US Iowans won't be able to buy pop, candy with SNAP dollars after USDA approves waiver request

Stephen Gruber-Miller
Des Moines Register
May 22, 2025, 8:25 p.m. CT

Gov. Kim Reynolds hopeful the Trump administration will grant Iowa a Summer EBT waiver
Reynolds says she plans to seek a waiver from the federal Summer EBT program so Iowa can set up its own summer meal program for kids.

Key Points​

• Beginning in 2026, Iowans will be banned from using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program dollars from buying certain foods, including pop and candy.
• President Donald Trump's U.S. Department of Education granted Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds' request for a federal waiver on May 22, allowing Iowa to restrict SNAP dollars from being used for some foods.

Iowans will be banned from using Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program dollars to buy certain types of food after President Donald Trump's administration granted Gov. Kim Reynolds' request for a waiver.

When it takes effect, the federal waiver will only allow Iowans to use SNAP dollars to buy foods that are exempt from sales tax in Iowa. That means beginning Jan. 1, 2026, Iowans will not be able to use SNAP dollars to buy items such as candy, pop and other carbonated beverages.

"Soaring obesity rates have brought our nation and state to a crossroads," Reynolds said in a statement. "To promote healthy eating and protect future generations from disease — and to ensure SNAP fulfills its core function — we need a change. Thank you to Secretary Rollins and her team for helping make that change happen."

Reynolds, a Republican, announced May 22 that U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins had approved the state's request from a waiver to exempt certain foods from SNAP, which is run by USDA. It took Rollins just 10 days to grant the request after Iowa submitted it May 12.

"President Trump has given our nation a once in a generation opportunity to change the health trajectory for our entire country," Rollins said in a statement. "On my first day as secretary, I sent a call to states to innovate, and Gov. Kim Reynolds stepped up to take action. I look forward to signing even more waivers in the days ahead as we continue to restore the health of our country."

Anti-hunger advocates have said Iowans should be trusted to make their own choices about what foods they buy.

"Iowans should be trusted to make the best food choices for their families," Sheila Hansen, a board member of the Iowa Hunger Coalition and policy advocate and government relations manager for Common Good Iowa, said when the state submitted its waiver request. "Let’s make sure all Iowans have greater access to nutritious food, not punish our low-income neighbors and deny kids a candy bar when they want a treat."

Nearly 260,000 Iowans were enrolled in SNAP as of fiscal year 2024.

Republicans in Iowa and nationally are pursuing changes to SNAP, food programs​

Earlier this month, the USDA granted a separate waiver request from Reynolds to exempt Iowa from the Summer EBT program. Instead, Iowa will start up a program called "Healthy Kids Iowa" that will allow low-income families with kids to access $40 worth of food per child each month during the summer at food distribution sites around the state.

Iowa will receive $9.1 million to run Healthy Kids Iowa and the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services expects it to serve 65,000 kids.

The federal waiver comes after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to pass Trump's proposed tax cut bill, which includes changes to SNAP that would require states to pay part of the costs for the program, which has historically been 100% federally funded. The bill also changes work requirements and eligibility for some SNAP recipients.

Iowa Republicans have also tried in the past to limit which foods Iowans can buy with SNAP dollars. This year, the Iowa House passed a bill to do so, but it did not receive a vote in the Senate.

Two years ago, Reynolds signed a law instituting new asset limits and requiring regular eligibility checks for recipients of SNAP and other public assistance programs. Iowa is still in the process of rolling out those requirements.

Source (Archive)

 

[Dog-O-Tron 5000v5.0]

I remember doing WIC too. They wanted Sugar Frosted Choco Bombs for their kids when the voucher specifically called for something like Kix or Rice Crispies or something. Juicy Juice or something and not Coke.

Fucked up thing is Kix, Rice Crispies, and Juicy Juice is really not any better!

 

[Dysnomia]

Fucked up thing is Kix, Rice Crispies, and Juicy Juice is really not any better!

When my family was on WIC in the 80s the only cereal that was allowed was King Vitamin. It wasn't until decades later that I learned King Vitamin was not actually welfare brand cereal and had a lot of fans.

