Naptime Blog

If you are benefitting from WIC, then you should really read this! For the first time in over 30 years, the nutritional guideline in the Women, Infants and Children program are going to change! Your children will very soon be able to have better balanced meals during the day!

Beginning in October, 2009,  families will be able to buy fresh fruit and vegetables, canned beans and more!

First, the new voucher for fruits and veggies won’t have any specific foods listed. Instead, it will  have dollar amounts of $6, $8, $10, etc. Federal regulations require that all authorized vendors stock at least two different varieties of fresh fruits and two different varieties of fresh vegetables. The client will also be able to pay anything over their WIC allowance so they can receive their full benefits. No potatoes except sweet potatoes and yams are allowed. Clients may choose any fruit without added sugar, and any vegetable without added sugar, fats or oils.

Whole Grains are also allowed. This includes cereals, bread in 16oz units. CHildren are allowed 32oz per month. Some states have added 16oz packages of brown rice and whole grain tortillas as alternatives to bread.

Infants at 6 months of age will now receive 32 4oz containers of baby fruits and vegetables per month. They must be Stage two and single ingredients. They will no longer receive juice.  Exclusively breastfed infants will receive 31 2.5 jars of baby meats, and the amount of infant formula will vary with age, but over the full years, will receive less than they are currently allowed.

Another change is to Dairy products. If your child is over 1 year old, you will need to switch to low-fat milk. You will also receive less milk and less cheese as you have in the past. You may now substitute calcium set tofu in 16oz packages for milk.

A few other changes to the program will be, less juice allowance (64oz containers) and less egg allowance. Now, there will be an increase in fish allowance from 24oz to 30oz and Salmon is now allowed. Canned beans are also allowed now as a substitute for dried beans.

As always, I highly recommend discussing any questions or concerns with your local WIC office. For more information on how to apply for WIC, or what their food packages are, please go to the WIC homepage

~Monica Brady- Mommy Brain Reports