligible under the waiver:
- Beverages that contain milk or milk substitutes such as soy or rice milk
- Beverages that are more than 50% vegetable or fruit juice by volume
- Drinks sweetened only with natural sweeteners such as stevia, stevia leaf extract, or monk fruit, as long as they contain less than 5 grams of added sugar
- Medical-grade electrolyte drinks used to treat dehydration that are not labeled as a sports drink
This makes Texas’s rule narrower than Oklahoma’s or Florida’s, which also restrict a broader range of items like chips and prepared desserts, but Texas is widely recognized as the first state to fully implement a combined candy-and-sweetened-drink SNAP restriction at this scale.
Timeline: How Texas’s SNAP Food Ban Came Together
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 2025 (89th Legislature) | Texas lawmakers pass Senate Bill 379, prohibiting SNAP purchases of sweetened drinks and candy |
| June 2025 | Governor Abbott signs SB 379 into law |
| June 26, 2025 | HHSC formally submits the SNAP food restriction waiver request to USDA |
| August 4, 2025 | USDA approves Texas’s waiver |
| Late 2025 – early 2026 | HHSC surveys SNAP recipients as part of the waiver’s evaluation requirements |
| March 25, 2026 | USDA approves a modification refining the definition of “sweetened drinks” |
| April 1, 2026 | Texas SNAP food ban officially takes effect statewide |
| June 22–23, 2026 | Federal court blocks similar waivers in 5 other states (Texas not included) |
| March 31, 2028 | Scheduled end date of the current two-year demonstration project |
Latest Court Update on SNAP Food Bans (What Texas Recipients Need to Know)
This is the newest and most important development affecting every state SNAP food ban, including Texas’s, so it deserves a detailed explanation.
On June 22, 2026, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ruled in Aragon et al. v. Rollins et al., 1:26-cv-00861 (D.D.C.) that the USDA exceeded its legal authority when it approved SNAP food restriction waivers in five states: Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia. The lawsuit was filed on March 11, 2026, by five low-income SNAP recipients represented by the National Center for Law and Economic Justice, who argued that USDA used the wrong statutory authority, skipped the required 30-day public notice-and-comment period, and acted in a way that was “arbitrary and capricious.”
Judge Jackson agreed with the plaintiffs on the core legal question, ruling that only Congress, not USDA, has the authority to redefine what counts as “food” under the Food and Nutrition Act. She wrote that neither USDA nor the states could “force this square peg into a round hole to avoid the plain language of the statute.” The ruling vacated USDA’s approval letters for the five named states and blocked implementation of those specific waivers.
Important for Texas residents: This ruling applies only to the five states named in the lawsuit. Texas was not a party to Aragon v. Rollins, and its restriction, already live since April 1, 2026, continues to be enforced statewide without interruption. According to the Food Research & Action Center (FRAC), “other approved state restrictions remain in effect unless USDA withdraws them or a court separately invalidates them.” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins publicly criticized the ruling and confirmed USDA intends to appeal to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, a process expected to take several months.
Because Texas’s waiver relies on the same underlying USDA demonstration-project authority that the court found problematic for the five plaintiff states, some legal analysts note the ruling could theoretically provide a roadmap for future challenges against Texas’s restriction as well. However, no lawsuit specifically targeting Texas’s SB 379 waiver has been filed as of this update, and Texas officials have not indicated any plans to pause enforcement. Because this is an evolving legal situation, this article will be reviewed and updated monthly with any new filings, appeals, or rulings that could affect Texas specifically.
Rules for Retailers and SNAP Recipients
HHSC worked with SNAP-authorized retailers across Texas ahead of the April 1, 2026 launch to update point-of-sale systems so restricted candy and sweetened drink items are automatically declined at checkout when paid for with a Lone Star Card. Key operational details include:
- Point-of-sale coding updated statewide so restricted candy and sweetened-drink items are blocked automatically at checkout
- HHSC published a detailed product-category guide clarifying exactly which sugar and sweetener thresholds apply to beverages
- As part of the waiver’s federal conditions, HHSC is required to survey SNAP recipients before and after implementation to evaluate the restriction’s effect on food choices
- USDA is collecting ongoing evaluation data throughout the two-year demonstration to measure impacts on participants and retailers
SNAP recipients do not need to reapply for benefits or take any separate action to comply with the restriction. It is enforced automatically at checkout, similar to how SNAP already blocks alcohol, tobacco, and hot prepared foods.
