Idaho
Idaho SNAP recipients face new candy and soda restrictions starting Feb. 15
Starting February 15, Idahoans using SNAP benefits will no longer be able to purchase candy and soda with their food assistance cards, following a statewide ban signed into law by Governor Brad Little last year. But the new rules are creating confusion among shoppers who are struggling to understand which items will be restricted.
“It’s gonna be a mess,” said Amanda Chester, a former SNAP recipient.
The restrictions aren’t as straightforward as they might seem. While gummy bears will be denied at checkout, Kit Kat bars will still be approved for purchase with SNAP benefits.
“Like we don’t even know what’s gonna get denied and what’s not once we go to the store,” Chester said.
WATCH: A Guide to identifying SNAP-eligible items
What you can still buy under Idaho’s new SNAP candy, soda ban
The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare has created candy and soda guidance sheets to help shoppers navigate the new rules, which reveal that not all candy is treated equally under the law.
A Kit Kat bar, which contains sugar and comes in bar form, remains SNAP-eligible because it contains flour. Gummy bears, however, contain sugar and come in small pieces but have no flour and require no refrigeration, making them ineligible for SNAP benefits.
RELATED | Idaho Health & Welfare clarifies eligible SNAP purchases after junk food ban
The drink restrictions also have nuances. Bottled Gatorade no longer qualifies for SNAP benefits, but the powdered version does.
“There are ways to go around it. You can make your own candy, your own cupcakes, you can do all of that on your own. It’s just very time consuming,” said Emina Sadiki, a SNAP recipient.
Sadiki said she understands the push for healthier choices but doesn’t understand why small indulgences for her children are now completely restricted.
Her 12-year-old son has expressed frustration with the limitations. “He says, ‘that just sucks. I can’t wait to get a job that way we don’t need food stamps anymore.’ He’s 12 years old. He shouldn’t be thinking about that,” Sadiki said.
The Department of Health and Welfare said the definitions for candy come directly from the state legislature, House Bill 109.
Idaho grocery stores are already posting signs about the new restrictions.
Sahana Patel, Idaho News 6
When a SNAP card is used for a restricted item, the purchase will be denied, but customers can still pay with cash, debit, or credit cards.
Some families worry the restrictions will create chaos at checkout lines.
“I can’t imagine how bad it’s gonna be and how people are gonna be so confused and so unsure,” Chester said. “I feel bad for the people that work at the grocery stores, like it’s gonna be a mess.”
We’re lucky to live in a place as safe as the Treasure Valley. Despite our growth, one of the things that makes our area so special is the way that we look out for one another–for our neighbors! That’s a principle that seems to have held on as Boise has boomed.
Despite low crime rates, there seems to always be one incident or so that makes us scratch our heads.
A recent string of fraud incidents in the Treasure Valley area is one of those.
Nampa Police initially warned the public of this because cases of fraud began to ‘mushroom’. Then, it took an interesting turn–people that HAD their credit cards were being ‘taken to the bank’, so to speak.
In a statement originally released on April 30th by the Nampa Police Department, officials advised the following:
We are not sure how the suspects are gaining access to the victim’s credit cards. There is a growing fraud scheme, “ghost tapping”, that scammers are using to access victims’ credit cards. This is possibly occurring in these instances. “Ghost tapping” uses stolen credit card details in Apple Pay or Google Pay, then remotely relays the tap signal over the internet to a ‘mule’ at a store, allowing them to make high-value purchases that appear completely legitimate. (We’ll share more information on ghost tapping in a later public service announcement that will also suggest ways to protect yourself.) The app used by these criminals obscures the actual credit card number, making it harder for investigators to link a victim to a particular crime. Keep in mind that victims still have their physical credit cards while suspects use the stolen card information to make purchases, which also affects how victims are alerted. So far, local investigators have not been able to identify a common theme among the victims (e.g., a specific bank, a website they visited, a gas pump they used, etc.) in the fraud cases we are investigating.
The investigation spans far and wide.
Authorities say that some suspects are in custody, others are being contacted, and others are still at large.
Now, a week later, the police are back to reaching out to the public–this time, urging people to check their bank accounts.
Nampa Police say that they have caught onto a pattern– there are fraudulent charges at Albertson’s to purchase gift cards, at Costco to purchase Apple products, and at Best Buy, also for Apple products.
Check those bank statements!
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The USDA has issued a public health alert for various meat and poultry products containing FDA-regulated dairy that may have been contaminated with salmonella. The recall was originally issued on April 30th, but the contaminated product list could continue to grow as more products are identified.
The Food Safety and Inspection arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture issued the public health alert and there have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of the products listed below, consumers are still advised to dispose of the items or return them to the place of purchase. Great Value and Pork King Good products sold at Idaho Walmart stores are included in the alert and recall.
Public Health Alert and Food Recall Issued For Pizza and Pork Rinds Sold in Idaho
As of right now, the food list includes pork rinds, breakfast pizzas, and chicken bacon ranch pizzas. The list could grow and the USDA advises consumers to check the list frequently. We will also update the list here when possible. The contaminated products carry a variety of ‘Best By’ and ‘Produced On’ dates, so check the lists carefully to make sure you don’t consume a contaminated product.
The nationwide brands to look for are Mama Cozzi’s from Aldi stores, Pork King Good, and Great Value at Walmart Stores.
Photo Credit USDA – 1
Photo Credit USDA – 1
You can also look through these label photos to see if you have the product in your freezer.
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
Photo Credit USDA Recalls
If you feel sick and have consumed a contaminated product, the USDA advise you to contact your health care provider.
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