Dear Editor,

“Kids in the Kitchen Fuel for the Future!”

Each March, the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages Americans to focus on healthy eating habits. The Ohio Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program has chosen to use the theme: “Kids in the Kitchen Fuel the Future.”

WIC Health Professional staff will provide recipes that use foods from the WIC food package to prepare healthy dishes. WIC clinics will be focusing education efforts on providing guidance to teach children age-appropriate kitchen activities to help prepare healthy dishes.

Regardless of celebrating National Nutrition Month®, the nutrition staff at your WIC clinic:

∫ Assess and evaluate WIC participants’ medical and nutritional conditions and habits.

∫ Provide counseling and education to participants to address specific conditions.

∫ Answer nutrition-related question.

∫ Provide anticipatory guidance on healthy habits including safe sleep practices, breastfeeding, immunizations, and child development.

∫ Present nutrition education on multiple subjects through several mediums.

∫ Refer participants to food banks, health care and social service agencies, physicians, and other local agencies.

But they can also assist YOU! You can:

∫ Schedule a health professional to provide an overview of the WIC Program, including what WIC is, what happens at WIC appointments, what foods are provided to participants, and what regulations must be followed.

∫ Request that the WIC health professional schedule additional weight checks for WIC participants and follow-up with you.

∫ Request a small stock of nutrition and breastfeeding education materials on various topics.

∫ Schedule a health professional to discuss a nutrition topic.

∫ Collaborate with a health professional to provide a WIC-approved formula for a medically fragile infant or child.

Belmont County WIC would like to thank you for your ongoing support! We hope you find this information helpful as we work together to achieve positive health outcomes for the families we serve.

If you have any questions, please contact Belmont County WIC at 740-676-2232 or WICBelmont@odh.ohio.gov. Friend us on our Facebook account Belmont County WIC Program!

Lori DeCoy

RN, BSN, CLC

Belmont County

WIC Director