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How Texas Compares to Other States’ SNAP Food Bans
| State | Restricted Items | Status / Effective Date |
|---|---|---|
| Texas | Candy and sweetened drinks (5g+ added sugar or any artificial sweetener) | Live since April 1, 2026 |
| Oklahoma | Candy and soft drinks | Live since February 15, 2026 |
| Florida | Soda, energy drinks, candy, prepared desserts | Live since April 20, 2026 |
| Louisiana | Soft drinks, energy drinks, candy | Live since February 18, 2026 |
| Ohio | Sugar-sweetened carbonated beverages only | Scheduled October 1, 2026 |
| South Carolina | Candy, energy drinks, soft drinks, sweetened beverages | Scheduled August 31, 2026 |
| Arkansas | Soda, low-juice drinks, unhealthy drinks, candy | Live since July 1, 2026 |
| Tennessee | Soda, energy drinks, candy | Blocked by court ruling (June 2026); never implemented |
| Colorado | Soft drinks | Blocked by court ruling (June 2026) |
| Iowa | Broad list including candy, popcorn, marshmallows, soda | Blocked by court ruling (June 2026) |
Official Sources and Useful Links
| Resource | Purpose | Official Link |
|---|---|---|
| Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) | Official news, SNAP program administration, restriction details | hhs.texas.gov |
| YourTexasBenefits.com | Login, registration, application status, benefit management | yourtexasbenefits.com |
| USDA Food and Nutrition Administration (FNA) | Federal waiver approval documents and SNAP policy | fna.usda.gov |
| Lone Star Card Balance / ConnectEBT-equivalent | Check Lone Star Card balance and transaction history | yourtexasbenefits.com |
| Lone Star Help Desk | Balance checks, card lock, PIN reset | 1-800-777-7328 |
FAQs on the Texas SNAP Food Ban
When did the Texas SNAP food ban start?
The restriction took effect on April 1, 2026.
What exactly is banned under Texas’s SNAP waiver?
Candy (including candy bars and candied, crystalized, glazed, or chocolate-coated nuts, raisins, or fruits) and sweetened drinks with 5 grams or more of added sugar or any amount of artificial sweetener.
Can I still buy juice or milk-based drinks with SNAP in Texas?
Yes. Beverages containing milk or milk substitutes, and drinks that are more than 50% fruit or vegetable juice by volume, remain eligible.
Will the recent court ruling stop Texas’s SNAP food ban?
No. The June 2026 ruling in Aragon v. Rollins applies only to Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia. Texas’s waiver was not part of that lawsuit and remains in effect.
Do SNAP recipients need to do anything to prepare?
No action is required from recipients. The restriction is enforced automatically at checkout using updated point-of-sale coding.
Will SNAP benefit amounts change because of this ban?
No. The waiver only changes what can be purchased, not eligibility rules, income limits, or monthly benefit amounts.
How can I check my Texas SNAP case status or Lone Star Card balance?
Use YourTexasBenefits.com or the YourTexasBenefits mobile app for case status and balance checks, or call the Lone Star Help Desk at 1-800-777-7328.
How long will the Texas SNAP food restriction last?
It is approved as a two-year demonstration project through March 31, 2028, with the option for Texas to request up to three annual extensions.
People Also Ask
Why is Texas banning candy and sweetened drinks from SNAP benefits? The goal is to ensure SNAP benefits are used to purchase foods with real nutritional value, as outlined in Senate Bill 379, which aims to promote healthier outcomes for SNAP participants statewide.
Which states have already banned SNAP food items in 2026? More than a dozen states are enforcing SNAP food restrictions as of mid-2026, including Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Louisiana, and Arkansas, while Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia had their waivers blocked by a federal court in June 2026.
Is the Texas SNAP food ban permanent? No. It is approved as a time-limited demonstration project running through March 31, 2028, with the possibility of renewal or termination based on USDA’s evaluation results.
Can SNAP be used to buy stevia-sweetened drinks in Texas? Yes, drinks sweetened only with natural sweeteners like stevia or monk fruit remain eligible as long as they contain less than 5 grams of added sugar.
What happens if a court strikes down more state SNAP waivers? If additional lawsuits succeed, USDA would likely direct affected states to pause enforcement, similar to what happened in Colorado, Iowa, Nebraska, Tennessee, and West Virginia after the June 2026 ruling, though each state’s waiver would need to be challenged individually.
Conclusion
The Texas SNAP food ban, created under Senate Bill 379, has been in effect since April 1, 2026, restricting SNAP purchases of candy and sweetened drinks while leaving fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, and most groceries untouched. Texas holds the distinction of being the first state to fully implement this type of combined restriction at scale, serving roughly 3.5 million SNAP recipients. While a federal court has already blocked similar waivers in five other states, that ruling does not currently affect Texas, and the state’s restriction remains fully enforced as of this update. SNAP households in Texas do not need to take any action, since the rule applies automatically at checkout, but should watch for official communication from HHSC regarding any future changes. Given the ongoing litigation around SNAP food restrictions nationwide, this article will continue to be reviewed and updated monthly to reflect the latest court rulings, USDA guidance, and Texas-specific implementation details.
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