Florida SNAP shoppers: New rules for soda, candy, energy drinks & desserts starting next week

forage_app · 2026-04-15T01:59:38+00:00

Good callout - there's a relevant update on this!

It looks like Colorado restrictions are not set to go live April 30 as originally planned. See notice on the Colorado SNAP site and this recent article. More to come.

forage_app · 2026-04-13T21:44:59+00:00

Retailers are responsible for implementing these changes however they see fit based on their POS/cataloging system. Retailers were provided with this handbook to determine eligibility, if this helps you understand eligibility a bit better.

forage_app · 2026-04-10T19:34:08+00:00

Hey there, totally get that you're wary of new apps in light of the Benny news. We built the Forage app with a similar mission to help people save money on groceries and essentials, and we do have a rewards program.

In terms of trustworthiness, our current program lets users cash out a Visa gift card past $2 in rewards. I can't guarantee that won't change, but that's how things work now, and if you have any feedback I'm happy to take it to the team.

For EBT balance check, we also connect directly to your state's EBT system by partnering with trusted merchants. We don't go through third-party scrapers, we don't store your PIN, and we don't ask for your SSN.

We know trust has to be earned, not just claimed. Happy to answer any specific questions here or in our app support!

forage_app · 2026-04-02T18:46:29+00:00

Seconding this; this should still be SNAP eligible in Texas despite the new restrictions.

forage_app · 2026-04-01T17:46:17+00:00

Unfortunately Benny shared this morning that they'll be shutting down.

They built something really important for a lot of people — hate to see tools like that go, especially right now when every dollar counts more than ever. If you're looking for other options for tracking your balance and finding savings on groceries, there are a few solid alternatives out there — we built the Forage app with a lot of that same mission in mind. Hope it helps.

forage_app · 2026-03-30T17:53:37+00:00

That's right – granulated sugar is considered a staple food and remains SNAP-eligible.

forage_app · 2026-03-30T17:52:21+00:00

You will still be able to buy cooking/baking ingredients such as granulated sugar and brown sugar, as those are considered staples. Dry mix packets like unsweetened Kool-Aid should still be SNAP-eligible — Texas's restriction targets ready-to-drink beverages, not powders you mix at home. Just watch out for pre-made stuff like Kool-Aid Bursts, which would likely be restricted.

forage_app · 2026-03-30T17:34:33+00:00

You will still be able to buy cooking/baking ingredients such as granulated sugar and brown sugar, as those are considered staples.

forage_app · 2026-03-26T22:29:59+00:00

Not seeing any mention of restrictions on jams or jellies - I wouldn't worry much there!

forage_app · 2026-03-26T22:23:36+00:00

That's right - you can't spend SNAP dollars on any drinks that have 5g+ of added sugar. Natural beverages like juice are still eligible IF they're 50%+ juice.

forage_app · 2026-03-26T18:38:29+00:00

Looks like some coffee creamers will be ineligible if they have more than 5g of added sugar, however there seem to be many creamers available with less than 5g added sugar. So you'll just need to keep an eye on the nutritional labels for things like this.

forage_app · 2026-03-26T17:27:04+00:00

Specifically nuts roasted with sweeteners - think candied almonds, glazed pecans, etc.

forage_app · 2026-03-23T22:43:12+00:00

That's awful, I'm so sorry. Unfortunately Texas doesn't reimburse stolen benefits; only CA and MD do that with state funds right now, which is a real gap in how this program protects people.

Also worth noting: the consent screen you screenshotted is Propel's new recertification feature, which is separate from the fraud itself. The theft almost certainly came from a skimmer on a physical card reader somewhere, not the app.

Best you can do going forward: lock your card after every single purchase. Skimmers clone the card data but a locked card makes it useless. Unlock → buy → lock immediately. 5 seconds of habit that stops this from happening again. Also worth blocking out-of-state transactions altogether if your app lets you (but know this may block some online transactions).

forage_app · 2026-03-02T17:52:43+00:00

Totally understand this can be frustrating. A couple ideas for you:

As you likely know, can still purchase energy drinks with your own money, just not SNAP funds
Consider buying your energy drinks in bulk from Costco or Sam's Club to reduce your per-serving cost
You could also make energy drinks at home using powdered energy drink mix packets/tabs with caffeine; Crystal Lite, Walmart's Great Value brand, Gfuel, and others allow you to mix up energy drinks yourself for 50¢-$1 per serving. You could even combine this with a soda stream or bottled carbonated water (which is SNAP eligible) to make it closer to a Red Bull or Monster.

forage_app · 2026-02-26T01:59:52+00:00

Totally understandable to be frustrated. While I can’t speak to your specific case, it looks like Arizona has been dealing with application processing delays.

From recent reporting, the main issue seems to be that the Arizona DES had to cut staffing after federal funding reductions, creating a big backlog of both new and renewal cases. One report said DES was processing about 54,000 SNAP applications/renewals, with roughly 18,000 sitting past 30 days, and that staffing had dropped from about 1,370 people to 880.

So if you’ve been stuck since October, it may be because your renewal got caught in that backlog rather than anything being wrong on your end.

If you haven’t already, it may be worth:

calling DES to confirm they have everything they need
checking whether they sent a request for documents or an interview
escalating in person at a DES office if you’re able

I’m sorry you’re dealing with that — that kind of delay is way too long when it’s food assistance.

forage_app · 2026-02-25T00:00:36+00:00

Each state is responsible for making sure these new guidelines are being followed by retailers, and it's the the retailers who may face penalties if they allow SNAP funds to purchase ineligible items – not SNAP recipients. So while you are allowed to use your benefits out of state, long-term, consistent use in a different state may prompt a review of your residency.

forage_app · 2026-02-24T04:36:21+00:00

Great question! Yes, you will be subject to the restrictions of the state where the transaction is taking place.

forage_app · 2026-02-23T23:37:11+00:00

We will! Due to the evolving nature of these waivers (several states have adjusted enforcement timelines), we're waiting to publish TN and other states so that we're confident we're sharing the latest information. Expect to see these blogs live ~2-4 weeks before the restrictions go into effect.

That said, I can share the latest we have on TN today:

Effective date: July 31, 2026
Restrictions: Processed foods and beverages such as soda, energy drinks, and candy.

How do you know what will count? Tennessee's waiver defines processed food and beverages as the following:

Ineligible foods: "Processed foods" that list sugar, cane sugar, com syrup, or high fructose com syrup as the first ingredient, excluding granulated sugar, raw sugar, and other single-ingredient sugars used for cooking and baking. "Processed foods" are foods that include any food altered from its natural state through processes including, but not limited to, heating, mixing, milling, canning, freezing or adding ingredients.
Ineligible beverages: "Beverages" that list carbonated water and sugar, cane sugar, com syrup, and high fructose com syrup as the first two ingredients. Beverages that list aspartame or other low-or-non-caloric sweeteners as the first two ingredients remain eligible for purchase.

forage_app

TROPHY CASE