WIC Foods

Select varieties of nut and seed butters are now available as substitutions instead of peanut butter or beans. To opt into this substitution, participants who would like an alternate nut or seed butter (i.e. almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc) will need to contact their WIC clinic.

You may now purchase fresh herbs using your cash value benefit (CVB) for fruits and vegetables! Herbs may be cut at the root or with the root intact. Participants do not need to contact their clinic to purchase herbs with their CVB.

WIC is a federally funded program with food items chosen to supplement the diets of pregnant and postpartum women, and infants and children up to age 5. WIC approved foods aim to fill some of the most common nutrient gaps observed in typical American diets for the categories of participants served. Nutrition science is an evolving field; these food package changes better align with the supplemental nature of the WIC program and ongoing nutrition research based on the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. 

Furthermore, USDA is required by law to conduct a comprehensive scientific review of the items provided in the WIC food package at least once every ten years. This review guides program updates, along with current areas of public health concern and cultural practices. 

Oklahoma WIC has been phasing in food package changes since January 2025. Between January and May 2025, the following changes were made to WIC food packages:

• Fresh cut herbs are redeemable with cash value benefit funds.
• Alternate nut/seed butters can be substituted for peanut butter or beans (must contact clinic).
• Beginning with their 6 month benefit period, infants can receive jarred infant fruits/vegetables, cash value benefit for fresh/frozen/canned fruits/vegetables, or a combination of both (must contact clinic). 

Additional food package changes will be implemented in early 2026 to include:

• Addition of canned fish to all women and child food packages.
• Option to substitute peanut butter, beans, tofu, or alternate nut/seed butters for eggs (must contact clinic).
• Additional $3 cash value benefit for fresh/frozen/canned fruits/vegetables will replace juice as the default benefit for women and child packages.
• Option to receive juice instead of $3 cash value benefit (must contact clinic).
• Option to substitute up to 64 oz yogurt for 2 quarts milk (must contact clinic).
• Whole grain amounts will change for many participant categories.
• Flavored dairy milk no longer allowable on WIC. 

Food packages are assigned during the WIC appointment or by contacting the clinic. New benefit packages will be rolled out in early 2026 based on benefit period dates.

As best practice, double-check your balance before going to the store.

You can check your benefit balance on the WIC Shopper App, on wicconnect.com, by calling (866) 562-2702, or by requesting a printed balance inquiry from the cashier at a WIC-approved store.   

Use the "Scan Barcode" function on the WIC Shopper App or look for the "WIC Approved" tag on store shelves to see if an item is WIC approved.

Canned fish is a nutrient-dense, shelf-stable source of omega-3 fatty acids, protein, and essential vitamins and minerals (like calcium, vitamin D, and vitamin B12) for overall health and development. It was previously only offered to fully breastfeeding women on the WIC program, however will now be available for all women and children on WIC.

Recommendations for fish consumption by age and life stage can be found here. The monthly canned fish amounts on the updated WIC food packages align with the supplemental nature of the WIC program and the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Light tuna, salmon, sardines, and mackerel in cans, jars, or pouches are WIC approved.

Participants can now substitute peanut butter, beans, alternate nut/seed butter, or tofu for eggs for special dietary needs, personal preference, or cultural eating practices. To opt in to this substitution, please contact your WIC clinic.

Participants can now substitute alternate nut/seed butter (i.e. almond butter, sunflower seed butter, etc) for peanut butter or beans for special dietary needs, personal preference, or cultural eating practices. To opt in to this substitution, please contact your WIC clinic.

Participants can substitute yogurt, cheese, soy milk, lactose free milk, plant-based milk, tofu, dry milk, evaporated milk, and/or buttermilk for standard dairy milk. To opt in to a substitution, please contact your WIC clinic.

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends limiting added sugars to no more than 10 percent of daily calories and prioritizing beverages without added sugars.

Specific brands and varieties of soy milk, pea-protein based milk, and pea-protein/oatmilk blends can be substituted for cow's milk. To opt in to a substitution, please contact your WIC clinic. 

To be eligible for WIC, plant-based milks must have the same nutrition content as cow's milk (calcium, protein, vitamin D, vitamin A, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, riboflavin, vitamin B12). Very few plant-based milk options are fortified to meet those guidelines. For example, almond milk and rice milk typically only contain about 1 g protein per cup while cow's milk contains 8 g.

The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourages whole fruit and vegetable consumption vs juice, particulary for young children. Whole fruits and vegetables provide fiber, a nutrient widely underconsumed in typical diets and not present in juice.

Under the new food package, WIC agencies have the option to provide an additional $3 cash value benefit for fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables as the default benefit option instead of juice. Given the superior nutritional value of whole fruits and vegetables over juice, Oklahoma WIC has opted into this as the default benefit.

Participants who wish to receive juice on their benefit packages may elect to substitute $3 cash value benefit for juice. To opt into this substitution, please contact your WIC clinic. 

The previous food packages provided about 70 percent of recommended amounts for children but only 13-27 percent of the recommended amounts for women (depending on category). Whole grain amounts in the new WIC food packages were updated to more closely align with the supplemental nature of the program.

In an effort to expand variety, encourage consumption, and accomodate preferences/cultural practices, the following types of foods will be redeemable on the WIC food package for whole grains: whole wheat bread options (including whole wheat pita, English muffins, bagels, and naan), whole grain breads, brown rice, wild rice, whole wheat pasta, oats, soft corn tortillas, whole wheat tortillas, cornmeal (including blue), whole grain barley, bulgur, buckwheat, etc.

After birth, infants usually have enough iron stores to last them through their first 4-6 months of life. As iron stores wear off, infants need to regularly consume iron rich food sources.

Although there is some iron in breastmilk, it is generally not enough for older babies; meats provide a great source of iron, so WIC provides infant meats to fully breastfed babies.

Infant formula is fortified with iron. While it is important for formula fed babies to also consume iron-rich foods, they typically receive adequate iron through formula. Thus infant meats are not supplemented by WIC for babies recieving formula.

Iron fortified infant cereals are also provided beginning at 6 months to all babies receiving WIC. 

Individuals with questions should contact their local WIC clinic.

If they are not sure which clinic they use or have additional questions, they can call (405) 426-8500 or email at oklahomawic@health.ok.gov.