The federal program, which supplies groceries to millions of women and children across the country, now covers fresh herbs, lactose-free milk, quinoa and more.
The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC – it assists millions of low-income mothers, babies, and young kids in affording groceries – has taken a fresh approach.
This shift aims to support healthier eating habits by providing a broader array of food options that reflect the diverse cultural backgrounds of families across the country.
Last updated a decade ago, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service announced that the final rule changes would take effect within two years with some exceptions. These amendments are designed to modernize the WIC program and improve access to more varied and nutritious foods for those who rely on it.
Officials have already implemented a permanent increase in monthly cash vouchers, so families can immediately benefit from the enhancements.
Although WIC currently provides free groceries and baby formula to about 6.6 million participants each month, including nearly 40% of all infants nationwide, according to a 2023 report issued by the USDA’s Economic Research Service, engagement has drastically fallen in recent years. Only half of those eligible are actually enrolled.
However, considering the vital role that WIC plays in ensuring that families receive the nutrition they need, the decline in participation raised questions about accessibility and awareness.
Experts had long pointed out that the program’s previous food choices were limited and posed a significant barrier for many participants, often leaving them without options that meet their nutritional requirements and preferences. Recognizing this issue, officials launched the overhaul to significantly broaden the variety of foods available to attract more women and children. For instance, those who are lactose-intolerant or follow a vegan lifestyle can now purchase soy-based beverages or almond milk instead of being restricted to dairy products. Grain choices have expanded beyond traditional pasta and sliced bread to include a colorful array of options such as amaranth, blue corn tortillas, wild rice, teff, naan and quinoa. Plus, all recipients will now have access to a wider selection of fresh produce, ensuring they can incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their diets.
While states have a two-year window to completely implement the new food offerings, some, like Illinois, have already begun to roll them out.
WIC was established by Congress in 1974 to support pregnant women, mothers and children up to age 5. To qualify, a family’s yearly income must not exceed 185% of the federal poverty level, which translates to about $37,800 for a family of two. It does not require participants to prove their citizenship status, making it accessible to more families in need.
This fiscal year, top lawmakers agreed to secure an additional $1 billion for WIC, a move that was poised to avert a looming funding cliff that threatened to place eligible mothers and their babies on waiting lists. With this agreement, WIC’s funding now exceeds $7 billion, marking a consequential victory for Democrats who have been advocating for the boost at the urging of the Biden/Harris Administration. This push faced resistance from hard-right Republicans and some House GOP negotiators. Yet, there was a faction of centrist Republicans who recognized the importance of the program and advocated for the increase as well.
Their influence highlighted a rare moment of bipartisanship amid an enormously charged political environment.
When participants enroll in the program, they meet with a physician, nurse or nutritionist to support their health and dietary goals. They then receive a predetermined monthly food “package” designed to meet their specific needs, such as a special bundle tailored for breastfeeding women. The packages provide the flexibility to choose specific items within the prescribed food groups and they can shop for them using a WIC debit card at a variety of places including grocery stores, farmers’ markets and government-run storefronts.
“We kind of think of WIC as the granddaddy of ‘food is medicine’ because it is about providing a specific food package that is tailored to prevent or ameliorate specific risks,” said Cindy Long, head of the Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Science division, which oversees WIC. Research has shown that it offers a variety of benefits that include markedly reduced infant mortality rates, lowered incidence of preterm births and combating anemia in children, all of which are critical factors for ensuring healthy development.
“It’s a really great sort of domino effect,” Dr. Lanre Falusi, a pediatrician at Children’s National in Washington, D.C., told the New York Times. “Once we’re able to address the families’ food insecurity and nutritional deficits with this program, we see overall improvements in health.”
The rise in food insecurity in the United States has been staggering, with around 47 million people facing limited or uncertain access to nutritious food just last year. The startling statistic makes it all the more alarming that enrollment in programs like WIC hasn’t surged as expected.
One big problem is that the types of food WIC covers haven’t kept pace with the diverse needs of its beneficiaries. Per a 2021 survey by the USDA, with 4.4 million recipients being Hispanic and 2.7 million being Black (4 million beneficiaries are white), it’s clear that there’s a disconnect between what’s offered and what families are actually eating. For many families, staple items like bread and pasta don’t fit their traditional diets, so the mismatch can lead to frustration and a lack of engagement, leaving them unaware of how WIC could help them.
Dr. Aditi Vasan, a pediatrician at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, also highlights this key issue within the program. She explains how participants feel their cultural food preferences are overlooked, as evidenced by comments like, “Why don’t they ask us what we actually eat?”
Additionally, the struggle to navigate which products are actually covered at local grocery stores adds another layer of complexity, making it hard for families to maximize their benefits. And on top of it all, there’s the stigma often associated with using a WIC card at checkout, which can make families hesitant to utilize the support they need.
Protecting and improving the public’s health is critically important, especially when so many children and communities face staggering levels of poverty, food insecurity, inadequate dietary intake and obesity that are simply too high.
The research is clear: the increased access and strengthening of programs like WIC can make a real difference.
Not only do they help alleviate some of the pressing issues for families and improve their overall well-being, but they also create a healthier future for our entire nation, where everyone, regardless of their background or circumstances, has the opportunity to thrive.
