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Healthy Changes Coming To WIC Program

More fruits and vegetables will be available for pregnant women and mothers through WIC within the next year.

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) provides $7 billion in food vouchers annually to those in need.

The program's list of allowable foods is being revised significantly for the first time since 1980.

As recommended by the Institute of Medicine, recent reforms include reducing saturated fats and fruit juices, and increasing access to more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, yogurt and fish.

What it doesn't include is white potatoes, much to the chagrin of the potato industry.

The USDA has stood firm, saying that although white potatoes have a place in a healthy diet, typically the women supported by the program purchase enough white potatoes.

Read More:

  • USDA adds whole-grain foods, yogurt, fruits, vegetables to WIC food program (The Patriot-News)
  • U.S. expands healthy food assistance to women, infants and children (Reuters)
  • Let's Move! scores one more: No white potatoes in the WIC package (Food Politics)