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Changes to Food Guide

Changes to Food Guide

List of Changes in the Michigan WIC Food Guide

Effective March 1, 2026

This document outlines changes to the Michigan WIC Food Guide and Authorized Product List (APL).

Page Contents

 

Overall Design

Based on WIC staff and client feedback, the following major changes occurred:

  • Vertical layout.
  • Smaller size.
  • Infant foods in the front and supplemental information in the back.
  • Clearer “Allowed” and “Not Allowed” sections.

Fruits & Vegetables

  • Expanded and updated Health Bite.

Whole Grains

  • This entire food group will now be available in ounces instead of pounds.
  • This entire category is non-brand specific, except for breads.
  • Removed size limitations in Food Guide.

Whole Grains – Oats

  • Added several new brands since size expansion now includes sizes greater than 16 oz.

Whole Grains – Pasta

  • Removed unpopular and discontinued brands.
  • No new sizes/brands of whole wheat or whole grain pasta currently added.

Whole Grains – Bread/Buns/Rolls

  • Added several new types since size expansion now includes 20-24 oz bread.
  • Added a category titled “other whole wheat bread products” to account for the new USDA WIC-eligible foods like bagels, English muffins, sandwich thins, pita and other cultural options, such as lavash.

Whole Grains – Tortillas

  • Added several new types and brands since size expansion now includes sizes greater than 16 oz.

Whole Grains – Intact Whole Grains

  • This is a new section in the Food Guide that now includes quinoa, wild rice, farro, barley and more.
  • This section is not brand or size limited, allowing for additional products to be added within food authorization cycles.

Cereals – Cold & Hot

  • Added new brands including Kashi, Mom’s Best and Grain Berry.
  • Added new flavors to already existing national and store brands.
  • Removed discontinued flavors from already existing national and store brands.
  • Decreased minimum size criteria from 12 oz to 11.8 oz to allow new whole grain, national brand cereal flavors.

Eggs

Updated Allowed Criteria:

  • Changed “may be cage free” language to align with new Michigan Cage Free Egg law.

Fish

  • Removed 30 oz maximum limit, since USDA allows new size flexibilities.

Infant Foods

  • Added jars to ounces conversion for client education.
  • Removed discontinued brands and flavors.

Yogurt

  • Removed any brands that do not align with new USDA added sugar requirements.
  • Added whole milk yogurt options for 1-year-old children.

Milk

  • Updated “Allowed” and “Not Allowed” sections.
  • Added new graphic to align with milk conversion to quarts and category broad banding.

Plant-Based Beverage

  • Changed the name of this category from “soy beverage” to “plant-based beverage.”
  • Added new brands and flavors that meet USDA nutrition criteria, such as pea-protein beverages and Silk vanilla soy milk.

Juice

  • Removed flavors that were discontinued or not available in Michigan retail stores.
  • Removed 48 oz and 11.5 & 12 oz section due to new USDA food packages.

Tofu

  • New category.
  • Brand/type specific.
  • Size allowance: 14-16 oz.

Nut/Seed Butters

  • New category.
  • Brand/type specific.
  • Size allowances align with other legumes section: 16-18 oz.