Healthy Food SC is South Carolina’s Healthy Food Choice (HFC) demonstration project dedicated to improving the health and well-being of families who rely of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).

As defined in South Carolina’s Executive Order 2025-30, all South Carolina SNAP-authorized retailers will begin restricting newly defined prohibited items effective August 31, 2026.

Beginning August 31, 2026, South Carolina will restrict candy, energy drinks, soft drinks, and sweetened beverages from the definition of eligible foods that may be purchased with SNAP benefits

The description of these restricted food items is as follows:

Candy: a preparation of sugar, honey, or other natural or artificial sweeteners in combination with chocolate, fruits, nuts, or other ingredients in the form of bars, drops, or pieces.

Candy" shall not include the following:

• Protein bars, granola bars.
• Baking ingredients such as sprinkles, chocolate melting wafters, toffee bits, or chocolate chips.
• Items primarily identified and sold as bakery or bread products, such as baked goods, cakes, crackers, cookies, muffins, brownies, pastries, bread, or similar products.

Energy Drinks: beverages containing at least sixty-five (65) milligrams of caffeine per eight (8) fluid ounces that are advertised as being specifically designed to provide metabolic stimulation or an increase to the consumer's mental or physical energy. "Energy drinks" shall not include coffee or tea or any substantially coffee- or tea-based beverage.

Soft Drinks: any nonalcoholic beverage made with carbonated water and flavored or sweetened, or both, with more than five (5) grams of sugar or other natural or artificial sweeteners.

Diet and zero sugar soft drinks will remain an allowable purchase with SNAP benefits.

Sweetened Beverages: any sweetened beverage, flavored or sweetened or both, with added sugar or other natural or artificial sweeteners, ready for consumption without further processing.

"Soft Drinks" and "Sweetened Beverages" shall not include:

• A beverage that contains milk, milk products, soy, rice, or other milk substitutes.
• Any beverage consisting of 50% or more natural fruit or vegetable juice with no added caloric sweetener.
• Any product commonly referred to as "infant" or "baby" formula.
• Sports or rehydration beverages.
• Carbonated water beverages.
• Any beverage for medical use meaning any beverage suitable for human consumption and manufactured for use as a source of necessary nutrition due to a medical condition or for use as an oral rehydration electrolyte solution for infants and children formulated to prevent or treat dehydration due to illness.

All items previously identified as prohibited, including food and non-food products, continue to be ineligible for purchase with SNAP benefits. For additional information on what items can/cannot be purchased with SNAP benefits, please visit the United States Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition website What Can SNAP Buy?

Yes, all South Carolina SNAP households will participate in the Healthy Food SC project.

Yes, all retailers authorized by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) to accept SNAP benefits in South Carolina must comply with the State’s Healthy Food SC project for all SNAP transactions.

All authorized SNAP retailers must implement these changes. In advance of South Carolina’s Healthy Food SC implementation date, August 31, 2026, USDA FNS will issue notification to SNAP authorized retailers required to comply with these changes. The notification will explain that compliance with the Healthy Food SC restrictions is required to effectuate the purpose of SNAP and maintain authorization as a SNAP retailer. The notification will also explain that retailers found to be non-compliant will be subject to Involuntary Withdrawal for failure to effectuate the purpose of SNAP.

For additional information regarding Retailer Compliance with Healthy Food SC project, please visit USDA FNS Retailer Compliance website.

When an online SNAP order is packed in a walk-in store, the retailer must follow the SNAP food rules for the state where that store is located. For example, if the store is in South Carolina, the retailer must apply South Carolina’s SNAP food restrictions.

When an order is packed in a warehouse that customers cannot enter—whether the customer chooses delivery or pickup—the retailer must follow the SNAP food rules for the state that issued the customer’s EBT card. If the customer’s EBT card was issued in South Carolina, the retailer must apply South Carolina’s SNAP food restrictions. The retailer determines the customer’s state of issuance using the Bank Identification Number (BIN) on the EBT card.

The USDA provides additional guidance on SNAP food restriction projects and retailer compliance on their Retailer Compliance website.

The Department will communicate these changes to SNAP recipients through various communication channels. As a USDA-approved SNAP retailer, you play a key role in helping make these changes successful by communicating with your customers. DSS has provided a Healthy Food SC SNAP Retailer Toolkit with downloadable asset designs to support the transition to the Healthy Food SC project. These materials will assist retailers clearly identify eligible items, ensuring accurate transactions and a seamless experience for SNAP participants.

No, the State of South Carolina cannot modify benefit allotments or eligibility parameters for the SNAP program.

Yes, all SNAP recipients purchasing food items with their SNAP benefits, in the State of South Carolina, will be subject to the newly defined restricted food items.

Authorized SNAP retailers will need to consult their POS system manual or support resources for detailed instructions to ensure system changes are implemented by August 31, 2026.