Soda and sweets are no longer eligible purchases under Florida’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
Why it matters: Hundreds of thousands of households in Tampa Bay can no longer use their benefits to buy a box of Little Debbie’s, a liter of Coca-Cola or a Hershey bar at the checkout.
- It’s a restriction that some experts say can complicate lines at the grocery store and create unnecessary shame.
Driving the news: SNAP, often called food stamps, helps low-income families, seniors and people with disabilities buy groceries.
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- Twenty-two states have moved to narrow SNAP’s list of eligible foods as part of the Trump administration’s push to “restore nutritional value” in the program.
- Florida got the green light in August to bar SNAP recipients from using their benefits to purchase soda, energy drinks, candy and ultra-processed desserts. The program took effect this week and will end in two…