To help ensure that mothers and children remain healthy during these formative years, families are awarded WIC benefits. Additionally, program funds are available to pregnant women who are at risk of not receiving proper nutrition during the months before their children are born. How can WIC help families to be healthier?įor the most part, WIC recipients are new mothers who do not earn enough income to afford to provide their children with healthy meals on a regular basis. Therefore, enrollees should take the time to understand what types of items are purchasable with WIC funds and how these items can improve their own health and their children’s well-being.

However, WIC benefits make it easier for families without much money to afford nutritious groceries each time they visit the supermarket. Due to financial limitations, mothers and their children may be unable to purchase healthy meal options on their own. The purpose of providing new mothers and their children with WIC food benefits is to help ensure that vulnerable, low-income families have access to nutritious foods on a regular basis. To avoid any issues at the grocery store, recipients must be sure that they know what items are covered before they go shopping. This means that their purchases must meet specific nutritional criteria. This is because the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides new mothers and their young children with funds to purchase particular foods during these developmental years. However, WIC recipients have additional restrictions regarding what items they can spend their benefits on. Other federal programs provide recipients with guidelines regarding how they can spend funds. 6: 576–583.Enrollees who are wondering what WIC approved foods they can purchase with their funds may be overwhelmed when grocery shopping. (2010) ‘The effects of SNAP and WIC Programs on nutrient intakes of children’, Food Policy, vol. 3) Lee J, Bouwens T, Savage M and Vann W (2006) ‘Examining the Cost-effectiveness of Early Dental Visits’, Pediatric Dentistry, vol. General Accounting Office (1992) ‘Early Intervention: Federal Investments Like WIC Can Produce Savings’, Document HRD 92-18, Washington, D.C. 1) Chiasson M, Findley S, Sekhobo J, Scheinmann R, Edmunds L, Faly A, McLeod N, and Gregg D (2013) ‘Changing WIC Changes What Children Eat.’ Obesity vol. Department of Agriculture for USDA's Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children.

WIC™ is a registered trademark of the U.S. Availability and eligibility is subject to change check with your local state WIC™ agency. Please check with your state/local WIC program for eligibility of these items. These products meet the minimum Federal requirements for the Women, Infants and Children Supplemental Nutrition Program (7 CFR section 246.10). Beech-Nut is a proud member of the National WIC™ Association Business Council.

Wic baby food approved