A major change to the Arkansas Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) took effect this week, removing candy, soda (including diet and zero‑calorie varieties), and fruit or vegetable juices containing less than 50 percent natural juice from the list of eligible purchases. The new SNAP Nutrition Waiver aims to promote healthier eating habits and reduce long‑term health risks for Arkansas families.
State officials say the transition has been months in the making. The Department of Human Services (DHS) has worked with retailers, community partners, and SNAP participants to ensure families understand the new rules and have tools to help them adjust. More than 2,500 retailers across Arkansas have updated their checkout systems to comply with the policy.
Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders, speaking at a press conference announcing the rollout, said Arkansas was among the first states to signal to the Trump administration that it wanted to pursue this change. “We won’t wait around while our people get less and less healthy and we spend more and more taxpayer dollars trying to fix the problem,” she said.
The governor noted that chronic diseases such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease continue to strain both families and the healthcare system. “Sadly, Arkansas’s statistics are even worse than the nation as a whole,” she said. “One third of our state is diabetic or pre-diabetic. On one floor of DHS, our state has been approving food stamp purchases for soft drinks and candy, while on another floor, our state’s Medicaid program is paying to treat the chronic diseases those products can help create.”
Under the new rules, which took effect July 1, SNAP benefits can no longer be used to buy candy, soft drinks, or beverages with less than 50 percent natural juice. Milk, baby formula, nutritional supplement drinks, and juices that meet the 50‑percent requirement remain eligible. Ingredients used for home baking, such as flour, sugar, icing, and baking chocolate, continue to qualify, even though ready‑made confections do not.
To make the transition easier, DHS has launched the AR SNAP Companion mobile app, available on Apple and Android devices. Shoppers can scan product barcodes in the store to instantly determine whether an item is eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits. Officials encourage families to use the tool to avoid surprises at checkout.
DHS is also urging participants to ensure their contact information is up to date on the Access Arkansas website so they can receive program updates. Additional details and full lists of eligible and restricted items are available on the DHS SNAP Nutrition Waiver webpage.
As part of the broader effort to support healthier choices, DHS has partnered with the UAMS Culinary Medicine program to create a new recipe video series called “Make It Snappy.” Hosted by Chef Alyssa Frisby, the series highlights simple, affordable, and nutritious meals that families can prepare at home. The first episode is available on the AR SNAP Companion app and at ar.gov/SNAP, with more videos scheduled to be released on those platforms and on the DHS Facebook page in the coming weeks.
