Nutrition
Nutrition education must be offered to each WIC participant at least two times every six months. This nutrition education can be given as one-on-one counseling or in a group setting. In most cases, participants with the most serious nutrition/health problems receive individual counseling, in which the information is specifically related to the participant’s dietary needs and health problems. Group nutrition education sessions are designed to encourage discussion and interaction between and among the nutrition educator and the participants. Nutrition education for participants can be offered outside of the health department in a variety of settings such as hospitals, Head Start Programs, community centers, grocery stores, libraries, and physicians’ offices. Numerous health departments also offer nutrition education before or after traditional working hours, as well as on weekends.
Prenatal and postpartum women are counseled on the benefits and advantages of breastfeeding and are offered classes, referrals to community resources, support groups and educational materials.
WIC kiosks (computer touch screens) are used to offer participants an alternative method to receive credit for the required second nutrition education encounter. Some of the kiosk lesson titles are Feeding Your Infant, Feeding Your Young Child, Playing the Shopping Game, Picky Eater, Teeth: Diet, Dental Care and Decay; and Read the Label To Set a Healthy Table.
USDA’s web site entitled "WIC Works Resource Center" has a wealth of information on nutrition education and different nutrition topics (click on WIC Topics A-Z).
Nutrition education materials (brochures, pamphlets, fliers) can be ordered from the Educational Resources Center (ERC), DHEC. For information on how to order, call 803-898-3803.
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