Starting January 1, Utahns will no longer be able to use their SNAP benefits to buy soda.

Earlier this year, the Utah Legislature passed a new law, HB403, that directed the the state’s Department of Workforce Services to request a waiver from the federal government allowing the state to enact restrictions on Utahns’ benefits received from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is the U.S.’s largest food assistance program.

In June, federal officials in President Donald Trump’s administration approved Utah’s waiver — along with applications from Idaho and Arkansas — making them the latest states to ban certain foods from being purchased with SNAP benefits as part of “Make America Healthy Again” efforts.

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The Utah Department of Workforce Services issued a news release Monday notifying Utah’s SNAP restrictions will take effect Thursday.

“This is not a change to the amount of SNAP benefits eligible individuals receive,” Becky Wickstrom, the department’s spokesperson, said in a prepared statement. “It is a change to what the benefits can purchase. We have worked closely with the state’s retailers to prepare for this change and are ready for it to take place on January 1, 2026.”

The Utah ban defines soda or “soft drinks” as flavored drinks that have carbonated water and are sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners. The ban doesn’t apply to milk or drinks made with milk substitutes, according to the Utah Department of Workforce Services. Drinks that are more than half real fruit or vegetable juice are also still allowed to be purchased with SNAP assistance.

Along with soda, other items ineligible for SNAP include hot, prepared foods, alcohol, tobacco products and non-food items, like cleaning supplies and pet food.

Highland Republican Representative Kristen Chevrier, who sponsored the bill submitting Utah’s waiver, said in a prepared statement that the change is meant to improve the SNAP program and the “overall health outlook in the state of Utah.”

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“The SNAP program helps those who are facing food insecurity and in need of nutrition,” Chevrier said. “We don’t want to undermine health and fuel chronic disease by subsidizing the purchase of sugary drinks.”

An earlier version of the Utah bill would have also blocked candy purchases, but that was ultimately stricken from the legislation before the state’s Republican supermajority voted along party lines to approve it.

While the bill was still under consideration, Utah House Democrats said they worried the rule would undermine SNAP recipients’ autonomy and dignity while not effectively changing dietary habits.

“While this bill claims to promote healthier choices, it imposes restrictions without offering constructive or evidence-based solutions,” House Democrats said in a statement in February. “Additionally, this legislation will be complicated to implement — requiring costly updates to point-of-sale systems, staff retraining, and compliance monitoring, all without guaranteeing better health outcomes.”

For more information about what can or can’t be bought with SNAP assistance, visit the Utah Department of Workforce Service’s website.