Montana’s SNAP restrictions start September 30, 2026! At that time, there will be statewide ban on purcashing high-sugar drinks, candy and other items with SNAP benefits. This pilot program will run for two years, through September 30, 2028. It could be extended for up to a total of five years, so it’s important to know what you can and cannot buy after this change goes into effect.
What is Changing?
Montana is amending the definition of “eligible food” to exclude high-sugar beverages, energy drinks, candy and prepared shelf-stable desserts from SNAP purchases.
It’s important to pay close attention to the definitions, since some states like Iowa have weird loopholes (they don’t count Kit-Kats as candy, for example). So let’s look at what, specifically, Montana is blocking:
- High-Sugar Beverages: The state defines these as nonalcoholic beverages that are made with water and contain more than 10 grams of sugar per 8 fluid ounces. This does not include plain or naturally flavored water, artificially sweetened beverages, medical-grade electrolyte replacements, milk or milk products, or anything that is greater than 50% fruit or vegetable juice by volume.
- Energy Drinks: The state defines these as beverages that contain more than 6 milligrams of caffeine per fluid ounce (or more than 140 milligrams of caffeine per container) and at least one additive like taurine, guarana, glucuronolactone, ginseng, yerba mate or other stimulants.
- Candy: The state defines candy as a shelf-stable preparation of sugar, honey or other sweeteners in cobmination with chocolate, fruits, nuts or other ingredients or flavorings. It includes gummies, licorice, hard candies, and the like. However, it does not include baking ingredients, fruit snacks made with no added sugar, granola, protein bars, meal replacement bars, trail mix adn other similar prodcuts that are substantially nut or real fruit based.
- Prepared Desserts: The state defines this as shelf-stable, ready-to-eat, pre-packaged sweet foods intended for immediate consumption. It does not include store-made bakery items.
I know these definitions can make it sound complicated, so we made a table for you to help.
| Category | ❌ No Longer Eligible (Banned) | ✅ Still Eligible (Allowed) |
|---|---|---|
| High-Sugar Beverages | ❌ Regular soda (Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper, Mountain Dew, etc.) ❌ Most regular sports drinks like Gatorade or Powerade (most varieties) ❌ Nonalcoholic drinks with more than 10g of sugar per 8 oz | ✅ Diet soda and zero sugar soda ✅ Gatorade Zero and other low-sugar sports drinks ✅ Artificially sweetened beverages ✅ 100% fruit or vegetable juice ✅ Milk, milk products and milk substitutes ✅ Meal replacement beverages ✅ Medical electrolyte drinks ✅ Pedialyte ✅ Water (including sparkling water) |
| Energy Drinks | ❌ Energy drinks with high caffeine plus stimulants like taurine, guarana, ginseng, yerba mate, or glucuronolacton | ✅ Coffee ✅ Tea |
| Candy | ❌ Candy bars ❌ Gummies and gelatin candies ❌ Licorice ❌ Hard candy ❌ Compressed sugar candies | ✅ Baking ingredients ✅ Fruit snacks with real fruit and no added sugar ✅ Granola ✅ Trail mix ✅ Protein bars ✅ Meal replacement bars |
| Prepared Desserts | ❌ Shelf-stable packaged desserts intended for immediate consumption (like Little Debbie or HOstess) ❌ Highly processed packaged sweet desserts | ✅ Store-made bakery items |
Who is Affected?
Every SNAP shopper in the state of Montana will be affected by this change. It applies to 100% of the Montana SNAP caseload.
The restriction is mandatory and there is no opt-out for the food rules themselves. However, if Montana asks SNAP households to participate in surveys, interviews, or dietary recalls for the project evaluation, those research activities are voluntary.
Critical Things You Need to Know
The USDA approval letter reveals several important details about how this Montana SNAP ban will work.
You can still shop with SNAP in other states. The waiver specifically says that out-of-state transactions will not be used as a primary indicator of fraud and will not negatively affect eligibility.
Montana will monitor the program closely. The state must submit regular reports to USDA about complaints, retailer compliance, costs, and other project data.
Retailers will have a 90-day grace period. After the rule begins, retailers will have 90 days to adjust before federal compliance monitoring fully kicks in.
The project could be extended. The initial waiver runs from September 30, 2026 through September 30, 2028, but Montana may request up to three additional one-year extensions, for a total possible project length of five years.
You do not have to participate in surveys. Montana plans to evaluate the program using surveys and interviews, but participation in those tools is optional.
How to Prepare
Montana’s SNAP restrictions are more comprehensive than some other states because it covers more categories of products, including prepared desserts. Here are some ways you can prepare for this change.
- Look at the ingredient label. Montana’s definition for beverages focuses on sugar or caffeine content. That means ingredient lists may matter more than product names.
- Plan for regular soda to be off-limits with SNAP. If your household regularly buys Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, or other sugary sodas, you may need to budget cash for those drinks starting in late September 2026.
- Consider switching to unsweetened or zero-sugar options. Based on the waiver language, plain water, sparkling water, and diet or zero-sugar drinks appear to remain eligible.
- Watch juice drinks carefully. Some juice drinks may still be okay, but others may be affected if added sugar is one of the main ingredients. Checking the label before checkout may help avoid surprises.
Relief Recap
Montana’s SNAP restriction is more comprehensive than some of the other state proposals we’ve seen so far. This waiver targets a wider variety of foods than other states, which may make it more difficult to adapt. Understanding the rules early will help give you an advantage and time to prepare before the changes take place.
