WIC is a free food and nutrition program for women, infants, and children who meet certain income guidelines. Participants receive WIC foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, milk, eggs, beans, cereal, juice, and infant foods at no cost. A WIC Authorized Foods List in Maryland included these foods among others: refrigerated half gallons of 8th Continent Original Soy Beverage, shelf stable quarts of Pacific Natural Foods Ultra Soy Plain; Azuma extra firm, firm, silken, and lite extra firm tofu; House extra firm, firm, medium firm (regular), and soft (silken) tofu; Nasoya Extra Firm, Cubed, Silken, Lite Firm, and Lite Silken Tofu. Other acceptable items include beans like kidney, pinto, black, navy, garbanzo, or lima beans; split peas, blackeye peas, or lentils; plain 16 to 18 ounce jar of peanut butter; smooth, crunchy, extra crunchy, creamy or honey-roasted peanut butter.

For more information on WIC, see:

• http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2008issue3/2008_issue3_scientific_update.php
• http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/