By 2026, Tennessee will change the rules about what can be bought with SNAP benefits, which is a program to help people and families buy food with coupons or special cards. The main change will be that SNAP beneficiaries won’t be able to buy very sugary food and drinks, such as soft drinks and sweets. So, let’s find out more about this decision that will affect many SNAP beneficiaries.
What will change about SNAP in Tennessee
Tennessee is doing something some people might find great and other not so much: banning SNAP recipients from buying certain foods and drinks. This includes anything where the main ingredient is sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, or similar sweeteners. It also applies to drinks where the first two ingredients are carbonated water and a sugar-based sweetener. Basically, what we find addictive and tastes so good.
However, SNAP beneficiaries will be able to continue buying hot prepared foods, like cooked chicken, since the restriction mainly affects sodas, candy, and other processed foods with a lot of sugar. So, not all prepared foods are banned—just the sugary ones.
How will this new rule work?
This change is called a “demonstration project” because it is new and being tested. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) gave Tennessee permission to try it, and it will last two years, starting on July 31, 2026. Now, let’s see this project’s goals:
- Evaluate the impact: The USDA will review how the changes affect SNAP participants and the stores that sell food.
- Measure results: Information will be gathered and checked every three months to see if the new rules are helping people choose healthier foods.
- Collaboration: The USDA will work with Tennessee and contractors to decide how data will be collected, which stores will participate, and how the policy will be implemented.
Basically, this new rule will be tested carefully to make sure it really helps people choose healthier foods without causing unexpected problems.
The reason behind this change
The creation of this project is meant to care for people’s health. This is why Tennessee and the USDA want to help people using SNAP choose healthier foods. By not allowing very sugary drinks and snacks, the goal is that people will spend their benefits on more nutritious options.
The USDA thanks Tennessee for trying innovative views and says that this project will help better understand how to improve food assistance programs in the future. The idea is to learn from this idea to be able to make some changes that benefit more people in the entire country.
What state officials need to do
The USDA asked Tennessee to officially accept the new rules. This means signing some documents and sending them through the proper system. Tennessee will also work with the USDA to figure out how to check the results and which stores will participate in the project.
To sum up
Starting in 2026, Tennessee will make a change to help people using SNAP buy healthier foods. If you or someone you know uses SNAP in Tennessee, this change could affect the way you shop, making it easier to choose healthier options while still getting the meals you need.
The results of this project will also help change the future of food assistance programs, showing whether these kinds of changes can make a real difference for communities across the state.
How do you think these new SNAP rules in Tennessee will affect the way families choose and buy their food? Will this be the beginning for people of Tennessee to start eating and drinking healthier? Only time will tell, and we’ll see if 2026 will be the healthiest year of the state.