Infant formula

Reduce maximum amounts for partially breast-fed infants

The maximum amount provides approximately half the amount provided to fully formula-fed infants to encourage the mother to breastfeed enough to provide at least half of the infant’s nutritional needs and to make possible other improvements in the WIC food packages.

Infant formula

Reduce maximum amounts for fully formula-fed infants ages 6–11.9 mo of age

Since the food package for infants of this age provides greater amounts of nutrients through complementary foods, less formula is needed.

Juice

Delete juice for infants 4–11.9 mo of age; reduce amount of juice for children 1–4.9 y of age.

Meet AAP recommendations: delay introduction of juice for infants until after 6 mo of age; and allow no more than 4–6 fl oz/d for infants above the age of 6 mo (AAP, 2001a, 2005). For infants age 6–11.9 mo, fruit juice has no nutritional benefit over whole fruit (AAP, 2001a, 2004).

Milk

Decrease maximum amounts allowed for children and adults

Amounts provided need not exceed amounts recommended by Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 (DHHS/USDA, 2005).

Cheese

Reduce maximum amount allowed in women’s and children’s packages.

Meets recommendation from the Dietary Guidelines (DHHS/USDA, 2005) and recommendation from the IOM to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol intake (IOM, 2002/2005)

Eggs

Reduce maximum amount allowed

Protein is no longer a priority nutrient. Reduction in amount provided is consistent with Dietary Guidelines (DHHS/USDA, 2005) and with recommendation from the IOM to reduce cholesterol intake (IOM, 2002/2005).