Wic substitutions or "alternative foods"?

[Sfcmama]

Not sure where this post should go...

So, financially we qualify for wic and could really use the extra help.... But (and forgive me if this sounds greedy) I'm not sure I can handle ethically/nutritionally switching to factory farmed eggs and non-organic milk - ya know?

So, I'm curious if anyone has experience with requesting "alternative" foods as substitutes for milk or eggs? Like maybe goat's milk or rice milk instead? Do you need a dr note?

TIA!!!

[indie]

WIC varies by state here is a state by state guide to getting goats milk on WIC, but there's no info. about California. Sorry.

http://meyenberg.com/index.php?page=wic

I work for WIC and I've personally never seen anyone get goat's milk. I'll have to ask. Most people probably don't know its an option. I don't think any WIC allows rice milk. They do allow soy, but I'd personally not choose that. In TN we allow organic soy and the fruits and veggies can be organic.

You don't have to get everything so if you just want to do WIC and take what you need then that's fine.

[terrordactyl]

it really depends on the state i know my state (New Mexico) has things like soy milk on the list of things you can get so you really should check your states wic website this is californias http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/wicworks/Pages/WIC-AuthorizedFoodListWAFL.aspx it seems to me like you can get tofu and soy milk

[Sfcmama]

Can't figure out multi-quote...

Indie-
Good point, I guess I could just skip those items. I just figured there might be some requirement to use all your benefits in order to keep them.

Shaina-
Thanks for the link. Tofu would be good. Any idea whatnot would replace? I'll ask about it at my appt.

Thanks!

[indie]

I think tofu replaces cheese. In TN, adults can get soy just by asking, but kids have to have a note from the doctor. If you want to get tofu for your daughter once she turns one you might need a doctor's note.

[KempsMama]

I've opted out of certain items.  I use the milk, but we opt out of the bread.  I bake my own, and I wouldn't buy the brands/types I could get on WIC even if I didn't.  Just because something is 100% whole wheat doesn't mean it's good for you...although the WIC counselors where I go don't agree with me.

[kittywitty]

I'm just amazed they'll let you change anything! Here in IL at least abou 2 years ago when we were on it they would make zero exceptions. We were dairy free because of baby's bad dairy allergy and they would not let us even get soy milk. We had to get the cow milk if we got anything else, too, we couldn't not get one thing on the list and just get the cereal, carrots, or peanut butter or whatever. So I quit getting it.

[HollyBearsMom]

Originally Posted by kittywitty 

I'm just amazed they'll let you change anything! Here in IL at least abou 2 years ago when we were on it they would make zero exceptions. We were dairy free because of baby's bad dairy allergy and they would not let us even get soy milk. We had to get the cow milk if we got anything else, too, we couldn't not get one thing on the list and just get the cereal, carrots, or peanut butter or whatever. So I quit getting it.

Wow, how did you get by if you qualified for WIC but then didn't use it? Not snarky-just curious. Years ago my friend just gave away or sold what she couldn't use due to her daughters lactose intolerance. She wouldn't have been able to get by otherwise. She ended up finding 2 other WIC moms to trade with since she never felt right selling it.

[surrogate]

I was told at my last wic appt that you can get goats milk now instead of regular and I think it is in the brochure.  With the bread I always get the buns, we use them for garlic bread.  I think you can get tofu too, i would have to look at the brochure.  Wic saves me about $100 a month.  We use the fruit, milk, buns, peanut butter, i give my mom the eggs (i buy free range) and other stuff...we have a cabinet full of juice but I dont really let my kids drink it

[kittywitty]

Originally Posted by HollyBearsMom 

Originally Posted by kittywitty 

I'm just amazed they'll let you change anything! Here in IL at least abou 2 years ago when we were on it they would make zero exceptions. We were dairy free because of baby's bad dairy allergy and they would not let us even get soy milk. We had to get the cow milk if we got anything else, too, we couldn't not get one thing on the list and just get the cereal, carrots, or peanut butter or whatever. So I quit getting it.

Wow, how did you get by if you qualified for WIC but then didn't use it? Not snarky-just curious. Years ago my friend just gave away or sold what she couldn't use due to her daughters lactose intolerance. She wouldn't have been able to get by otherwise. She ended up finding 2 other WIC moms to trade with since she never felt right selling it.

We made do. WIC in this state isn't just for those who are totally destitute. And we lived 4 hours from anyone we knew, so we didn't have anyone to give it away to. I'm pretty sure they frown upon you doing that anyway.

[Sfcmama]

Originally Posted by kittywitty 

A

Originally Posted by HollyBearsMom 

Wow, how did you get by if you qualified for WIC but then didn't use it? Not snarky-just curious. Years ago my friend just gave away or sold what she couldn't use due to her daughters lactose intolerance. She wouldn't have been able to get by otherwise. She ended up finding 2 other WIC moms to trade with since she never felt right selling it.

We made do. WIC in this state isn't just for those who are totally destitute. And we lived 4 hours from anyone we knew, so we didn't have anyone to give it away to. I'm pretty sure they frown upon you doing that anyway.

In CA, you also dont have to be totally poor to qualify.

I have to factor in the cost of the time, travel and hassle too... Maybe I could find another way to save $100.

[Nitenites]

Waiting at the WIC office is the worst part. All the bulletin boards about reading - and the lobby TV on full blast with nary a book in sight. I gave up on WIC, because the nutritionists were so condescending. (Just because my husband doesn't make a truckload of money doesn't mean I don't have a brain, tyvm.) 

OT - Shaina, love your senior title. Grab your gun and bring in the cat! 

