Oh SNAP! Will Soda be Banned from Food Stamps in Texas?

A proposed bill filed by a Texas congressman would remove sodas from SNAP-eligible items due to the high sugar content.

The bill, ironically called FIZZ-NO, or Funding is Zero for Zero Nutrition Options Act would effectively include soda after the "alcoholic beverages" in the list of items not able to be covered by supplemental government assistance.

The bill outlines what "soda" means, which, in this case, is "a carbonated beverage that contains more than 1 gram of added sugar, artificial sweetener, or flavoring per serving," according to the proposed filing.

WFAA includes remarks from the Texas congressman who first proposed the new bill. He stated that it would be a "common-sense solution" to both improve our nation's overall health and reduce the financial burden on American taxpayers who are funding SNAP.

What are SNAP Benefits?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was created to support low-income families across America with necessary food and nutrients.

Unfortunately, there are some who engage in what the USDA calls "recipient fraud." This entails lying about one's income to gather more government aid, or selling their benefits for cash.

There is even an entire framework built to counteract potential SNAP fraud which includes investigations, fraud detection, and data management to get a better understanding of who is filing for these benefits.

What Can SNAP Benefits Buy?

So far, across the U.S., food stamps, or SNAP benefits, can be used for the following food items, according to the USDA website:

• Fruits and Veggies
• Meat and fish
• Dairy products
• Bread and cereal
• Snack items and non-alcoholic beverages (including soda)
• Seeds and plants

And this is the list of things that SNAP benefits can NOT be used to buy:

• Beer, wine, liquor, or tobacco products
• Vitamins and other supplemental products
• Live animals (shellfish from the store is excluded)
• Pet food, cleaning supplies, hygiene items and cosmetics