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NM Dept. of Health Announces Changes to WIC Food Packages

New Foods will Provide Better Nutrition to Mothers and Children

(Las Cruces) – Starting October 1, the New Mexico Department of Health’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) food packages will change to better reflect individual preferences and help families maintain a healthy and balanced diet. This is the first change to the WIC food package since the program began 35 years ago.

With the new food package, families will be able to use their WIC benefits to buy fresh fruits and vegetables, legumes, tofu, soy milk, baby food and whole grain foods that include tortillas, bread, oatmeal, brown rice and barley. The WIC program will also increase the amount of food provided to mothers who exclusively breastfeed their babies to better promote and support the establishment of successful long-term breastfeeding. The federal government adjusted the food package to provide more appropriate levels of nutrition.

“The new food packages reflect better nutritional standards for mothers and children and are a welcomed addition to the WIC program, ” said Health Secretary Alfredo Vigil, MD. “We’re confident that WIC families will be able to enjoy a wider choice of foods as they improve their nutritional intake. ”

WIC is a federally funded nutrition and education program that makes supplemental food available to pregnant and breastfeeding women, infants and children up to five years of age. WIC offices around the state provide one-on-one and group counseling and education sessions for mothers interested in breastfeeding. The WIC program serves approximately 67,000 mothers and children every month.

The current foods that can be purchased with WIC benefits are eggs, cheese, beans, lentils, cereal, milk, juice, infant formula, infant cereal, tuna and carrots for exclusively breastfeeding women. All current foods will still be part of the WIC food package, but there will be a reduction in the amount of juice, eggs, cheese, and infant formula that can be purchased.

The WIC EBT system that was launched in 2007 has been enhanced to ensure the new food products will be recognized. However if clients experience difficulty in purchasing some of the new food items, they are encouraged to contact the WIC Program Office so the problem can be corrected.

For more information about WIC, to find an office in your area, or to report a problem purchasing the new foods, call 1-866-867-3124 or go online to www.nmwic.org <http://www.nmwic.org/> .

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