How to use your WIC benefits

WIC gives you a set amount of specific foods each month. Using all of them is the best way to get the full value. In Louisiana, almost half of WIC food goes unused each year, often because the rules feel confusing. Here is how to make your benefits work for you.

How do you pay with WIC?

Your WIC benefits go on a card, like a debit card. Louisiana is switching to a new card system, with store purchases on the new cards starting in August 2026.

At the store:

1. Pick the foods on your benefit list.
2. Use the WICShopper app to scan a product and check if it is approved before you get to the register.
3. At checkout, tell the cashier you are using WIC and swipe your card.

Why didn’t all my food get covered?

WIC covers specific foods, brands, and sizes. If something is not covered, it is usually because of the brand, the size, or the type. The WICShopper app tells you what is approved at that store.

What can I buy?

Your list may include milk, eggs, cheese, yogurt, cereal, whole grain bread, beans or peanut butter, juice, baby food, and a dollar amount for fruits and vegetables. The exact list is set up for you and your child’s needs.

I can’t use a whole quart of yogurt. What do I do?

You do not have to buy everything at once. You can:

• Buy part of your benefits early in the month and the rest later.
• Freeze foods like bread, cheese, and even milk before they go bad.
• Ask your clinic about swapping foods your family does not use. Clinics can often adjust your package.

Don’t lose the fruit and vegetable money

The fruit and vegetable benefit is a dollar amount you can spend on fresh, frozen, or canned produce. It is one of the most flexible parts of WIC, and it is easy to forget. Try to use it every month before it resets.