5 easy tips to help you get off to a great start with WIC
Welcome to WIC!
We're glad you're here and we want you to have a great experience using your WIC benefits! The 5 easy tips below will help you get off to a great start.
Use your WIC card every time you shop for your WIC foods!
Call 1-844-469-3264 to set up a 4-digit PIN.(It's on the back of your card.) Make sure it is a PIN that you will remember! Do not share it with grocery store staff. If you forget your PIN, you can reset it anytime by calling the number on the back of your card.
Everything you need to know about your WIC benefits can be found in one easy place: the California WIC app!
Register with your WIC card number, date of birth, and zip code to connect the app to your WIC account.
The Food Balance screenshows which foods are available to you in the current month and which foods are available in future months. Remember to shop for all of your foods every month!
Use the WIC Food Scan to quickly scan barcodes as you shop. It will tell you if a food is WIC-approved and in your food balance.
Use the WIC Grocers button to find stores near you that take the WIC card.You might be surprised that some of your favorite stores accept WIC! (This is a great tool to use when you go out of town. Don't forget, you can use your card all over California.)
Buy all of your WIC foods every month.Foods for every family member signed up for WIC are loaded onto your card and listed together on the Food Balance screen in the WIC app. Food benefits are available for 30 days every month. Check the dates at the top of the Food Balance screen to find the first and last days to use your food benefits.
TheWIC Food listincludes fruits and vegetables, milk, eggs, beans, peanut butter, juice, cheese, yogurt, canned fish, baby food, infant WIC-approved cereal, WIC baby formula, and whole-grain foods like rice, bread, cereal, tortillas, and pasta.
WIC foods also include soy milk and lactose-free milk if you need it!
Did you know theWIC fruit and vegetable dollar amountis higher than ever? This increase is temporary through September 2022.Please spend it!When you spend the full amount (choose fresh, frozen, or canned), you help make this increase permanent for all WIC families.
$24 each month for children ages 1-4
$43 each month if you're pregnant or had a baby less than 6 months ago
$47 each month if you're breastfeeding or chestfeeding a baby under 1 year old
Tell the cashier right awaythat you are using your WIC card. It's easier if you use your WIC card and enter your PIN before paying for other groceries. Remember to use your WIC card first, then your CalFresh card if you have one.
Along with free foods, WIC gives parents the information they need to raise a healthy family. One-on-one WIC appointments are at least twice per year with a nutrition counselor who will ask about your family's health. They will answer your questions about feeding your kids and make sure you have all the resources you need.
In between your appointments with your nutrition counselor, your other appointments can be done on wichealth.org.
Sign up for wichealth.orgtoday to access quick and helpful online nutrition lessons about pregnancy, breastfeeding, and raising kids who love healthy foods.
