The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is dedicated to supporting the health of moms, babies, and young children by providing access to nutritious foods. If you’re enrolled in WIC, you’ll receive monthly food benefits and an eWIC card, your key to purchasing WIC-approved foods. Knowing exactly what you can buy with your eWIC card is essential for making the most of your benefits and ensuring your family gets the healthy foods they need.
To help navigate your grocery trips, the WIC Shopping Guide is an invaluable resource. It clearly outlines all the foods approved under the WIC program, along with helpful shopping tips to make your experience smoother and more efficient.
View the WIC shopping Guide
For a quick overview of WIC food benefits, the WIC Shopper Benefits video offers a visual guide to understanding what’s available to you and your family.
What Foods are WIC Approved?
Upon joining the WIC program, your specific food benefits are carefully tailored to meet your nutritional needs and those of your children. These benefits are designed to provide essential nutrients crucial for growth and health. Your personalized WIC food benefits, detailing the types and quantities of food you can purchase, are accessible through several convenient methods:
- WIC Shopping List: Provided directly by your local WIC office, this list is a tangible guide to your approved foods.
- Grocery Store Receipt: Each purchase with your eWIC card will show your remaining benefits on the receipt, offering an up-to-date view.
- Wisconsin MyWIC App: This mobile app provides a digital overview of your benefits, accessible anytime from your smartphone. You can download it from the Apple App Store or Google Play.
Generally, Wic Approved Foods include a wide variety of nutritious options across different food groups, ensuring a balanced diet. These often include:
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100% Juices: Look for options that are 100% juice to ensure you’re getting the most nutritional value without added sugars.
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Beans, Peas, Lentils, and Peanut Butter: These are excellent sources of protein and fiber, crucial for energy and growth.
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Cereals: WIC approved cereals are typically whole grain and fortified with iron and other essential nutrients.
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Cheese, Tofu, Eggs, and Canned Fish: These provide protein and calcium, vital for strong bones and overall health.
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Fruits and Vegetables: Fresh, frozen, and canned options are often covered, encouraging consumption of vitamins and minerals.
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Infant Foods: WIC provides specific formulas and baby foods to support infant nutrition during crucial developmental stages.
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Milk, Soy Drinks, and Yogurt: These dairy and dairy-alternative products are important sources of calcium and vitamin D.
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Whole Wheat and Whole Grains: Bread, pasta, and rice in whole grain forms offer fiber and sustained energy.
For detailed specifics on brands, sizes, and types of each food category that are WIC-approved, the comprehensive WIC Shopping Guide (P-44578) remains your best resource.
View the WIC Shopping Guide
Shopping for WIC Approved Foods: How it Works
Participating in WIC involves using an eWIC card, which functions like a debit card specifically for WIC-approved purchases. You can use this card at any grocery store in Wisconsin that is authorized by WIC. When you purchase WIC foods, the cost is automatically deducted from your available WIC food benefits.
It’s important to remember that your WIC benefits are issued for a 30-day period and will expire if unused. After expiration, these benefits cannot be recovered. However, as long as you remain eligible for WIC, new benefits will be added to your eWIC card regularly. Your eWIC card can hold up to three months’ worth of benefits at any time.
To better understand the checkout process and get more shopping tips, you can watch the Checking Out Your Choices video or explore the WIC shopping tips available online.
Utilizing the MyWIC App for WIC Approved Food Shopping
The Wisconsin MyWIC app is more than just a benefit tracker; it’s a powerful tool designed to simplify your WIC shopping experience. Available for download on both the Apple App Store and Google Play, the app offers a range of features:
- Benefit Balance Check: Instantly see how many WIC food benefits you have remaining for the current period.
- Benefit Expiration Reminders: Avoid losing benefits with timely reminders before they expire.
- Barcode Scanner: Quickly verify if a food item is WIC-approved by scanning its barcode while shopping.
- WIC Approved Food Search: Search for specific foods to confirm their WIC eligibility before you even get to the store.
- Store Locator: Find WIC-approved grocery stores in your vicinity, making shopping convenient.
- Appointment Reminders: Stay on track with your WIC appointments with helpful reminders.
Need More Help with WIC Approved Foods?
Navigating the specifics of WIC can sometimes feel overwhelming, but resources are readily available to assist you. For any questions or issues you encounter, your local WIC office is your primary point of contact. They can provide personalized assistance and clarification. Find your local office details through the WIC office locator.
For visual solutions to common shopping challenges, the Solutions to Shopping Problems video is a helpful resource.
Additionally, both the comprehensive WIC Shopping Guide, P-44578 and the Wisconsin MyWIC app are continuously available to provide detailed information and support for all your WIC shopping needs.
If you believe you may be eligible for WIC and want to access these benefits, you can Apply for WIC today to start your journey towards healthy eating for you and your family.
