WIC Package Sizes & Shopping Tips

On this page:
Abbreviations & Calculations | Other Calculations | Buying Fruits & Vegetables | Buying Cereal | Buying Milk | Buying Cheese | Buying Yogurt | Buying Peanut Butter & Beans | Buying Whole Gains | Buying Juice | Buying Jars of Baby Food

Abbreviations & Calculations

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Other Calculations

• 3 tsp = 1 Tbsp
• 4 Tbsp = 1/4 cup
• 1 cup = 8 fluid oz = 16 Tbsp
• 2 cups = 1 pint = 16 fluid oz
• 4 cups = 1 quart = 2 pints = 32 fluid oz
• 4 quarts = 1 gallon = 8 pints = 16 cups
• 4 oz = 1/4 lb
• 16 oz = 1 lb

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Buying Fruits & Vegetables

If the cost of your fruits and vegetables is more than your benefit balance, you can pay the difference with cash, SNAP or credit/debit card.

Buying Cereal

How to combine cereal package sizes.

Ounces of Cereal	Combined Box Sizes
36.0 Ounces	+
36.0 Ounces	+ +
34.5 Ounces	+

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Buying Milk

Milk

• .5 = 1 half-gallon

Soy and Goat's Milk

• .25 = 1 quart
• .5 = 1 half-gallon or 2 quarts

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Buying Cheese

All cheese must be in 8 or 16-ounce packages. If your benefits show 1 pound(s) of WIC-allowed Cheese, you can buy:

Two 8 oz (0.5 lb) packages	OR	One 16 oz (1 lb) package
	OR

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Buying Yogurt

WIC yogurt must be low-fat or nonfat, unless your shopping list or balance shows "whole-fat" yogurt. (If your benefits are for low-fat or non-fat yogurt, whole-fat yogurt will not scan as allowed at checkout.) Always look for "low fat" or "nonfat" on the label.

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Buying Peanut Butters & Beans

WIC provides the option of peanut butter, dry beans, peas and lentils, or canned beans.

If your shopping list or balance shows Peanut Butter OR Dry Beans OR 4 Cans of Beans you can buy:
OR OR

If you choose canned beans, you don't have to buy 4 cans at once. For each can you buy, .25 containers will be removed from your balance.

Can(s)	Container Amount
1 CAN	.25 containers will be removed from your balance
2 CANS	.50 containers will be removed from your balance
3 CANS	.75 containers will be removed from your balance
4 CANS	1 container will be removed from your balance

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Buying Whole Grains

Whole grains must be 16 ounce or 1 pound packages.

If your shopping list shows (16 oz) WIC-allowed Whole Grain Item, you can buy:

• Bread OR
• Tortillas OR
• Pasta OR
• Brown Rice OR
• Oats

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Buying Juice

Refrigerated orange juice must be 64 ounces. Many refrigerated orange juices are in a 59 ounce container and these are not WIC allowed.

Only 64 ounce refrigerated orange juice is WIC allowed.

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Buying Jars of Baby Food

Baby food fruits and vegetables must be 4-ounce containers. A 2-pack, or double-pack, counts as two containers of baby food.

Number of 2-pack of 4 oz Tubs	Number of 4 oz Jars
1	2
8	16
16	32
32	64

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