The newly announced Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food packaging updates will help nearly 7 million mothers, infants, and children across the United States (more than 60,000 of them). We aim to offer you lots of choice and flexibility. In Arkansas.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) completed an update on April 9, revising the food groupings that WIC participants can purchase with benefits. This update is based on the recommendations of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and the USDA’s Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025.
WIC is an evidence-based public health program that provides key resources such as specialized nutrition, nutrition education, breastfeeding support, immunization screening, and referrals to health and social services. According to FNS preliminary estimates, as of April 2024, more than 60,000 Arkansans are participating in WIC, including more than 14,000 pregnant, breastfeeding, and postpartum women; More than 16,000 infants and nearly 30,000 children between the ages of 1 and 4 were included.
WIC food packages contain foods and beverages designed to fill key nutritional deficiencies and support children’s healthy growth and development. Other changes include reducing the amount of milk and juice offered through WIC food packages to better align with NASEM recommendations. Prior to these updates, WIC food packages provided more milk and juice than the daily recommended amount. Other updates include:
- Add canned fish to more food packages.
- You will need canned beans in addition to dried beans.
- Allows more flexibility in adjusting the amount of infant formula provided to partially breastfed infants.
This update is also intended to give WIC state agencies more flexibility in tailoring food packages to participants’ dietary preferences and special dietary needs. Implementation of the changes will take place over two years, allowing time for state agencies to work with key partners.
FNS’ efforts to modernize WIC continue. For more information, please visit the WIC Modernization and Innovation webpage.
Learn more about the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC).
