TABLE 9-1Overview of How the Revised Food Packages Meet the Criteria

DGA Food Group and Recommended Food Package ChangeCriteria
1. Balanced Supplement to the Diet2. Reduce Inadequate or Excessive Nutrient Intakes3. Diet Aligned with DGA4. Diet Aligned with Guidance for Children <2 y5. Availability of Suitable Forms and Amounts Suitable for Low-Income Persons6. Acceptability, Availability, and Cultural Suitability7. Pose No Undue State Agency or Vendor Burden
Total fruits
Increase CVV✓✓✓✓✓✓
Reduce fruit juice✓✓✓✓
Reduce jarred infant food fruits✓
Substitute CVV for juice or jarred infant fruits✓✓✓✓
Total vegetables
Increase CVV✓✓✓✓✓
Reduce legumes✓✓
Offer canned beans✓✓✓
Vendors stock three varieties✓
Reduce jarred infant food vegetables✓
Substitute CVV for jarred infant foods✓✓
Offer a canned, frozen, or dried form (vegetable or fruit)✓✓
Allow legumes to substitute for eggs✓
Total dairy
Reduce amount (except in FP VI)✓
Increase substitution options✓✓✓
Offer a range of yogurt amounts✓
Retain only low-fat or fat-free forms for 2 y or older✓
Remove “dangling quart”*✓
Whole grains
Require whole grain-rich breakfast cereals✓✓✓✓
Retain RTE breakfast cereal form✓
Offer additional whole grain forms✓✓
Offer range of sizes for whole wheat bread and grains✓✓✓
Reduce infant cereal✓✓
Total protein
Offer seafood✓✓✓✓✓
Reduce peanut butter✓✓✓
Reduce jarred infant food meat✓✓
Substitute fish for jarred infant food meat✓✓✓
Calories for other uses
Reduce total sugars limit in yogurt✓✓✓✓✓
Limit added sugars in milk alternatives✓✓✓✓✓
Reduce saturated fat by reducing dairy✓✓✓

NOTES: CVV = cash value voucher; DGA = Dietary Guidelines for Americans; FP = food package; RTE = ready-to-eat.

*

The term “dangling quart” refers to the quart of milk that remains in some food packages when cheese is substituted for milk.

From: 9, How the Revised Food Packages Meet the Criteria Specified

Cover of Review of WIC Food Packages
Review of WIC Food Packages: Improving Balance and Choice: Final Report.
National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine; Health and Medicine Division; Food and Nutrition Board; Committee to Review WIC Food Packages.
Washington (DC): National Academies Press (US); 2017 May 1.
Copyright 2017 by the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.

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