Georgia WIC Rolls Out New Food Packages

ATLANTA – The Georgia Department of Community Health’s (DCH) Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program is pleased to announce the availability of new WIC Food Packages.  WIC Food Packages across the nation were recently changed to better meet the nutritional needs of WIC participants and encourage healthier eating habits.

“The new food packages provide more participant choice and a wider variety of foods than the previous food packages,” said Deputy Director, Public Health Programs and Services Miriam Bell.  “Foods such as tortillas, brown rice, soy-based beverage, and a wide choice of fruits and vegetables will provide state agencies increased flexibility in prescribing culturally appropriate food packages.”

Major Changes to WIC Food Packages

Foods

• Fruits and vegetables (fresh, frozen, canned) added
• Whole grain cereals and breads added
• Increased number of cereals that are at least 50 percent whole grain
• Baby foods added – fruits and vegetables for all infants and meat for exclusively breastfed infants

Alternatives

• Soy beverage and tofu for milk
• Brown rice, soft corn, or whole wheat tortillas for whole wheat bread
• Canned beans for dried beans
• Canned salmon in addition to canned tuna

Quantities

• Quantities of milk, eggs, and juice and cheese are reduced for women and children
• Juice is eliminated from infant packages
• Quantities of infant formula are reduced for breastfed and older infants

“Foods available to WIC participants will be higher in fiber and lower in fat,” added Bell.  “Under the new plan, children 1 year or older will receive less milk, cheese and fruit juices than before, and cereal choices will be revised to include whole grain options.”

Nationwide, WIC serves about 8.2 million people, most of whom are infants and children up to the age of five.  The Georgia WIC Program is the nation's seventh largest Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children and currently serves an estimated 322,000 clients every month.  WIC food packages are aligned with the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans and infant feeding practice guidelines of the American Academy of Pediatrics. 

To learn more about Georgia’s WIC Program please visit us at http://health.state.ga.us/programs/wic or call 1-800-228-9173.