Missouri delays SNAP restrictions on candy, sugary drinks until 2027

Missouri is postponing its plan to prohibit the use of federal food aid to purchase candy, prepared desserts and sugary drinks until Feb. 15, 2027, after grocers warned they needed clearer guidance to enforce the new restrictions at the checkout.

The delay will allow the Missouri Department of Social Services to develop educational materials to explain the changes to Missourians and a “comprehensive product identification list” so that grocers across the state can implement the changes consistently, according to an announcement from the department.

Baylee Watts, a department spokesperson, told The Independent that the department is “exploring options…to determine the most effective way to provide product information” and “considering experiences and lessons learned from other states.”

Oklahoma, which began similar SNAP restrictions in February, provided retailers with a list of 12-digit product codes for barred items.

Missouri plans food benefit restrictions, but grocers say details remain unclear

Missouri’s “Healthy SNAP” initiative originated with a September 2025 executive order from Gov. Mike Kehoe directing the department to discourage the use of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, to buy “foods that are high in sugar and ultra-processed” and incentivize healthy eating by partnering with farmers and “enhancing” the state’s existing “food education and access programs.” 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture — which oversees SNAP and a program called SuN Bucks that gives families of eligible children a one-time benefit of $120 to buy groceries during the summer — approved Missouri’s plan to restrict purchases in December. Now the department is waiting for federal feedback on its revised waivers.

Kehoe said postponing the changes would help ensure “a smooth rollout” for retailers and Missouri families.

“Extending this timeline to February 2027 ensures that when the program refocus launches, it will have a well-supported network of local retailers fully prepared to deliver widespread support to our communities,” Kehoe said in the press release.

In addition to requesting an extension of four and a half months, the department has submitted “revisions to definitions” of items to be excluded to the USDA.

The department’s website currently defines “candy” as products combining sugar or artificial sweetener “with chocolate, fruits, nuts, caramels, gummies and hard candies…in the form of bars, drops or pieces.” 

“Prepared desserts” are defined as “processed, shelf-stable, ready-to-eat, pre-packaged sweet food” that doesn’t require any additional preparation.

But Dan Shaul, executive director of the Missouri Grocers Association, said in a previous interview with The Independent that those definitions still leave questions.

“It’s very simple to say we want SNAP recipients to have a healthy food list,” Shaul said, “until you decide for all families what healthy is.”