Nebraska has become the first state in the U.S. to receive federal approval to prohibit the use of SNAP (food stamp) benefits for purchasing soda and energy drinks. This decision is a central part of a nationwide effort to encourage healthier food choices under the “Make America Healthy Again” (MAHA) initiative.
Key Points:–
- Nebraska becomes the first state to ban soda and energy drinks from SNAP, affecting about 152,000 recipients in the state.
- Ban takes effect Jan. 1, 2026 (Full details not yet released).
- USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. support the plan as part of the MAHA movement (“Make America Healthy Again”).
- Other states seeking waivers: Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Indiana, Iowa, West Virginia.
- Some states also want to allow hot food purchases for SNAP users.
- Gov. Jim Pillen: Taxpayers shouldn’t pay for “junk food.”
- SNAP is a $100 billion federal program serving 42 million Americans.
- Current law already bans alcohol, tobacco, and hot prepared foods.
- USDA previously rejected food bans over concerns about:
- Defining “junk food”
- High admin costs and complexity
- Little proof of improved health outcomes
- Critics say this adds stigma, cost, and burden to low-income families.
- Nutrition experts support incentives, not bans, for better results.
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Reference taken:-
- https://www.foxnews.com/politics/nebraska-becomes-first-state-approved-ban-soda-purchases-food-stamps
- https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/20/us/politics/nebraska-bans-soda-snap-benefits-usda.html
- https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5309053-nebraska-restricts-snap-benefits/
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