Here’s Why You Should Be Mindful of WIC-Approved Products When Shopping Right Now

Like most of the United States (and also other parts of the world) it’s been a stressful week trying to find groceries and the essential items needed to make our homes run smoothly and keep our families fed. Related: Who makes Kirkland products? I’ve seen so many great stories about people helping out seniors in their communities, sharing packs of toilet paper with neighbors when their supply got low and doing the best to help our friends and family, even when we’re trying to come to terms with everything that’s going on for ourselves. One thing that came across my Facebook feed that I want to pay more attention to was being mindful of buying WIC-Approved foods that feature the WIC symbol on the label of store shelves. WIC is a food program for Women, Infants, and Children to supplement food. Being on WIC is a blessing (it helped me when I was 21 and had my first son) but it can also be difficult to maneuver, especially in times like this.

When stocking up for #SocialDistancing…If you see something labeled “WIC” please chose another brand. People who rely on WIC products to feed their kids cannot. We’re all in this together ?? pic.twitter.com/3OwhR650m4

— kerry washington (@kerrywashington) March 16, 2020

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When stocking up for #SocialDistancing, if an item has a WIC symbol beside the price, get something else. People who use WIC to feed their kids can’t switch to another brand or kind of food. If a store runs out of WIC-approved options, they will go home empty-handed.#mepolitics pic.twitter.com/oFRts6Rcbc

— Suit Up Maine (@SuitUpMaine) March 16, 2020

With WIC, you are only allowed to purchase certain items such as eggs, milk, peanut butter, dried beans, cereal canned fish and other nutrient rich foods. The brand of the item, the size that you can buy, and the quantity that you can purchase are limited. If the store doesn’t have the item that it states on your WIC voucher, you aren’t allowed to just choose another brand of peanut butter or even a different size of cereal.

People who use WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children) to feed their kids can’t switch to another brand or food if the grocery store runs out of the WIC-approved option – they have to go home empty-handed. PLEASE leave these for the families pic.twitter.com/BMNSrDYRd1

— Cathy McHorse (@catmchs) March 16, 2020

When our shelves are sparse in grocery stores, WIC recipients can’t just grab another option and are sometimes left to leave the store with very little food at all. Because of this, people like actress Kerry Washington are speaking out and reminding people to pay attention to which items have a WIC label on them (they vary by store but can be found on the price tag on the shelf) and try to choose another non-WIC item if possible. I think this is a great thing to keep in mind and it is something so simple that we can do to help out our community!