[WATERLOO, Iowa] — Iowa has implemented new restrictions on what can be purchased with SNAP benefits, aiming to encourage healthier eating habits among its residents. Items such as candy and soda are no longer approved for purchase under the program.
Barb Prather, executive director of the Northeast Iowa Food Bank, acknowledged that while these changes might limit choices for SNAP beneficiaries, healthy food options are consistently in high demand.
“When people come in here to get food, they usually want protein, dairy, fresh fruits, and vegetables,” Prather said. “That’s probably the most sought-after item but it’s also the item that goes the fastest because everybody wants it and there’s never enough of it to get out to the community.”…