Montana has changed what SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits can be used to buy, and if you or someone in your household uses SNAP, it's worth knowing what's ahead.
The state received federal approval for a two-year "demonstration project" that removes certain items from the list of SNAP-eligible foods. Beginning this fall, SNAP benefits can no longer be used to purchase:
Candy (sugar, honey, or sweeteners combined with chocolate, fruit, nuts, or flavorings in bars, drops, or pieces including gummies, licorice, and hard candy)
High-sugar beverages (more than 10 grams of sugar per 8 fluid ounces)
Energy drinks (more than 6mg of caffeine per fluid ounce, or 140mg+ total per container)
Prepared desserts (packaged, shelf-stable, ready-to-eat sweets like snack cakes)
Some things you might expect to be restricted actually aren't. Baking ingredients, real-fruit snacks with no added sugar, granola and trail mix, protein and meal-replacement bars, plain or naturally flavored water, milk and milk substitutes, coffee, tea, and importantly for our shoppers, store-made bakery items all remain SNAP-eligible.
This change doesn't affect who qualifies for SNAP or how much anyone receives. It only changes what those benefits can purchase.
Why the change?
According to the state's request to the USDA, the goal is to shift SNAP purchasing toward more nutrient-dense foods and study the effects on health outcomes like obesity and diabetes rates. Montana is one of several states, including neighbors Idaho and North Dakota, implementing similar restrictions this year as part of a federally approved pilot program.
What this means at checkout
Retailers across the state, including the Co-op, are required to update our point-of-sale systems to automatically flag restricted items when SNAP is used as payment. We're working to have this in place well ahead of the November 1 rollout, and our team will be trained to help answer questions if something doesn't ring up as expected. There's a grace period for retailers through January 1, 2027, but we're aiming to be ready at go-live.
A note on consistency across stores
Because the state didn't provide retailers with an accurate, itemized product list, stores across Montana are each interpreting the new guidelines using their own best judgment. That means you may find a product is SNAP-eligible at one store but not another, even though both are following the same state rules in good faith. At checkout, our cashiers rely on how our system has coded each item and aren't able to override an item's eligibility in the moment, even if it was purchased with SNAP somewhere else in town. We know this can be frustrating, and we're actively monitoring customer feedback to review and correct our coding as quickly as we can. If you believe an item is miscoded, please let us know, and if you'd like to raise a formal concern about how the new rules are being applied, complaints can be directed to the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) at healthysnap@mt.gov.
What you can do
If you use SNAP, it may be worth taking a look at your typical cart with these categories in mind to see how it may affect your food budget. If you have questions about how a specific product will be affected, our staff will be glad to. You can also find more detail directly from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services at dphhs.mt.gov.
We'll keep you posted as we learn more.
