Which fruits and vegetables are WIC-approved?

FRESH fruits and vegetables are WIC-approved and now FROZEN fruits and vegetables are too!

For the FRESH:

APPROVED:

• Fresh fruits & vegetables
• Fresh herbs (such as cilantro, parsley, basil, garlic, ginger, and more)
• Regular or ORGANIC (Yes, organic produce is approved!)
• Whole or pre-cut
• Mixed produce (such as bag of chopped carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.)

Approved Examples:

NOT APPROVED:

• Dried fruit & vegetables
• Party trays with dips
• Bagged salad with dressing or other added ingredients
• Fruit gift baskets
• Decorative fruits and vegetables such as painted pumpkins
• Herbs in squeezable tubes
• Potted plants (with dirt)

For the FROZEN:

APPROVED:

• Plain or mixed frozen fruits or vegetables, including beans
• Any brand or container size
• Regular or organic

NOT APPROVED:

• No added sugars, fats, or oils
• No added sauces, pasta, rice, meats, or nuts
• No french fries or tater tots
• No breading or batter-coated vegetables
• No chocolate-covered fruits

Why does WICShopper say my FRESH fruit or vegetable is NOT  APPROVED?

WICShopper excels at scanning most barcodes, but scanning fresh fruits and vegetables can be tricky. Sometimes the camera cannot get a clean read on the barcode or the store may use custom barcodes (especially for pre-cut or in-store packaged produce) that don’t match what the app expects. Because of this, you might see “Not Approved” even if the item is allowed.

WIC recommends not using the scanner on FRESH fruits and vegetables. Instead, check the Idaho WIC Food List to see what’s allowed.

If you scan a FRESH item and it says “Not Approved”, you can still try to buy it. If the item fits the food list description, then WIC should pay for it at checkout.

If WIC doesn’t pay for the item at checkout, you can ask the cashier to take it off or choose to pay for it yourself. If you do pay for it, use the “I Couldn’t Buy This!” button in WICShopper to submit the item for review.

What is the best way to find out if your FRESH fruit or vegetable is WIC-APPROVED?

Check the Idaho WIC Food List to see what’s allowed.

Or ask yourself this question:

Does this item only include fresh and edible fruits, vegetables, or herbs?

If the answer is ‘yes’, then it is WIC-approved.