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Maximizing Your WIC™ Benefit

By Eileen Thomas, RDN, CSP, LD

Maximizing Your WIC™ Benefit

If you’re one of the millions of Americans who receives a monthly benefit from the Women, Infants & Children (WIC™) program, try these tips to make the most of your allotment of baby food cereals and jars! The advice comes from our partner Eileen Thomas, RDN, CSP, LDN. She’s a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist and Board-Certified Specialist in Pediatric Nutrition. She previously worked for 7 years in the WIC™ nutrition supplemental program helping families make healthy lifestyle choices. Eileen currently works at Lemond Nutrition, a nutrition private practice for children and families. In her free time, she enjoys cooking healthy meals for family and friends, including her young son.

Making the Most of Your WIC™ Benefit

Pureed baby food is a valuable WIC™ benefit offered to babies starting 6 months of age to help provide balanced nutrition as they begin eating solid foods. By 8-10 months of age, you may notice that your little one is more interested in finger foods and what the family is eating than spoon-fed pureed solids. But, did you know that WIC™ participants continue to receive pureed baby foods as a benefit up to one year postpartum! Make the most of your benefit by incorporating Beech-Nut® pureed baby food into healthy meals that even older babies will enjoy.


Ways to Use Pureed Baby Food:

  • Add pureed fruits to plain whole milk yogurt
  • Use in place of jelly on toast
  • Mix pureed fruits into hot cereal
  • Mix pureed vegetables into soups, stews and casseroles


Try These Easy Baby Food Recipes:


Between smoothies, cereal, turkey burgers and hummus, there are plenty of sweet and savory occasions to use Beech-Nut® purees. For more recipe inspiration for your little one, visit www.beechnut.com/recipes, or click on one of the recipes below.

 

spaghetti and jars

 

prune puree sandwich


Quick WIC™ Tip!
Make sure to ask your WIC™ nutritionist for more information on feeding your baby and what foods are appropriate at each stage. If you would like more information about how to sign up for the WIC™ program in your state, you can find helpful information by clicking on the link! Available in English and Spanish.