WIC is a program (in the USA) that helps women, infants, and children to purchase specific types of healthy food to improve overall nutrition. With WIC checks you can buy milk, cheese, eggs, juice, beans, carrots, tuna fish, cereal, baby cereal, peanut butter, and formula for free. Here are some ideas on how to use these foods in the most efficient, saving the most money.
Formula and Breastfeeding
Please consider breastfeeding your baby, because it's much cheaper than formula. Stephen Christensen, agrees that breastfeeding is the best food for infants. When you breastfeed, your WIC checks will take this into consideration and give you more food products until your baby is six months old. If you need help with breastfeeding, most WIC offices can refer you to a lactation consultant who can help you and your baby.
Milk
Consider choosing the dry milk package. One four-pound box will make 5 gallons of skim milk. Dry milk tastes best when it's chilled, so make it the night before, or add some ice cubes to it when you make it. You can also mix dry milk with fresh milk or canned condensed milk (not the sweetened kind) to make it taste better. You can also cook with dry milk, using it in pancakes, biscuits, soups and cream sauces. Dry milk is cheaper than fresh milk, so when you are no longer eligible for WIC, it saves money to use dry milk.
Carrots
Carrots can be made into baby food and frozen. Store bought baby food is expensive and contains more water than necessary. It is not hard to make your own baby food at home with your free WIC carrots (and other vegetables). Just peel, boil, and mash them or use a blender. You can then freeze the carrot puree in an ice cube tray, making individual serving sizes for your baby. When it's completely frozen, just pop the carrot ice cubes out of the tray and store in a plastic storage bag in your freezer. When you want to use your baby food, just take out a cube or two, and thaw them in the microwave or in a small saucepan on the stove. You can always add juice or breast milk to baby food, instead of water, to make it thinner. To make it thicker, you can add baby cereal.
Eggs
According to Karin Knight in her book "123 Cook for Me", eight-month-old babies can have hard-boiled egg yolks mashed into sweet potatoes or other foods, to add protein to their diet. When children are a year old, they can have whole egg.
Beans
When your infant is 11 months of age, beans can be cooked and prepared for your baby to eat. Of the dry beans that are available with WIC, white and black beans are recommended (1). Soak one cup of dried beans in six cups of water overnight. Then drain and rinse. Combine the beans with 6 cups of water with 2 bay leaves and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to a simmer for 1.5 hours, stirring occasionally. If needed add more water. When the beans are soft, remove the bay leaves and drain the beans, setting aside some of the water to mash the beans. Mash with a fork or use a blender or food processor to puree it. Freeze portions as with the carrots.
Juice
Baby cereal can be made with juice, starting with clear juices, like apple and white grape. It can also be added to homemade baby food to sweeten it a little bit and to add important vitamins.
Not Recommended for Infants
Knight does not recommend tuna fish, peanut butter, and cheese for infants under the age of 12 months. However using the milk and tuna in your WIC checks you can make a delicious and hearty Creamed Tuna and Peas dinner for everyone else in your family. You can serve it over rice, biscuits, or pasta and if peas are not a favorite in your family, try spinach instead!
Sources:
1. 123 Cook for Me by Karin Knight, R.N and Jeannie Lumley