Juice is definitely not great for regular consumption. It gives kids bottle rot. As in they get bottles and sippy cups filled with juice all day to keep them quiet and the sugar starts to rot erupting baby teeth. People complain about soda and how bad it is for kids. Then they give them endless amounts of juice because it's supposed to be healthy. Grape juice is supposed to be the worst. Next time you buy fruit juice take a look at the sugar count on a single serving. It's no better than Coke. Sometimes worse. Sure you are getting nutrients from fruit. But you're also getting a lot of sugar and tooth damaging fruit acids. You are better off having an apple or an orange than juice. I only drink juice when I'm sick.

 

[Caligura]

Your Goyslop, My Choice. Forever.

 

[YouGuysAren'tThatSmart]

When my family was on WIC in the 80s the only cereal that was allowed was King Vitamin. It wasn't until decades later that I learned King Vitamin was not actually welfare brand cereal and had a lot of fans.

Juice is definitely not great for regular consumption. It gives kids bottle rot. As in they get bottles and sippy cups filled with juice all day to keep them quiet and the sugar starts to rot erupting baby teeth. People complain about soda and how bad it is for kids. Then they give them endless amounts of juice because it's supposed to be healthy. Grape juice is supposed to be the worst. Next time you buy fruit juice take a look at the sugar count on a single serving. It's no better than Coke. Sometimes worse. Sure you are getting nutrients from fruit. But you're also getting a lot of sugar and tooth damaging fruit acids. You are better off having an apple or an orange than juice. I only drink juice when I'm sick.

Why you gotta ruin orange and cranberry juice for me?

 

[squidward tentacles]

Why you gotta ruin orange and cranberry juice for me?

100% cranberry juice with no sugar added is probably alright, because no one on earth is going to chug bottles for the sweet taste.

 

[Cheesegirl78]

OTOH being poor and getting benefits sucks. A sugar/fat fix is one of the few pleasures in life that they can afford.

I was on food stamps years ago, when they still used paper stamps. Hated using them and was happy to get away from them.
You can buy baking chocolate, cake mixes, carrots and zucchini to make cake and bread. Buy fresh fruit to make your own juice.

I remember working at a grocery store in high school and the WIC people were the worst.

I had a couple come in with WIC items one evening, and the dad was furious because WIC didn't cover the brand-name milk, cheese, and juice. It covered the regional, store brands, like Lady Lee.
He insisted that they didn't "deserve getting low-quality food, and wanted the name brand". I told him there wasn't a single thing I could do about it, and told him he could call the state health and agriculture departments to complain.
All the while I'm thinking this family got over $100 of perfectly good food for free, and had the nerve to complain about it.

I hate people.

 

[Fapcop]

I was on food stamps years ago, when they still used paper stamps. Hated using them and was happy to get away from them.
You can buy baking chocolate, cake mixes, carrots and zucchini to make cake and bread. Buy fresh fruit to make your own juice.

Yeah sure, and while they’re at it they can plant a garden with vegetables and herbs for their artisanal home crafted meals.

But let’s get real, if you’re on food stamps you’re likely a single mother juggling a dead end job with two fatherless kids, or disabled.

Hardly a group of people with time and energy to bake shit.

 

[quaawaa]

But let’s get real, if you’re on food stamps you’re likely a single mother juggling a dead end job with two fatherless kids, or disabled.

Hardly a group of people with time and energy to bake shit

No, they’re exactly the type of person who has plenty of time to cook. They just don’t want to (or know how to) cook and would rather doomscroll TikTok.

Past generations were far poorer and worked much longer hours, yet still managed to cook meals without the government paying for them.

 

[Cheesegirl78]

Yeah sure, and while they’re at it they can plant a garden with vegetables and herbs for their artisanal home crafted meals.

But let’s get real, if you’re on food stamps you’re likely a single mother juggling a dead end job with two fatherless kids, or disabled.

Hardly a group of people with time and energy to bake shit.

You can grow herbs in a pot on a windowsill, and in California, you can buy grown herb plants with EBT.
I don't want to hear excuses, there's all sorts of ways you can make healthy meals for your family, even if you work or you're disabled.
You can find crock pots cheap, throw a cheap cut of meat and vegetables in the thing before you go to work, and presto, you have a nutritious dinner when you get home.