he USDA Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has approved a request from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to launch a “demonstration project” that changes what can be bought with SNAP benefits.
Starting October 1, 2026, Ohio will implement a statewide ban on purchasing sugar-sweetened beverages with SNAP benefits. This pilot program will run for two years, through September 30, 2028, unless it is extended.
What is Changing?
Ohio is amending the definition of “eligible food” to exclude sugar-sweetened beverages from SNAP purchases.
Ohio defines sugar-sweetened beverages as drinks with sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, or similar caloric sweeteners as the primary ingredient, or as the second ingredient if the first ingredient is carbonated water.
That means this ban is mainly aimed at regular sodas and similar sugary drinks. Based on the wording, it appears to focus on drinks where added sugar is one of the main ingredients.
| Category | ❌ No Longer Eligible (Banned) | ✅ Still Eligible (Allowed) |
|---|---|---|
| Soda & Pop | ❌ Regular soda (Coke, Pepsi, Dr Pepper, Mountain Dew) ❌ Other fizzy drinks with sugar as a main ingredient | ✅ Diet soda and zero sugar soda ✅ Plain sparkling water |
| Sugary Drinks | ❌ Drinks with sugar, corn syrup, or high-fructose corn syrup as a main ingredient ❌ Sweetened carbonated drinks | ✅ Unsweetened drinks ✅ Water |
| Juice & Dairy | ❌ Some sugary juice drinks may be affected if added sugar is one of the main ingredients | ✅ 100% juice ✅ Milk and milk products ✅ Milk substitutes like soy or almond milk |
| Other Foods | ✅ Candy, chips, cookies, bread, meat, produce, cereal, pasta, and other groceries are still allowed |
Who is Affected?
Every SNAP shopper in the state of Ohio will be affected by this change. It applies to 100% of the Ohio SNAP caseload.
The restriction is mandatory and there is no opt-out for the food rules themselves. However, if Ohio 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 project 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.
Ohio 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 October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2028, but Ohio 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. Ohio plans to evaluate the program using surveys and interviews, but participation in those tools is optional.
How to Prepare
Ohio’s rule is narrower than some other states because it focuses only on sugar-sweetened beverages, not candy or snack foods. Here are a few ways to get ready:
- Look at the ingredient label. Ohio’s definition focuses on whether sugar, corn syrup, or high-fructose corn syrup is one of the main ingredients. 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 October 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 more likely 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
Ohio’s SNAP restriction is more limited than some of the other state proposals we’ve seen so far. This waiver only targets sugar-sweetened beverages, which means most groceries families depend on every day are still fully covered. The new rules are scheduled to begin on October 1, 2026, so there is time to prepare.
