Simply put, the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program helps eligible enrollees afford food and formula. Whether you just found out you’re pregnant or you have a child who is younger than five years old, you can apply for benefits to make your grocery bill more manageable.
This federally funded public health program was formed to safeguard the health of low-income families during critical stages of development. In addition to everyday groceries, WIC offers additional educational benefits to help new moms and parents. These resources are invaluable to those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, and have young children.
Who are WIC benefits for?
First, WIC is only available to those in households with incomes less than the limit. Your income limit depends on how many people live in your household and the state where you live. Additionally, you, or the child for whom you are applying, must live in the state where you are applying.
Generally, the standard WIC income limit is 185% of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL). However, some states offer “adjunctive eligibility” and allow higher income thresholds, such as 250% of the FPL, for pregnant women since that is the limit for Medicaid. So, if a pregnant woman is eligible for Medicaid, then she could also qualify for WIC automatically.
Similarly, you may already be able to qualify for WIC if you or your children are enrolled in:
- Medicaid
- Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)
- Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
If your household income is less than the limit, then you must also be categorically eligible. Meaning you must be a woman, an infant, or a child younger than five.
Let’s start with the first category, women. Women who are pregnant can apply for WIC, and, once enrolled, can continue to receive benefits:
- For the duration of the pregnancy.
- Up to six weeks after the end of a pregnancy.
- Up to six months after the birth of an infant.
- While breastfeeding, up to the child’s first birthday.
Infants qualify from birth until their first birthday, and children qualify from their first birthday until their fifth. WIC makes a distinction between infants and children because of nutritional needs, such as needing formula or solid foods.
While the program has a focus on mothers, other guardians (fathers, grandparents, and foster parents) can apply on behalf of eligible children.
Note for guardians of foster children: A foster child is usually seen as a household of one, so they are often automatically eligible regardless of your income.
WIC’s Mandatory Health Screening
In addition to income and categorical requirements, all WIC applicants must complete a mandatory health screening to identify “nutritional risk.” Federal regulations divide nutritional risk into two primary categories:
1. Medically-Based Risks. These are documented physical or medical conditions detected through the screening, such as:
- Low iron levels detected via blood test.
- Being underweight for height or having a low pre-pregnancy BMI.
- “Failure to thrive” in infants.
- A history of pregnancy complications, such as preeclampsia, premature birth, or low birth weight infants.
- Other medical conditions, like metabolic disorders, lead poisoning, or chronic infections.
2. Diet-Based Risks. Dietary risk is the most commonly reported eligibility factor for WIC participants. These risks involve behaviors or patterns that negatively affect health, including:
- Consuming too few fruits, vegetables, or whole grains.
- Improper bottle-feeding techniques for infants or introducing solid foods too early for children.
During the screening, a health professional (such as a physician, nutritionist, or nurse) collects specific medical and nutritional data to determine eligibility, like:
- Recording of height and weight.
- A blood test for anemia. Although infants younger than six months old are exempt from the blood test.
- A review of health history and current eating patterns to identify underlying risks.
How to Stay WIC Eligible
Once enrolled in WIC, you will need to recertify periodically and at your state’s preference. You may need to visit a clinic or have a phone interview every three to six months or more frequently. During these recertifications, the state may:
- Check if you’re still eligible by requesting proof of income and address.
- Do a nutritional assessment or conduct bloodwork.
- Ask or check height and weight measurements.
Likewise, your state may have additional requirements, such as completing online educational classes.
Keep in mind that WIC is not an “entitlement program,” which means that you are not guaranteed benefits even if you are eligible. This is because the state may stop benefits if it runs out of funds.
What Food Benefits Does WIC Provide?
WIC has a “food package” system designed for the enrollee’s life stage.
- The food package for pregnant and postpartum women includes iron-fortified cereal, milk, eggs, beans or peanut butter, juice, whole grains, and $47 worth of produce.
- Breastfeeding mothers get larger quantities of milk, cheese, and eggs, plus canned fish (tuna, salmon) and $52 worth of produce.
- Fully breastfed infants older than six months receive jarred baby meats, fruits, and vegetables.
- Formula-fed infants up to one year receive iron-fortified infant formula.
- One-year-olds get whole milk, canned fish, and $26 worth of produce.
- Two- to four-year-olds transition to low-fat (1%) or non-fat milk, juice, canned fish, and $26 worth of produce.
These food packages are subject to be different by location and may change throughout enrollment. Likewise, you may request specific changes that may be tailored to your or your child’s needs. For instance, the state may authorize lactose-free options for those with allergies or intolerances.
Covered foods must be “WIC-approved.” So, even if your food package says it covers yogurt, the yogurt will need to be a specific brand and type approved by the state. Many stores distinguish approved items with different tags on the shelves (sometimes color coded).
How to Use Your WIC Food Benefits
WIC issues enrollees a WIC card to purchase food and formula from their predesignated packages. The WIC card works like a debit card, but only at approved stores.
You can purchase up to the amount listed in your package. Some examples:
- Milk is typically issued in gallons, and the card will not pay for larger containers, such as one-and-a-half-gallon jugs. The same is true for a dozen eggs.
- Cheese, cereal, and juice are usually issued in ounces. You can buy products up to the set amount, but not more. So, if you get 36 ounces of cereal, you can obtain two 18-ounce boxes but not 24- and 14-ounce boxes, as that is more. WIC does not cover portions or prorate.
- Produce has a set dollar value (such as $26 or $52), and your selection will be covered up to that amount. Meaning, if you have $50 worth of produce and your package covers $47, you will have to pay the $3 difference.
Unlike SNAP, benefits do not “roll over” to the next month, so you lose whatever you don’t use.
To check if a product is approved by WIC, you can look at the shelf tag or check the WICShopper app. The WICShopper app (available for download on smartphones) is the best way to verify if the produce is covered by your food package, because you may find several items with WIC-approved stickers but your package doesn’t cover it.
Other Things to Know About the WIC Program
In addition to the food packages, all WIC participants receive:
- Personalized counseling on meal planning, picky eaters, and healthy habits.
- Breastfeeding support through access to lactation consultants and peer counselors.
- Health connections to medical and dental care, immunizations, and social services.
By combining essential nutrition with professional health screenings and educational support, WIC ensures that mothers and children have the resources they need during their most vulnerable stages of growth. If you believe you or your child might be eligible, reaching out to your local clinic is the first step toward securing a healthier start for your household.
