New rules affecting candy and sugary drinks could impact thousands of households across South Texas.
Editor’s Note: This is the first in a three-part series examining changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and what they could mean for communities in South Texas.
By Kingsville Independent News Staff
For thousands of families across South Texas, SNAP benefits help pay for groceries each month.
As of April 1, 2026, Texas has begun enforcing new restrictions on how those benefits can be used, limiting purchases of certain items including candy and some sweetened beverages. The change follows federal approval granted to Texas through a waiver administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP.
The policy is tied to Senate Bill 379, approved by the Texas Legislature, and is intended to encourage healthier food purchases while maintaining access to staple groceries, according to guidance provided by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission, the agency that administers SNAP in the state.
A program used by millions
SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, is the nation’s largest food assistance program and helps low-income households purchase groceries each month using electronic benefit cards.
In Texas, those benefits are issued through the Lone Star Card, which functions like a debit card at grocery store checkout counters.
More than 3.5 million Texans receive SNAP benefits in a typical month, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the program nationwide.
What the restrictions include
Under the policy now in effect, SNAP benefits can no longer be used to purchase certain items considered to have limited nutritional value.
Those items include:
- Candy
- Sweetened soft drinks
- Certain beverages containing added sugar or artificial sweeteners
State and federal guidance defines sweetened beverages as nonalcoholic drinks containing at least five grams of added sugar or any artificial sweetener. Guidance reviewed by retailers also indicates that the definition of candy includes products such as gum, chocolate, and items like fruit or nuts that are coated or sweetened.
Most grocery items remain eligible for purchase through SNAP, including fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry and fish, dairy products, bread and cereals, and many packaged foods.
Federal retail purchase data shows staple foods such as meat, dairy and grains make up the largest share of SNAP spending nationwide, while candy and soft drinks represent a smaller portion.
How stores enforce the changes
The restrictions are not enforced by individual cashiers.
Instead, they are implemented through the electronic payment systems used by grocery retailers. When a Lone Star Card is used at checkout, the store’s system automatically determines whether each item is eligible based on product classification codes maintained in retailer databases.
If an item falls into a restricted category, the system rejects the SNAP payment for that item. Customers can still purchase those products using cash, debit, or another form of payment.
Retailers across Texas updated checkout systems and product classifications ahead of the April 1 implementation date, according to guidance provided to stores by state agencies.
Part of a broader policy debate
Restrictions on SNAP purchases have been debated for years at both the state and federal levels.
Supporters of the policy argue that limiting sugary foods could improve nutrition and public health outcomes, while critics say the program’s primary goal is ensuring families have access to food and that broader factors, including income, transportation, and access to grocery stores, play a larger role in shaping diets.
Those questions can be particularly relevant in rural regions, where grocery options may be limited.
In Kleberg County and across the Coastal Bend, thousands of residents rely on SNAP benefits each year to help purchase groceries.
The next installment in this series examines how SNAP spending affects the local economy and the role the program plays in grocery stores across the region.