[mandalinn82]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g...r013AD8TC8QC00 - Click for full article

Let them eat tofu, the government says.

That's one of the new food products being offered under a major overhaul of the Women, Infants and Children program. But primarily, the Agriculture Department wants more fruits, vegetables and whole grains on the plates of poor women and children and less milk, cheese, eggs and juice.

Under the WIC program, people receive vouchers for specific foods, averaging about $39 a month in 2007. Under the revisions, vouchers for fruits and vegetables will be $6 for children, $8 for women and $10 for fully breast-feeding women — with the goal of encouraging more women to breast feed.

Products such as tofu, soy beverages, tortillas and brown rice are being offered as alternatives to meet the demands of more culturally diverse populations.

[Heather]

wow! Interesting!

[SoulBliss]

That is really good news! The amount of milk products they give vouchers for is RIDICULOUS!

[tomandkara]

Thank goodness! We were on WIC for a couple years and I never even got any of the juice. It was an outrageous amount of juice, something like eight gallons a month maybe? I lobbied to be able to get fresh fruits instead of the juice but they said it would have to go all the way up to the federal government before they could make a change. I was allowed to get the natural peanut butter with my WIC coupons instead of the sugar-filled cheapest brand, which was good.

Nice to see a bit of change!

Kara

[zenor77]

That's awesome! It's about time too!

[ennay]

And thank god for encouraging breast feeding. Ticked me off royally that wic practically shoved formula at them. I live in an area where there is a significant WIC population who culturally bf's but partially because of WIC is becoming much more formula fed.

lol...reminds me of one time I was grocery shopping...I was in my early 20's and had bought milk, cheerios, eggs and bread. The checker kept asking to see my WIC card. I had never heard of WIC then. She explained what it was and said my cart "looked like a WIC cart". I said they are called "staples".

[mandalinn82]

It made me really happy - I know I've seen at least a couple posters on 3FC who said "How can I eat healthfully when the food I am allowed to get is cheese, eggs, milk, and juice?"

My favorite side benefit of the produce allowance - it will bring produce into inner city convenience stores where there currently isn't any. See, those stores (often the only "grocery" access people in urban areas without reliable transportation have) stock WIC items because there is a financial advantage to doing so - that's why just about 7/11 has a cheese/milk/eggs section. Now they are going to have an incentive to stock produce, which will help not only the people in WIC, but everyone in urban areas without the transportation to get to a standard grocery store.

[SoulBliss]

Originally Posted by tomandkara

It was an outrageous amount of juice, something like eight gallons a month maybe?

You mean milk, right? Moo juice?

[tomandkara]

Oh, no, fruit juice. We actually went through all of the milk but the juice was ridiculous.

And, ennay, our WIC was quite pro-breastfeeding (in California and Texas). They were always super excited to hear that I was still nursing, were very supportive of extended nursing, and help breastfeeding classes on a regular basis. Maybe it depends on where you live?

Kara

[SoulBliss]

^^They were supportive to me too, here in California. They had a lactation consultant available to help with any issues the moms and babies might be having etc.

[shelbysmom]

When are they planning on doing this? Is it federal or just state wide? I get WIC now for my 1 yr old and we are getting ready to start the cereal and juice and every stuff in a few days,and I think that would be wonderful, but I think it's kinda late for me to start breast feeding...lol...I've already told my DH that I can't believe they haven't took peanut butter off WIC because of the deadly allergies these days, you just didn't here of it much when my little girl was 1,and that was just 8 yrs ago.

[mandalinn82]

I believe rollout begins in 2009? It is a little way off, since the states have to implement.

[jmb1981]

i work at my local health department for help me grow. we also house wic. i'm very excited to hear this change is going to occur and am definitely going to ask the wic employees about it at work tomorrow. also, a note about the formula and breastfeeding, we have a lactation consultant in our wic program. every mother has to watch a video on the benefits of breastfeeding to sign up for wic (i believe). the women who work our wic program are huge breastfeeding advocates and encourage every new mother to at least try it. they are also a great resource for mothers who are having difficulty with breastfeeding and try to help them so they don't give up and switch to formula.

[luvmyfam]

We had WIC for a year or year & a half when our son was a baby (he was born in '96). They were also very supportive of breastfeeding there. Breastfeeding moms got the extra foods then, too. I'm very glad to see that some alternative products will be offered, though!

[ChrystalM]

I work for the WIC program here in TN as a nutrition educator, yeah I see the irony! And this change is for the entire program nationally, changed from the USDA based on recommendations from the IOM-Institute of Medicine. The amounts of milk and juice are so much it's no wonder children are overweight now. The changes have already started here. The amounts of milk have been lowered and juice also. The goal is to eventually add back a voucher for fresh, canned, frozen fruits and veggies. All the educators I work with are really glad for these changes. It's crazy that we preach to lower how much juice they get when WIC gives so much! So this is clearly a step in the right direction.

As far as BF goes, most educators are very supportive! We offer BF classes and BF supplies. It's a shame more women don't BF because of thinking it's nasty or that they can't do it. I mean what do they think breast are there for? Anyways, don't get me started. I could stay on that box all day. I frequently hear that the baby didn't want it or that mom's milk wasn't good enough. What BS. It's just the excuse they use to quit. I see lots of moms that are doing a great job with BF however and are inspirational.

And yes WIC does kind of shoot itself in the foot by offering too much formula. But what else can we do? When women just don't want to BF. But you know the more I learn about BF, the more I am convinced that not BF has contributed to a downfall in the overall health of society. Not only that but the bonding and attachment of baby to mom, possibly contributing to mental health issues for some problematic children.

You know there are lots of hispanic women on WIC and they used to BF almost exclusively. But now they are starting to become "westernized" and are starting to use formula alot more. It's sad to see.

I hope our society can overcome its issues with BF. There needs to be much more education our there. Thanks for letting me get this off my chest, sorry to run so long!