JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Starting next year, Florida will join 17 other states in restricting purchases of certain snacks and junk foods with SNAP benefits.
The change, set to begin April 20, is part of a two-year USDA pilot program aimed at improving health outcomes for low-income families.
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Under the new rules, SNAP recipients in Florida will no longer be able to use benefits to buy soda, energy drinks, candy, or ultra-processed prepared desserts.
State leaders say the move is intended to better align SNAP with its intended purpose of giving households access to more nutritious meals.
“It’s about making the best choices for our kids and our families,” Linda Lockett Brown, a registered licensed dietitian nutritionist with more than 40 years of experience, said. “What people normally think of as a snack ... chips, cookies, doughnuts, soda ... those aren’t foods. They fall into what we call ‘other.’”
Lockett Brown said she’s seeing diseases and conditions that were once mostly adult problems now in children as young as 10. She believes the new restrictions, paired with better nutritional education, could help families make healthier daily choices.
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“Instead of chips and soda, you could have an apple and some yogurt,” she said. “The nutritional value is vastly different. If a family wants to give a child a low-nutrition snack, they can use their own money. That’s not what SNAP was intended for.”
Local shoppers agree.
“I’m in favor of that. They should buy good food, not junk food. Have you ever eaten a bunch of junk food and seen how you feel afterwards? It’s not good, especially for kids,” Charles Callison said.
“When it comes down to it, you’re using the stamps to make sure your kids are healthy. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I think it could definitely be beneficial to those who need it,” Turk Reaves said.
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For families concerned about accessibility or still wanting a treat, Lockett Brown suggested alternatives like making cookies from scratch or using grocery delivery services to get healthier foods to the house.
Florida’s SNAP Healthy Food Updates page emphasizes that the goal is supporting nutritious food choices and helping families see measurable improvements in healthy eating outcomes.
Jacksonville City Councilman Reggie Gaffney Jr. represents District 8, an area that largely faces food insecurity and struggles with food deserts.
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He issued this statement in response to the SNAP changes:
“Look, I get it. I understand why the state says this change is being made, at the same time, everyone wants their families have access to healthy food. But we have to be honest about the reality many people are facing, especially on the Northside.
“In District 8, a lot of families live in areas where there aren’t many grocery stores nearby. Some folks don’t have reliable transportation, and their closest option may be a convenience store or small market with limited choices. When access is already a challenge, taking options away without fixing the bigger problem can create more stress for families. If access isn’t there, restrictions alone won’t fix the problem.
“I’ve reached out to several grocery store chains over the years, and what I consistently hear is that they need to make money. What doesn’t make sense to me is that District 8 is one of the fastest growing developing areas for residential in Jacksonville. Families are moving here, neighborhoods are growing, and the demand is there.
“If we truly want healthier outcomes, we have to focus on bringing grocery stores into our neighborhoods, improving transportation, and supporting programs that help families get fresh food close to home.
“So my call to action to grocery stores: If you’re interested in coming to the Northside of District 8, I remain open and willing to work with any of you that wants to be part of the solution. Please reach out to my office at 904-255-5208 so we can have real conversations about how to better serve our community.
“At the end of the day, my focus is making sure families have real choices and real access. Healthy food should be something people can reach, not something that’s out of reach for the communities we’re trying to support.”
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