What You Can and Cannot Buy with SNAP

SNAP can help you buy healthy food for your household. But there are some rules about what you can and cannot buy.

Starting January 1, 2026, Utah residents will no longer be able to use their SNAP benefits to purchase soft drinks. This change is due to a new state law (House Bill 403) and approval from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.

What You CAN By with SNAP

You CAN use your SNAP benefits to buy food that you will prepare and eat at home. This includes:

Breads and cereals
Fruits and vegetables
Meats, fish and poultry
Dairy products
Plants and seeds to grow food (like a tomato plant or seeds for beans)

What You CANNOT Buy with SNAP

You CANNOT use your SNAP benefits to buy certain items, including:

Hot, prepared foods (like hot deli sandwiches, rotisserie chickens or food from a restaurant)
Alcohol (beer, wine, liquor)
Tobacco products (cigarettes, chewing tobacco)
Non-food items, such as:

Pet food
Soap and laundry detergent
Paper products (like toilet paper or paper towels)
Cleaning supplies
Vitamins and medicines
Personal care items (like shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, makeup)

Soft drinks

What is a Soft Drink?

A soft drink means a flavored drink that has carbonated water (fizzy water) and is sweetened with sugar or artificial sweetener.

These products are not eligible for purchase with SNAP benefits and must be bought separately using a different form of payment.

This rule does not include:

Milk or drinks made with milk (like chocolate milk)
Drinks made with soy, rice or other milk substitutes
Drinks that are more than half real fruit or vegetable juice

New Rules for EBT Purchasing (Espanol)

What is a soft drink?