A federal court ruling this week has blocked efforts to restrict what foods and beverages Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) participants can purchase, dealing a significant setback to Colorado’s proposed “Healthy Choice” waiver and similar policies nationwide.
The ruling found that the U.S. Department of Agriculture does not have the authority to remove categories of food from SNAP, halting implementation of waivers that would have prohibited the purchase of items like soda and other sweetened beverages.
For months, SNAP participants, anti-hunger advocates, healthcare providers, retailers, and community members across the state have raised concerns about the proposal — emphasizing that restricting food choices would increase stigma, create confusion, and ultimately make it harder for families to access the food they need.
The real-life consequences of this policy were made clear by SNAP participants like Nieves Aragon, a Colorado mother and plaintiff for the lawsuit who testified at both state hearings. “Living with type 1 diabetes isn’t a choice I made, it’s a condition I’ve lived with since childhood. As a working mother, having access to juice or a small can of soda can mean the difference between safely treating a low blood sugar episode and facing a medical emergency while trying to provide for my son,” said Aragon. Her story underscores the unintended consequences of a one-size-fits-all approach to health — one that risks harming the very people it aims to help.
The proposed waiver had already faced significant opposition at the state level. After hours of testimony from SNAP recipients and advocates, Colorado’s State Board of Human Services previously declined to move forward with implementation, citing concerns about dignity, autonomy, and unintended harm to low-income families.
“As someone who was on SNAP for much of my life and was eventually able to build my way off of it, I know firsthand how limited those resources can be — and how little families are able to save. Preserving dignity and the ability to make choices, even small ones, matters. Those choices help people get through difficult times and build toward stability. This week’s court decision is an important reminder that these programs work best when they trust people and support them, not restrict them,” shared Ty Smith, a Peer (person with disability), born and raised in Colorado.
“This ruling affirms what communities across Colorado have been saying all along: SNAP works best when it trusts families to make the choices that are right for them,” said Mariah Guerrero, Senior Public Policy Manager at Hunger Free Colorado. “Policies like this don’t address the root causes of hunger — they risk making it worse by adding barriers, increasing stigma, and making grocery shopping harder for people already navigating tight budgets.”
Advocates also warned that the policy would place new burdens on small and rural retailers, requiring costly system updates and creating confusion for both store staff and shoppers. In communities with limited grocery options, these added pressures could reduce access to food even further.
“This was never just about beverages — it was about whether we create policies that support people or make it harder for them to put food on the table,” said Dayana Leyva, Senior Policy and Advocacy Manager at Provecho Collective. “We should be investing in solutions that actually improve health outcomes, like increasing access to affordable, nutritious food and strengthening SNAP benefits, not limiting choice.”
The court’s decision also comes at a time when SNAP is facing increasing pressure at the federal level, with proposed cuts and policy changes that could shift costs to states and reduce access for families nationwide.
Anti-hunger advocates remain committed to advancing evidence-based solutions that reduce hunger and improve health without compromising dignity.
What Comes Next
While the ruling blocks the federal approval that underpinned Colorado’s proposal, advocates will continue to monitor next steps at both the state and federal level.
In the meantime, organizations across Colorado will continue working to ensure that families can access the food they need and that SNAP remains a strong, effective tool in the fight against hunger.
