Special WIC Food Updates

Attention WIC Shoppers. Check out what’s new with WIC foods.

Texas WIC used flexibilities offered by the USDA to modify services during the public health emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic. Starting August 10, we will return to full services at WIC offices across the state, including nutrition screenings at key WIC appointments. We look forward to seeing you and your children in our offices and we are happy to provide our full services to better support you and your family.  

In addition to healthy foods, our in-person services include:  

• Breastfeeding support.   
• Weighing and measuring pregnant women to assess prenatal weight gain.  
• Weighing and measuring infants and children to assess growth.      
• Checking for low iron in women and children.   
• Providing nutrition counseling tailored to you and your family’s questions about nutrition, development and feeding.  
• Nutrition classes and support groups (at some locations).   
• Providing personalized referrals to other programs and services.   

With myWIC, you can upload documents and complete information before you come in.  

Shopping for WIC Foods

During the official public health emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic, temporary food flexibilities were available. You could purchase WIC items that were not typically WIC approved when the store was sold out of their WIC items. The temporary food flexibilities end on August 9.

When shopping for WIC Foods, check your shopping guide and your benefits. For milk, eggs, bread and tortillas, see the following guidelines and check your benefits to make sure your items will go through as WIC approved at the register.

• Milk: Look for the pink WIC sticker and get the milk that matches your benefits.
• Lactose-free milk: Choose any brand and get the milk that matches your benefits.
• Eggs: Choose any brand of eggs in a 12-count carton.
• Bread: Look for the pink WIC sticker on a 16 oz. loaf of whole wheat bread.
• Tortillas: Choose any brand of whole wheat or corn tortillas in 16 oz. packages.

You can also use myWIC! With myWIC you can view your shopping guide, check your benefits, schedule appointments and more. 

Texas WIC now offers more choices than ever before. Here are some new foods that are available starting May 1, 2023. 

Yogurt

• Yoplait Kids multi-pack 8- pack of 4 oz. cups (32 oz. or 1 quart) are available as a low-fat yogurt option.
• Women and children 2-5 years old get low-fat or nonfat yogurt and one-year-old children get whole milk yogurt.
• Check your shopping guide to see which brands and flavors are WIC-approved.

Breakfast Cereal

• More sizes available – 8 oz. to 36 oz. packages
• Check your shopping guide to see which brands are WIC-approved.

Lactose-free Milk

• New size available – 96 oz. container
• Women and children 2-5 years old get skim or 1% milk and one-year-old children get whole milk.
• Tell staff at your WIC office if you would like lactose-free milk instead of regular milk, then choose any brand.

These foods became available on October 1, 2022.

Yogurt

• New 32 oz. (1 quart) Greek yogurt options are available.
• Women and children 2-5 years old get low-fat or nonfat yogurt and one-year-old children get whole milk yogurt.
• Check your shopping guide to see which brands and flavors are WIC-approved.

Eggs

• Brown and organic eggs in dozen-sized cartons are now available.
• Choose any brand of eggs.

Peanut Butter

• Organic peanut butter in 16 to 18 oz. jars is now available.
• Choose any brand of peanut butter.
• Make sure it is labeled peanut butter and not peanut butter spread, as spreads are not WIC-eligible.

Whole Wheat Pasta

• You can now choose any brand of whole wheat pasta in 16 oz. packages.

Tortillas

• You can now choose any brand of whole wheat or corn tortillas in 16 oz. packages

Infant Cereal

• Additional brands of infant cereal are now available in 8 oz. or 16 oz. containers.
• Choose from Beech-Nut, Earth’s Best or Gerber.
• Items with added ingredients, such as fruit, are not WIC-approved.

Instant Oatmeal Packets

• Quaker Instant Oatmeal Packets are now available and count as breakfast cereal benefits.
• 16 oz. cannisters of oatmeal are still available as a choice for your whole grain benefit.

Fully breastfeeding women get canned fish from WIC, and there will be even more to choose from starting August 1, 2022.

Chunk Light Tuna

• Choose any brand in a 2.5 to 12 oz. can or pouch
• Packed in water, oil or vegetable broth

Pink Salmon

• Choose any brand in a 2.5 to 14.75 oz. can or pouch
• Packed in water or oil

Sardines

• Choose any brand in a 4 to 15 oz. can
• Packed in water, oil, tomato sauce, hot sauce, mustard or with lemon

Mackerel (Atlantic, Pacific Chub or Jack)

• Choose any brand in a 4 to 15 oz. can
• Packed in water, oil or with lemon

Not WIC Approved

• Flavored, albacore, tongol, yellowfin or wild skipjack tuna.
• Flavored, smoked, sockeye or red salmon.
• King mackerel.
• Premium brands or items with olives, peppers or jalapeños.

A new temporary fruit and vegetable dollar amount increase is available through September 30, 2023. This extension has different dollar amounts based on your category. Eligible clients will receive the following:

• Children get $25 each month 
• Pregnant, postpartum and some breastfeeding clients get $44 each month 
• Fully and partially breastfeeding clients get $49 each month 

For example, if you are pregnant and have two children (ages 1-5) receiving WIC, you will get $94 ($44 mom + $25 child + $25 child = $94) each month in November, December and January to buy fruit and vegetables. 

You will see this new amount on your shopping list under your benefit amount. If you already have benefits on your card for November, December and January contact your local WIC office for a time to update your benefits. 

On October 1, the benefit amount will return to $12 for pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women and $10 for children 1 to 5 years old. 

You can use this fruit and vegetable benefit to buy fruits and vegetables in the following forms: 

• Fresh
• Frozen
• Cans, glass jars and plastic containers

You can choose organic or regular, single or mixed items in any package size. Learn how to make the most out of your fruit and vegetables benefits with this quick video. For more information on what you can get with WIC benefits download the latest version of the shopping app on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store for the shopping guide and latest WIC information. 

Download the myWIC app on the Google Play Store or Apple App Store. With myWIC you can schedule appointments, upload documents, view the shopping guide, check your benefits and more.