WIC covers free healthy foods, infant formula, nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support, and referrals to healthcare services for pregnant and postpartum women, infants, and children under five. The program provides specific monthly food packages loaded onto an EBT card, and the exact items vary based on whether you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, or shopping for a child or infant.
Who Qualifies for WIC
WIC is available to pregnant women, postpartum women (up to six months after the end of a pregnancy), breastfeeding women (up to the infant’s first birthday), infants, and children up to their fifth birthday. You need to meet income guidelines and be found at nutritional risk during a screening at your local WIC office.
Your household income must fall at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. For the current period (July 2024 through June 2025), here’s what that looks like:
- Household of 2: $37,814/year ($3,152/month)
- Household of 3: $47,767/year ($3,981/month)
- Household of 4: $57,720/year ($4,810/month)
- Household of 5: $67,673/year ($5,640/month)
Alaska and Hawaii have higher limits. Each additional household member adds roughly $9,953 per year in most states. If you already receive SNAP, Medicaid, or TANF, you automatically meet the income requirement.
Foods Covered for Women and Children
WIC food packages for women (pregnant, postpartum, or breastfeeding) and children ages one through four include a core set of groceries designed to fill common nutritional gaps. The standard package covers:
- Milk: whole, reduced fat, low-fat, or nonfat, including lactose-free options
- Cheese: cheddar, mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Colby, Swiss, provolone, Muenster, brick, or American
- Yogurt
- Eggs: fresh shell eggs, dried egg mix, or pasteurized liquid whole eggs
- Breakfast cereal: options like oatmeal, grits, corn flakes, and bran flakes
- Whole grains: whole wheat bread, brown rice, tortillas, and more
- Juice: 100% fruit or vegetable juice in various forms
- Fruits and vegetables: fresh, canned, frozen, or dried
- Legumes: dried or canned beans, peas, and lentils
- Peanut butter and other nut/seed butters
- Canned fish: light tuna, salmon, sardines, and mackerel
Fruits and vegetables are provided through a Cash Value Benefit, which gives you a dollar amount to spend on any fresh, frozen, canned, or dried produce. The exact dollar amount depends on your category. Children typically get less than breastfeeding women, who receive the largest produce allowance.
What’s Covered for Infants
Infant benefits depend heavily on whether the baby is breastfed, partially breastfed, or fully formula-fed. WIC covers infant formula in concentrated liquid, powdered, and ready-to-feed forms. The specific brand varies by state because each state negotiates a contract with a formula manufacturer. Partially breastfed infants can receive up to 104 fluid ounces of formula per month, with higher amounts available in the first month for infants who are mostly breastfed (up to 364 fluid ounces).
Once babies reach six months, WIC adds infant cereal and jarred baby food fruits and vegetables. Fully breastfed infants get 16 ounces of infant cereal per month and 128 ounces of baby food fruits and vegetables. Formula-fed and partially breastfed infants get 8 ounces of cereal and the same 128 ounces of baby food produce. You can substitute some or all of the jarred baby food for a cash value voucher worth $10 or $20 to buy fresh fruits and vegetables instead.
For babies with special dietary needs, WIC also covers exempt infant formulas, which are specialized products prescribed by a healthcare provider.
Recent Additions to the Food List
A 2024 final rule from the USDA expanded what WIC covers in several meaningful ways. Plant-based milk alternatives, yogurts, and cheeses are now available as substitution options for dairy. Plant-based milks must contain no more than 10 grams of added sugar per cup, and plant-based yogurts and cheeses must meet minimum standards for calcium, protein, and vitamin D.
The whole grain options also grew substantially. Beyond standard whole wheat bread, WIC now covers quinoa, wild rice, millet, amaranth, sorghum, teff, buckwheat, wheat berries, and whole wheat versions of pita, English muffins, bagels, and naan. Corn masa flour tortillas fortified with folic acid will be added once available in stores. Canned legumes are now required to be offered alongside dried legumes in all states, giving families a more convenient option for beans and lentils.
Breastfeeding Support and Breast Pumps
WIC provides one-on-one breastfeeding counseling from trained nutrition professionals, and many local offices run peer support programs that connect you with other breastfeeding mothers. If you don’t have insurance or can’t get a breast pump through Medicaid, your WIC clinic may be able to provide or rent one to you. Some clinics let you keep the pump permanently, while others offer rentals for the duration of breastfeeding. Contact your local clinic before delivery to find out what’s available in your area.
Breastfeeding women also receive the most generous food packages, including higher amounts of fruits, vegetables, and other foods compared to non-breastfeeding postpartum women. This serves as both a nutritional support and an incentive.
Nutrition Education and Health Referrals
Beyond food, WIC covers personalized nutrition education. This includes tips on healthy eating during pregnancy, meal planning for young children, guidance on food allergies, and counseling sessions with nutrition professionals. The program also connects participants with medical, dental, and mental health services in their community. These referrals are a core part of WIC’s design, not an afterthought.
Farmers Market Benefits
Many WIC participants also qualify for the WIC Farmers Market Nutrition Program (FMNP), which provides additional coupons specifically for buying fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables at approved farmers markets and roadside stands. These coupons come on top of your regular WIC benefits. Not every state offers the FMNP to all WIC categories, so check with your local office to see if you’re eligible and which markets accept the coupons.
How You Use WIC Benefits
WIC benefits are loaded onto an eWIC card, a plastic card that works like a debit card at the register. Each month, your food benefits are automatically added. You swipe the card at any WIC-authorized store, enter your four-digit PIN, and the system checks each item against a digital Approved Product List. Only items with approved product codes will go through, so there’s no guesswork about what qualifies at checkout.
Most grocery stores carry WIC-approved items, and many use shelf labels or tags to help you identify eligible products while shopping. If an item isn’t on the approved list for your state, the register will reject it automatically. Your remaining balance carries over within the month, so you don’t have to buy everything in one trip.