South Carolina will soon launch a SC Healthy Food Choice Project for households receiving EBT benefits aimed at reducing the amount of sugar consumed by participants. The anticipated date for implementation of this new program is August 31, 2026.

The program, as approved by the Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) at the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), was in response to a waiver requested by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster and seeks to exclude the purchase of candy, energy drinks, soft drinks, and sweetened beverages from the list of eligible foods under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. 

Governor McMaster announced his intent to pursue the waiver in August 2025 and issued an executive order in September 2025 directing the South Carolina Department of Social Services to submit the waiver.

Contact Information: SCHealthyFoodChoiceProject@dss.sc.gov

Additional information and updates, for both SNAP retailers and SNAP households, will be posted on this page as they are announced.

*Current as of April 20, 2026*