Tennessee seeks federal waiver to restrict junk food purchases under SNAP
Governor Lee’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how quickly the new rules would take effect if approved.
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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) – Governor Bill Lee is requesting federal permission to restrict the purchase of junk food with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits in Tennessee.
On Friday, Lee submitted a waiver request to the U.S. Department of Agriculture that would allow the state to ban people from using their SNAP benefits to purchase certain processed and sugary foods with their benefits. At the same time, the proposal would expand options by permitting the purchase of hot foods, such as rotisserie chicken, which is currently not allowed under federal rules.
Lee framed the move as part of a broader effort to promote healthier eating habits, aligning with the Trump administration’s “Make America Healthier Again” initiative. If approved, Tennessee would join 12 other Republican-led states that have banned junk food from their SNAP grocery lists.
Recently, the USDA has approved a comparable waiver from Arkansas, making it likely that Lee’s waiver request will also get approved.
Governor Lee’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on how quickly the new rules would take effect if approved.
However, any changes to the program likely will not happen until next year. That is because states like Arkansas that got the waiver over the summer are not changing their rules until 2026.
According to the Food and Nutrition Service, over 711,000 Tennesseans receive SNAP benefits. Critics of the proposal argue the ban could disproportionately affect residents in food deserts—areas where access to fresh produce and prepared healthy foods is limited or expensive.
State Rep. John Ray Clemmons, a Democrat from Nashville, criticized the proposal, calling it an overreach.
“Now, they’re inspecting families’ grocery carts,” Clemmons said in a statement. “We all support healthy eating habits, but I’d prefer we focus on saving the SNAP program and ending childhood hunger rather than start rummaging around in people’s kitchen cabinets.”
The USDA has not indicated when it will issue a decision on Tennessee’s request.
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