Ohio SNAP recipients could soon find that some beverages that previously qualified for benefits can no longer be purchased with their EBT cards. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service is seeking public comments on Ohio’s SNAP demonstration project restricting purchases of sugar-sweetened beverages, along with a later modification adding fountain drinks to the list. Ohio has requested an October 1, 2026, implementation date.
For shoppers, the practical issue is simple: if a beverage falls within the state’s restricted categories, SNAP benefits would no longer pay for it even if the same product could previously be purchased with an EBT card.
Ohio Asked USDA to Change What SNAP Can Buy
Under federal SNAP rules, benefits can generally be used to purchase a broad range of foods intended for household consumption, but states can ask USDA for permission to test changes through demonstration projects. Ohio submitted its initial request on October 28, 2025, seeking to exclude sugar-sweetened beverages from foods eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits.
USDA approved that initial demonstration project on March 4, 2026. Ohio later modified its request on June 12, 2026, seeking to add fountain drinks to the products excluded from SNAP purchases. The state requested that the restrictions take effect October 1.
What Would Change at the Grocery Store?
For Ohio SNAP households, the biggest change would happen at checkout. Products covered by the state’s restriction could still be purchased, but shoppers would need another form of payment instead of SNAP benefits. That distinction is important: the project isn’t a statewide ban on selling or buying these beverages. It changes whether SNAP benefits can be used to pay for them…