WIC Nutrition Education
WICook at Home is a self-paced class that helps you prepare WIC-approved recipes at home.
Nutrition Education
WIC is more than a food assistance program—it’s a resource for building healthier futures. In addition to providing nutritious foods, health screenings and referrals, WIC is dedicated to improving the well-being of women, infants and children through expert nutrition and breastfeeding counseling and education.
- Our focus is on promoting health and reducing nutritional risks. During WIC certification visits, nutritionists can address concerns about food choices, feeding skills, physical activity, weight control, anemia prevention and healthy eating during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- When you’re not meeting individually with a WIC nutritionist or breastfeeding counselor, WIC staff will schedule a nutrition class of your choice, providing additional education and support tailored to your needs.
- Outside the formal Nutrition Education classes where clients receive class credits, COH WIC two additional educational platforms:
- “Positive Parenting Talks” in partnership with DePelchin Children’s, educational presentations led by professional experts are offered monthly vi ZOOM sessions , on a variety of topics promoting a positive parenting approach to deal with real everyday situations or challenges to raise healthy children.
- “WICook at Home FB group”, a virtual community with the goal to promote healthy and easy to prepare home cooked meals and encourage participants to share their own cooking creations
- “Positive Parenting Talks” in partnership with DePelchin Children’s, educational presentations led by professional experts are offered monthly vi ZOOM sessions , on a variety of topics promoting a positive parenting approach to deal with real everyday situations or challenges to raise healthy children.
Nutrition Class Options
Nutrition education is at the heart of WIC’s mission. Through engaging online courses, interactive group sessions, one-on-one counseling and a variety of educational opportunities, the City of Houston WIC empowers Houstonian families with the knowledge and advice to make informed, healthy choices and achieve positive health outcomes.
1. Texas WIC Online classes ( Click & Learn Self-Paced or Live classes)
• WIC's online classes make it easy for you to learn about a variety of nutrition and breastfeeding topics. You can choose from a scheduled Live Class OR you can pick from a list of Click & Learn lessons that you can complete at your own pace and most convenient time.
2. Self-Paced Lessons
• Do at The Office Lessons: Those are self-paced lessons that a WIC participant can complete the office. They are mostly used for clients who have not yet completed a class prior their Benefit issuance Appointment date.
• TAKE HOME Self-Paced Lessons: Participants can select those self-paced classes to complete at their own pace at home.
• WICook at Home: Prepare a recipe that contains at least two out of the five food groups. Present a picture of your cooking creation, along with the complete lesson questions, to obtain class credit. You can also obtain credit for this self-paced class by participating at any of the WICook at Home Facebook Group Cooking challenges. Check out the videos below to learn more and get inspired by to cook with your little ones!
Lesson plans are available in English and Spanish!
Benefits and how to participate in WICook at Home (English with English subtitles)
Benefits and how to participate in WICook at Home (Spanish with Spanish subtitles)
• Family Fun with the ‘Adventures of Zobey:’ Choose one of the ‘Adventures with Zobey’ videos to watch with your child and have fun! Answer a few questions about your experience and bring the completed lesson to the WIC office to obtain class credit at your next appointment.
To access the Zobey videos, click below:
3. In Person Group Classes
Each month, your local WIC office offers one group class in English and one in Spanish. Topics alternate among the three listed below:
o Breastfeeding Top 10 discussion
o How to shop for WIC Approved Foods
o Raising Adventurous Eaters
Before scheduling this class, participants must check that class dates and topic match with their needs.
4. Virtual Classes
These classes are offered monthly on zoom on our Positive Parenting Page.
The invitation and class registration link are sent via text message about two days before each class.
Nutrition Education Counseling
A WIC nutritionist will perform the health/nutrition screening and deliver nutrition education over the phone during appointments for enrollment, renewal of benefits and/or food package changes
We also offer individual counseling and phone consultations from Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDN) for nutrition related challenges, such as unintended weight loss, obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure.
Call 832-393-5427 to learn more.
Videos: How to Talk with a Nutritionist
Talk with a nutritionist (English with English subtitles)
Talk with a nutritionist (English with Spanish subtitles)
Breastfeeding Support
- Peer Counselors are WIC mothers who have worked through their own breastfeeding challenges and are trained and ready to provide mother-to-mother breastfeeding encouragement and support.
- The breast pump program offers manual and electric breast pumps to help initiate and maintain breastfeeding plans. To be eligible for a free breast pump, you and your baby must be actively enrolled in WIC. If you have not received a breast pump that works for you through your healthcare plan, call us at 832-393-5427.
- The Lactation consultant home visitation program provides International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (healthcare professionals who specialize in the clinical management of breastfeeding) for home visitation services to assess your breastfeeding needs and support your goals.
Call the number to schedule your home visit with a lactation consultant.