WIC: U.S. expands federal food assistance for women and children

A newly unveiled update to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) is designed to give users better access to healthy foods.

The change in WIC food voucher allowances - the first since 1980 - will mean about 9 million poor women and children supported by the program will be able to obtain fruits, vegetables and whole grains more readily.

WIC is designed to help meet the basic nutritional needs of low-income pregnant women, new mothers, infants and children up to age 5.

In the past, recipients of the vouchers could buy only the "basics," such as milk, infant formula, cheese, eggs, cereals, bread and tuna fish. Added to this list now are fresh, frozen or canned fruits and vegetables, more whole grain options and yogurt as a partial milk substitute.

"The updates to the WIC food package make pivotal improvements to the program and better meet the diverse nutritional needs of mothers and their young children," Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said, according to Reuters.

The overhaul will increase by 30 percent - the equivalent of $2 per month - the allowance for each child's fruit and vegetable purchases. And for infants, it will give a fresh produce option in place of jarred baby food if parents so choose.

The changes to this $7 billion program were recommended by the Institute of Medicine, a branch of the National Academy of Sciences. USDA spokeswoman Brooke Hardison said the changes will be implemented in phases, with some changes set to take effect in 90 days while states are given until April 2015 for others.