Fresh fruits and vegs for infants, when we make our own baby food.
We would like to make baby food at home for our 6 month old. It would be great if WIC would give us coupons for fresh food instead of all commercial baby foods that are full of fillers. Why can't the infant food coupons be used for organic?
Thank you for such a great question! Introducing your six-month old baby to fruits and vegetables is an important step you are taking to give your baby a healthy start.
The United State Department of Agriculture (USDA) regulations for the WIC program do not allow us to give fresh fruits and vegetables to infants less than one year of age. You can read what foods are allowed on the USDA WIC Food Package Regulations website. http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/benefitsandservices/foodpkgregs.htm#FRUITS_and_VEGETABLES_
As you can see, only plain baby foods that do not have added, salt sugar, or starches are allowed.
The Arizona WIC Program has a number of short videos if you want to learn more about WIC foods. There is one especially on foods for infants. You can find the videos on AZWIC Foods. http://www.azdhs.gov/azwic/foodPack.htm
You can also ask staff at your local WIC clinic for more information on feeding your baby or WIC foods.
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Anonymous commented
I also agree with this idea. The WIC program could save money by giving parents the option to receive a produce voucher instead of fruit and vegetable baby food. The produce voucher could be for much less than the value of the baby food, and still equal the same amount of food. This would give parents who wish to feed their babies organic produce that option. The idea that the USDA does not allow fresh fruits and vegetables for infants 6-12 months is very odd. A WIC cookbook I received even recommends homemade baby food over processed baby food, emphasizing the cost savings.