(The Center Square) − Louisiana residents enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program can no longer use their benefits to buy soft drinks, energy drinks or candy starting Wednesday, as the state launches a two-year pilot it says is aimed at nudging families toward healthier groceries.
The Louisiana Department of Health announced the policy as was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture last year. The federal approval letter says the state requested permission to change the program’s definition of eligible “food” to exclude those items, with the federal government evaluating how the restrictions affect participants and retailers.
A retailer notice from the federal government says Louisiana stores are required to block purchases for the restricted products and warns that retailers who do not comply risk losing authorization to accept food stamp benefits.
The notice defines “soft drinks” as carbonated non-alcoholic beverages containing high fructose corn syrup or artificial sweeteners, with exceptions such as beverages with at least 50% fruit or vegetable juice by volume. It also defines “energy drinks” as beverages marketed to enhance energy or alertness that contain stimulants such as fortified caffeine, guarana, glucuronolactone or taurine, and defines “candy” while excluding items like protein bars and granola bars.
Department of Health Secretary Bruce Greenstein said the goal is to steer benefits toward “proteins, whole-grains, fruits, and vegetables” and reduce diet-related disease, while Surgeon General Dr. Evelyn Griffin said the policy is meant to encourage small substitutions.
Louisiana’s restrictions are part of a broader push by the Trump administration to approve state “food restriction waivers” that bar certain purchases, particularly soda and candy, under what it has described as a nutrition-focused reform effort.
The federal government has been implementing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program changes tied to a 2025 law signed by President Donald Trump that affects eligibility, benefits and program administration, including work requirement-related provisions.
The administration has also pursued tougher program integrity measures, including demanding more detailed recipient data from states.
