Sunday, August 13, 2006

Proposed to changes to WIC Food Package

Comments are being accepted for the new Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC): revisions in the WIC Food Package proposed Rule. To download the package and submit comments, go to:

http://www.fns.usda.gov/wic/regspublished/foodpackagesrevisions-proposedrule.htm

Personally, I am not commenting because I cannot make up my mind how I feel about it. Most of the changes are in accordance with dietary recommendations made by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Juice is eliminated for infants and reduced for women and children to be replaced by baby food fruits and vegetables for babies. Fresh fruits and vegetables are added for women and children and whole milk is eliminated for children over 2 (personally I still have the tiny two-year-old on whole milk and I tend to go to 3 regardless - brain fats). Fresh veggies are added for babies in the second half of the first year and beans, milk, canned fish and whole grain choices are added.

All in all, the revisions greatly improve the health value of the food in the package and I am all for that. The problem is that the changes were only allowed on the stipulation that the package not COST more (who wants to spend more money feeding babies, small children, pregnant and nursing mothers, after all?) than the old package and since fresh fruits and veggies are more expensive, the amount of food being given has decreased. That seems really bad to me. So I just don't know how to feel about it. I wish they would just committ to feeding vulnerable people healthy diets and damn the cost...


1 comment:

Saints and Spinners said...

It's very hard to make good, sound decisions when you're hungry. People who have enough to eat often forget that, but it only takes missing one or two meals to remember.