[indie]

Originally Posted by Nitenites 

Waiting at the WIC office is the worst part. All the bulletin boards about reading - and the lobby TV on full blast with nary a book in sight. I gave up on WIC, because the nutritionists were so condescending. (Just because my husband doesn't make a truckload of money doesn't mean I don't have a brain, tyvm.) 

OT - Shaina, love your senior title. Grab your gun and bring in the cat! 

I think each WIC office and nutritionist varies. The WIC office I went to when I was on WIC was incredibly slow. The one I work at now is pretty quick to get through. I've seen WIC nutritionists who look at you like you have 18 eyes if you do anything mildly alternative and others are very eager to learn and are open to looking into alternative nutrition information. I had heard that WIC was really anti-breastfeeding before I got on WIC myself. Well it turns out that the clinic supervisor where I work BFed for 16 months (pumping the whole time while she worked and never using formula) and the head of WIC for our county BFed for 18 months. I also didn't know until I started working for WIC that they give good breastpumps to working moms and loan hospital grade pumps to moms with NICU babies. Like any other governmental program there is both good and bad.

Originally Posted by HollyBearsMom 

Originally Posted by kittywitty 

I'm just amazed they'll let you change anything! Here in IL at least abou 2 years ago when we were on it they would make zero exceptions. We were dairy free because of baby's bad dairy allergy and they would not let us even get soy milk. We had to get the cow milk if we got anything else, too, we couldn't not get one thing on the list and just get the cereal, carrots, or peanut butter or whatever. So I quit getting it.

Wow, how did you get by if you qualified for WIC but then didn't use it? Not snarky-just curious. Years ago my friend just gave away or sold what she couldn't use due to her daughters lactose intolerance. She wouldn't have been able to get by otherwise. She ended up finding 2 other WIC moms to trade with since she never felt right selling it.

WIC income guidelines are much higher than a lot of other programs. For some of the moms that also qualify for food stamps, they are able to be choosy about what they get. For many of the moms that don't qualify for food stamps, they are able to scrape by without WIC foods. When I was on WIC I was getting more milk than we could physically handle even after I used some of it to make yogurt. We froze it until we ran out of freezer space then just quit getting it. My children were not interested in the baby foods (and I didn't want them eating processed foods anyway) so I put them in an emergency food box until they were close to expiration then gave them to a food bank. We had the security of having extra food on hand just in case which was nice.

[KempsMama]

I've received WIC in three counties, all in MN, and it has been a drastically different experience in each county.  The country I'm in currently is of the "condescending, your poor so you must not know how to parent" persuasion.  And don't even get me started about my of beat views.  For those, I'm just stupid. One WIC gal (when my two year old was going through a very picky phase) advised me to feed him frozen pizza, instead of the hard boiled egg and cheese he currently ate for lunch, because the tomato sauce would be a vegetable....

[madis81]

We use WIC. Instead of cow milk we get goats milk, no questions asked. You can get soy milk or tofu with a Dr's note. This is in Colorado.

[beebalmmama]

I agree that is really can vary by office and by state.

In Washington state you could get organic milk. Now that we are on WIC again in CO, we can't and so we often don't get the milk. You usually can't get the alternative for soy or goat without a dr's note about allergies.  Its true that some WIC educators seem condescending, which is why I really didn't want to get on it again. But the office we go to now is very quick and much easier to work with.

I have found it is just easier to smile and nod at their suggestions and then go and do what I want. I have never had a problem with getting only what I want from the WIC check.

The grocery clerks always seem thrown off that you aren't getting the milk, but it doesn't stop them from processing the check.

[sunsetdancer]

The bolded part below is true in my case.  The intake lady was shocked when I said I had a college degree.  She's also seemed to be shocked that I can read!  LOL    She tries to tell me things that totally aren't true and the lady who prints the checks thinks people are idiots too.  I asked her why the county doesn't give the max package listed on the federal govt website.  She said they did even after I pulled a printout of the max package.  I just take what they give me and use it, but just b/c a person on WIC does not mean that they are an idiot.
 

Originally Posted by Nitenites 

Waiting at the WIC office is the worst part. All the bulletin boards about reading - and the lobby TV on full blast with nary a book in sight. I gave up on WIC, because the nutritionists were so condescending. (Just because my husband doesn't make a truckload of money doesn't mean I don't have a brain, tyvm.)

OT - Shaina, love your senior title. Grab your gun and bring in the cat! 

[Ravin]

The ladies (why are they always women seems like?) in my WIC office are nice and polite. They seem to do a good job of meeting the clients where they are--I open my mouth and speak for 30 seconds and it's obvious I don't need much in the way of nutritional counseling, and it always impresses them that I bf DD for 5 years and will be bf'ing this new one.

In AZ you can get Meyenburg goat's milk, Pacific Ultra Soy milk, 8th Continent soy milk, or water packed tofu in place of the milk. None of it can be organic, and it has to be specified on the WIC check.

For the WW bread, you can get brown rice or corn tortillas instead. I usually get rice. They're general options, not something you have to have specified. There are no alternatives for eggs, cheese, or peanut butter, except that I think you can ask for more peas/beans/lentils in place of the peanut butter. The infant food cannot be organic.

Pink salmon is an alternative for tuna, which has to be chunk light (which is not only the cheapest, but also happens to be the most sustainable and least likely to have high levels of heavy metals tuna option). The fish is still only for bf'ing moms, and infant meats are only for bf'ing infants from 6-12 mo.

It's beyond me why people jump through the hoops to get it if they don't need it, or only bother to get half of what's on the check. Of course, we've been in that rock-and-hard-place where we qualified for food stamps, but because of state budget cuts our allotment was $0, so the WIC has really been a big help. When you're trying to feed 3 people on $100/mo, anything is a big help!