Guidelines for Purchasing Fresh Fruits and Vegetables using your WIC Overseas Benefits:
Allowed:
- Any variety of fresh or frozen fruits, whole or cut, without added sugars, fats, or oils
- Any variety of canned fruits including applesauce, juice pack or water pack without added sugars, fats, oils, or salt
- Any type of dried fruits without added sugars, fats, oils, or salt
- Any fresh or frozen vegetable, whole or cut, without added sugars, fats or oils
- Any variety of canned vegetables without added sugars, fats, or oils
- Any type of dried vegetable without added sugars, fats, oils, or salt
- Any type of frozen, prepackaged bean or peas
- Fresh herbs, cut at the root or with the root intact
Not Allowed:
- Spices and dried herbs
- Seeds
- Potted plants with vegetables, fruits, or herbs
- Fresh fruits and/or vegetables packaged with dips, sauces, or glazes
- Creamed vegetables or vegetables with added sauces
- Mixed vegetables containing noodles, nuts or sauce packets
- Vegetable-grain (pasta or rice) mixtures
- Fruit-nut mixtures
- Breaded vegetables
- Fruits and vegetables for purchase on salad bars
- Peanuts or other nuts
- Ornamental and decorative fruits and vegetables such as chili peppers on a string; garlic on a string Gourds; painted pumpkins; fruit baskets
- Decorative blossoms and flowers
- Foods containing fruits such as blueberry muffins and other baked goods
- Home-canned and home-preserved fruits and vegetables
Why does WICShopper say my fresh fruit or vegetable is NOT APPROVED?
WICShopper doesn’t always recognize UPCs on fresh produce, so the scanner may show “Not Approved” even when the item is allowed. Check the WIC Allowable Foods list instead—many fresh items like grapes, cut cantaloupe, strawberries, and bagged avocados may still ring up correctly at the register.
If a fresh item scans “Not Approved,” you can still try to buy it. As long as it fits the food list description, WIC should pay for it at checkout.
If it doesn’t ring up, you can ask the cashier to remove it or choose to pay for it yourself. When possible, use “I Can’t Buy This” in the app so WIC can work with the store to fix the issue for future purchases.
