What Types of Products Can Be Purchased Using eWIC?

eWIC, the modern-day equivalent of food stamps, is an electronic benefits program that assists low-income women, infants, and children. The program provides them with free healthy food staples and nutritional resources to ensure they get the nutrition they need for better overall health. Those who are eligible for eWIC use a card that looks like a debit card to buy goods from stores that accept the benefits program. The card can purchase eWiC items such as baby food, milk, fresh fruits and vegetables, bread, cereal, and eggs. These nutritious foods are specifically chosen to promote good health, growth, and development. If participants aren’t sure where to get the best selection of eligible foods, there is an eWIC Foods Guide and mobile app for their convenience.

There are many benefits to signing up for the program. The program offers nutritional education, nutrition and breastfeeding counseling, health screening, immunization screening, and more. The program also provides infant formula and medical food, if medically indicated, for women who do not fully breastfeed. Participants can use their card at farmer’s markets at eligible locations if they want to buy fresh fruits and vegetables.

To apply for the program, participants must contact their state or local agency to set up an appointment. WIC is administered by 90 state agencies, with services provided at various clinic locations, so it is easy for participants to find a clinic for their needs.

Here is a guide for participants to show what you can buy on your eWIC card:

Baby Food
Gerber or Beech-Nut brand

Fruits & Vegetables

• Single or mixed fruits
• Single or mixed vegetables
• Fruit and Veggies bland

Milk
Store brand or store-designated brand

• Whole low-fat (1%), skim
• Lactose reduced – Whole low fat (1%), skim
• Evaporated Milk – Whole low fat (1%), skim
• Soy Milk
• Dry Milk

Eggs
Store brand or store-designated brand

• One dozen, large, white only

Fresh Fruit and Vegetables

• Any variety of fresh, bulk fruits and vegetables
• Bagged fruit
• Bagged salad mixes (no dressing, croutons, nuts, or meat added)
• Bagged & loose vegetables
• Organic

Bread
Store brand or store-designated brand

• 100% whole wheat bread only
• Whole wheat flour must be the first ingredient listed
• 1 lb. (16 oz.) package

Juice
Store brand or store-designated brand

• 64 oz. plastic bottles or frozen concentrate
• 100% fruit juice only

Breakfast Cereals
Cold cereal
General Mills

• Cheerios
• Multi-grain Cheerios
• Kix
• Corn Chex
• Rice Chex
• Wheat Chex
• Wheaties

Kellogg’s

Corn Flakes

Crispix

Frosted Mini-Wheats

All Bran Complete

Wheat Flakes

Hot Cereal
Cream of Wheat

• Original, 2 ½ Minutes (red box)
• Whole Grain Cream of Wheat

Quaker

• Instant Oatmeal (regular/original flavor in divided serving packages only

After looking at this guide, we hope that participants have more of an idea of what they are eligible for when buying groceries. We know how hard it is to figure out what they can or cannot buy. That is why this guide is here to help give participants all the information they can get so they can start off on the right foot. Keep in mind when shopping for these products that you are not limited to only buying them in one supermarket. Shopping for eWic products can be done in multiple trips and the credit will still be available until the end of the benefit period. And, your card is reusable, so there is no need to repurchase a new card for your shopping trips. For more information about the program, click here.