In this tough economy, there's some good news for women and children.
Pennsylvania's Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program has expanded its menu. The program provides healthy food to low-income families.
Now you can get fresh, frozen, and canned fruits and vegetables, and whole grains like cereal, bread, oats, brown rice, and soft tortillas.
These changes will help you and your children eat a healthier diet filled with fiber and whole grains. A healthy diet can help children and teens maintain a good weight. It also lowers their risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes later in life.
You also now can choose soy beverages and tofu instead of milk.
There have also been some cuts to the program, including less of an allowance for milk, eggs, and juice.
Infant juice has been eliminated and low-fat milk will only be allowed for women and children 2 years of age and older. These changes may encourage more women to breastfeed. Breastfeeding lowers a baby's chances of ear and respiratory infections, diabetes, and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). Women who breastfeed are less likely to get breast and ovarian cancer and diabetes.
WIC provides supplemental foods to low-income pregnant women, breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding mothers, infants, and children up to five years of age who are at nutritional risk.