The Complete Guide to Which Stores Accept WIC

What is WIC?

The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) has been improving pregnancies and preparing kids to learn for 40 years. The program provides nutrition counseling, parenting advice, breastfeeding support, food assistance, and referrals to help you and your family live a healthy life.

WIC is a short-term program designed to improve lifetime nutrition and health for everyone in your family. WIC provides services to married and single parents (working and not working), and fathers, mothers, grandparents, foster parents, or legal guardians residing with a child under the age of five.

How Can WIC Help My Family?

WIC provides nutrition, breastfeeding support, health education and other services, free of charge, to pregnant women, mothers, infants and children up to the age of five. WIC teaches moms what to eat while pregnant or breastfeeding and what to feed their growing children.

We know budgets are tight. WIC provides you with healthy foods to help you save on groceries so you have more to spend on other things your family needs. With all the services we offer, WIC can improve the health of your entire family.

Services and Benefits

• Personalized nutrition counseling
• Breastfeeding counseling and support
• Healthy food
• Referrals to childcare and health insurance programs
• Medical and dental care referrals
• Health and social service resources
• Immunization screenings
• Tips on healthy eating

Food Provided Through WIC

• Milk, Cereal, Cheese, Peanut Butter, Eggs, Juice, Dried or canned beans, Infant formula and medical foods, Fruits and vegetables, Whole grains, Baby foods, Yogurt

How do I Apply for WIC?

You can find all the information about how to apply for WIC here.

What States Can I Use WIC In?

You’re likely aware that most grocery stores accept WIC, but did you know that some national retailers like Target and Walmart do as well?

Fortunately, federal and local governments have made it much easier to shop with a WIC card. I’ll explain which national stores accept WIC and what you need to know about each store’s checkout process to use it.

Remember, even if a particular retailer accepts WIC, your state may not list that retailer as an approved option. For instance, you can use WIC at CVS stores in New York and Michigan, but not at CVS stores in California. Read on for more detailed info.

WICShopper App

The WICShopper app is compatible with several state WIC programs. After downloading the app on iOS or Android, you can locate WIC stores nearby and scan specific items while shopping to check their WIC eligibility.

Depending on your location, the app might also allow you to track your benefits. In “verification only” states, you can only scan items to verify eligibility; the app won’t display or track your benefits.

Here are the states and tribes where you can use the WICShopper app:

Alaska Chickasaw Nation, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Intertribal Council of Arizona, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana (Verification only), Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania (Verification only), Pleasant Point Passamaquoddy Reservation, Rhode Island (Verification only), Tennessee, Utah, Vermont (Verification only), Washington, West Virginia, Wyoming, Z-ITC Nevada

State App for Store Location

If your state isn’t listed above, you can download your state’s WIC app to help find local WIC stores. Here are the links to download each state’s app:

• Alabama
• Arizona (iOS / Android)
• Arkansas (iOS / Android)
• California
• Delaware (iOS / Android)
• Georgia (no app available)
• Illinois (no app available)
• Indiana
• Michigan
• Minnesota (iOS) (Android)
• Mississippi (iOS / Android)
• New Mexico (no app available)
• New York (iOS / Android)
• North Carolina (iOS / Android)
• South Carolina (no app available)
• South Dakota
• Texas
• Virginia (no app available)
• Wisconsin

Which Stores Accept WIC?

Does Target Accept WIC?

You can use your WIC card at Target stores across the country. When checking out with a cashier, there’s no need to separate your items—simply pay with your WIC card first. However, at self-checkout, you must separate your WIC items and scan them first.

Does CVS Accept WIC?

All CVS stores accept WIC as long as they are listed as approved retailers in your state. At CVS, WIC-eligible items must be rung up separately from non-eligible items. This is because the cashier needs to scan each WIC item through a special WIC scanner to check available funds and the number of items you can purchase before scanning them with the regular store scanner. You can also use self-checkout for WIC-eligible items, but online CVS purchases cannot be made with your WIC card; you’ll need to use another form of payment for those transactions.

Does Walmart Accept WIC?

Walmart accepts WIC payments at all locations through their regular checkout lines. They’ve recently updated their system to allow WIC card use in the self-checkout lines as well. You don’t need to separate your WIC items from other items during checkout. Simply pay with your WIC card first, then use another form of payment for the remaining balance.

Does Walgreens Accept WIC?

You can use your WIC card at all Walgreens locations. There’s no need for separate transactions—simply pay with your WIC card, check, or voucher first, and then use your other form of payment for the remaining balance.

Does Dollar General Accept WIC?

Not exactly. Most Dollar General stores do not accept WIC, but a few do. Check with your local store to find out if they accept WIC.

Does Aldi Accept WIC?

No, Aldi does not accept WIC because they do not carry the national brand of formula required by the WIC program, which disqualifies them from participating.

Membership Benefits with WIC

Amazon Prime – Get 50% off Prime membership with WIC and pay only $6.99 per month.

Walmart+ – Get Walmart+ Assist membership for $6.47/month with your WIC card.

WIC FAQs

• Can I order WIC grocery delivery? It depends. If you’re using Instacart, you can order grocery delivery from a WIC-approved retailer in your state. But unfortunately, WIC does not work for other delivery sites.
• Can I use my WIC card to shop online or over the phone for in-store or curbside pickup? Yes, you can use your WIC card for pickup by entering your WIC card PIN when you pick up your groceries to complete the transaction. However, you can’t use your WIC card to complete the checkout process online.
• Can I charge my pickup fees to my WIC card? No. Any pickup fees must be paid using a different payment method.