So, yes, we are on WIC. I only take the things that we might use, but will stop once my daughter is off this super expensive hypoallergenic formula. But, anyway. I just wanted to share my laugh for the day..another mom and I were in the office getting our daughters' iron levels checked. My daughter's was plenty high and the other lady's daughter's was good too. The WIC lady looked at us and said that they check just to make sure we are feeding them all the "yummy meats" they need to keep their iron levels high. I almost started to laugh. I have never fed her meat and don't plan to. Who knows what kind of fillers they put in those things and with my daughter's allergies, I'm not going to risk it. She just looked at me. So, I left. Just thought it was funny that this lady thought the only way a child could have high iron levels was to eat lots of "yummy meats." does anyone even know what is in those weird hot dog looking things in the baby food section?! LoL Thanks for listening!

Those poor 'nutrition workers' from WIC :cry:

It would be great if you used the next opportunity to educate her a bit about how you feed your child and yourfamily in general and in the process maybe she'd broaden her ideas about 'nutrition'.

Great story! :)

My kids aren't vegetarian but they never, ever ate the babyfood meat. Actually they wouldn't eat babyfood at all. They went straight from milk to solid food as soon as they had teeth to chew.

The pediatrician kept telling me they needed babyfood but I figured if they needed anything but milk, god would've given them teeth sooner.

Oh, they know how we eat. They can remember her name, but they always seem to forget and put regular milk and such on our checks. They are very nice people, I just get enough funny looks from them about not having her immunized, let alone having to remind them every time of all the things she is allergic to and how we eat at home. I thought that was what they put it in their computer for..so we wouldn't have the wrong stuff printed out?? My daughter is the best at gumming food. She still doesn't have many teeth, but she has been eating food she could pick up since 6mths. she's not ever been one for jarred or mashed food either. I have to admit that at times it may seem like a trial that she has all these little issues, but she is the healthiest kid at the doc's and its also forcing us to eat healthier too (esp the hubby!) :nana:

...I still eat baby food. O.o; *Tutti Fruiti fan for life*

Many of my friends and family have been in WIC, and all of them gave away gallons of milk because they just didn't need that much. The dairy industry must be proud. :-/

LOL...

on another note, I am always surprised at the WIC approved foods... unfortunate that they do not allow for higher quality. And they always seem to be formula pushers... ignoring the FREE BREAST!

I used to work in a grocery store and was appalled at the items they allowed to let these budding children consume. Ick! And for those lactating mothers, you were allowed to purchase carrots. Ewwww, what a step forward.

I myself was on a supplimental program when I was pregnant and lived up north (USA). At that time I was a vegeterian and did take the canned meat, but gave it to my grandmother. Other than the canned meat, the program that I was on, had quite a decent variety to choose from, even if you were a vegan. Yes, odd I know!

the ladies here are very big pushers of BF...just they had no idea what to do either when my daughter was having all the problems w/allergies. not too many people here thought to eliminate anything other than milk. and they keep giving me peanut butter even though i don't keep it in the house, since my baby broke out from peanuts. I gave all the jars I had to my sis last month after her house burned down. I told my hubby that I don't want anything more from them but her extra expensive formula..we'll see how it goes with the next one. who can drink 6 frzn juices a month or 6galllons of milk?

you can choose different packages. like the one we are one only gives us a couple gallons of milk. (which we dont drink anyway) a few things of juice and i think a pound of cheese.

At one of my WIC visits a few years ago (when I was pg with baby #1), I had to keep a log of everything I ate for a day and the WIC dietitian noticed that I was vegetarian. It turned out she had been vegetarian for 10 years, vegan for the last 7 years, and raw foods vegan for the last 2! She encouraged me about being vegetarian, apologized that WIC only offered milk and not soy milk, and gave me a printout of all the local farmers markets! That was pretty cool, but unusual I'm sure!

Sararie - I hear ya about the baby meats! Those jars of jiggly mushy sausages just gross me out! Any time you can buy meat in a non-refrigerated section is kind of creepy. Like the boxes of bacon on the shelf at Costco...ewwww

LOL...

on another note, I am always surprised at the WIC approved foods... unfortunate that they do not allow for higher quality. And they always seem to be formula pushers... ignoring the FREE BREAST!

We have a pretty good WIC program where I work (Health Dept.) They have a special Breastfeeding program! :)

My friend is on WIC and always has TONS of milk to give to other people. She's not a big milk drinker, so she trades it for other foods.

our wic does have a very nice BF program..and they are supportive of me trying to do it with #2. just have to give up all those allergen foods. This will be my last month getting things that my daughter is allergic to, though. so no more 6gallons of milk. our's does offer soy, but she can't have that either, so, oh well. so, no milk, no cheese, i haven't tried her on eggs, but my hubby does eat them..so it would be eggs, cereal, and her expensive formula. i think i might ask them to cut down on the juice too. my daughter doesn't like juice (yay!) and I don't drink that much, if any. we only have one farmer's market (in the mall parking lot) and all they have are watermelons and roaster peppers. I didn't think that you were allowed to "trade" wic foods..

Do they not let you get soymilk on WIC? I was omni when I was on it so I don't remember.

our wic here does, but my daughter is allergic to soy too. I don't know if they offer it everywhere. they do give out vouchers for the local farmer's market :)

What's WIC?

WIC stands for Women Infants and Children. It's a government program for low-income pregnant and nursing women and kids pre-school age and younger (I don't remember what the age cut-off is.) They give you vouchers for basic staples like milk and peanut butter and stuff. I don't remember what all you get. It's been a long time since my kids were little and I was poor.

right now the age cutoff is five. we get vouchers for things like milk (up to 6gallons a mth) 2 bricks of cheese, 2dz eggs, tons of juice, cereal, pb/beans (depends where you live) and baby food/formula type stuff if your child is of that age. I think they give carrots to BF ladies..don't know why. that is all for each month. they will also help out with breastpumps (at least here at mine) and sub soy milk for regular..or even lactose free. I don't like being gov't poor (yay military pay) , but will take what help i can get. It's not bad if you are l-o veggie.

Back in the day when my kids were little (and me and my husband were both in college) we got WIC and food stamps. Good times!

I had WIC about four years ago with my first. They gave us special vouchers to use at the local farmers market in addition to the regular ones.

LOL...

on another note, I am always surprised at the WIC approved foods... unfortunate that they do not allow for higher quality. And they always seem to be formula pushers... ignoring the FREE BREAST!


Im with you on the choices of food, as come on how much milk does one kid need....

But my office was very probreast.

I had WIC about four years ago with my first. They gave us special vouchers to use at the local farmers market in addition to the regular ones.


they stopped the vouchers but I overheard at work the other day that they are adding veggies/fruit

it'd be nice if they added fruits and veggies. it's silly to only hand out carrots if you bf..and what makes them so special to a bf mum? we do get the farmer's market vouchers here. I'd rather get fresh fruit than some of the other stuff..though I appreciate the program. they have helped us much!

I had WIC about four years ago with my first. They gave us special vouchers to use at the local farmers market in addition to the regular ones.
Yeah, my sister gets vouchers for the farmer's market also. She asked me once if I'd go with her, as she's never been there, but I forgot all about that till I saw your post.