Rude Employee

[CTB]

I wonder if she knows that most if not all store brand stuff is actually made by the name brand and sold under the store brand.

At least it is here.

[Gerrinson]

I know the rules for WIC in MA (don't know if they differ from state to state) are that you have to buy the lowest cost milk. Doesn't matter what brand, but it has to be the lowest cost per unit. Which I think makes sense, as it allows them to spread their funding to more people.

That being said, it sounds like the cashier was either A) a jerk, B) ignorant of policy reasons or C) an ignorant jerk. My vote is C, as the two so often seem to go hand in hand.

[Becks]

The Grocery Store of Awesome that I frequent has certain items tagged with "WIC approved." signs. So maybe only certain brands of items qualify?

The store I currently work at has the "WIC approved" signs all over the place. We also (supposedly) have little folders that picture the different stuff that's approved. We cover any brand of milk, the cereal's sometimes uncertain, but I'll send you back to dairy if you come over with the smoked cheese sticks and not the plain ones.

The other day, Bella asked a good question--Why isn't bread ever covered by WIC?

[BethB]

when I had WIC it had to be on the approved list. It never did specify if milk had to be non-name brand, it just had to be a certain type. And if I remember there were exceptions to those with allergies but it has been a while.

[Lehk]

I wonder if she knows that most if not all store brand stuff is actually made by the name brand and sold under the store brand.

At least it is here.

There is a store around here with both, the store brand and a super discount "i don't have taste buds and i'm not afraid of chinese chemical contamination" brand.

with milk the only difference is bottle thickness.

the Radon brand milk came in a bottle made about 1/3 thinner than the sides of the regular and store brands.

so the milk is perfectly safe for you, not so much for your car when you hit a little bump and it explodes EVERYWHERE

[Sliceanddice]

in arizona ive only seen store brand with wic aprovial

[Jack7957]

I wonder if she knows that most if not all store brand stuff is actually made by the name brand and sold under the store brand.

At least it is here.

That's the way it is here also. My brother and sister both work at the local dairy farmer co-op and the majority of dairy items come through them. Only the labels are different.

[persephone]

The WIC checks in Georgia specifically say that for milk and eggs, the cheapest available must be purchased. Meaning that if the store brand is cheaper than the brand name, you have to get the store brand if it is in stock.

And also, yes, the store has to be certified to sell WIC. And if they don't want to, they do not HAVE to.

So yes, it is possible the employee was correct, but did not have the correct reasoning. He was still rude and should not have said it like that, but it is possible she couldn't have bought the brand name milk if there was another, cheaper, version available.

[fma_fanatic]

I remember from the days when my sister was on WIC with her kids that it never failed she'd have a hard time from a local supermarket (unfortunately it was a Safeway) when she was living in LA.

She'd make it a point to put the items she intended to pay with her foodstamps out first to let them be rung up separately from the WIC items. It never failed that 4 out of 5 visits, she'd have an issue doing it that way. One cashier even pointed to me (we're 13 years apart, so it wasn't unusual for people to confuse me for being her daughter) saying that I was too old for WIC and she'd report her for abusing the system.

She finally had it one day and demanded a manager to vent her frustrations over the whole matter. Apparently she wasn't the only one having problems with the store and she was tired of it. It wasn't too much longer after that she moved and had no more issues with her WIC vouchers.

[persephone]

Bella asked a good question--Why isn't bread ever covered by WIC?

Best answer I've gotten to that when I've asked is because bread, which good for you, doesn't really get you much in the way of the specific nutrients that WIC tries to make sure you get. So you get the grains through the cereal instead, but also other nutrients and vitamins that AREN'T in bread.

That's the answer they gave me.

[computeraide]

It never made sense to me, either, why bread wasn't approved. Lots of times kids are approved for peanut butter, but for neither bread nor crackers to put it on. I am assuming they're just supposed to be licking it from big wooden spoons, maybe.

[persephone]

It never made sense to me, either, why bread wasn't approved. Lots of times kids are approved for peanut butter, but for neither bread nor crackers to put it on. I am assuming they're just supposed to be licking it from big wooden spoons, maybe.

Well, technically, WIC is not supposed to be the ONLY food you get. It's supposed to supplement you with staples so that you can spend the money you would have been spending on things like milk, cheese, eggs, juice, pb and cereal on other things -- like meat, veggies and bread. WIC is NOT supposed to provide all the nutrients and food you get. It's just help so you can make the money you do have for groceries stretch further.

[Becks]

Best answer I've gotten to that when I've asked is because bread, which good for you, doesn't really get you much in the way of the specific nutrients that WIC tries to make sure you get. So you get the grains through the cereal instead, but also other nutrients and vitamins that AREN'T in bread.

That...makes sense.

Thank you most kindly.

[Geek King]

It never made sense to me, either, why bread wasn't approved. Lots of times kids are approved for peanut butter, but for neither bread nor crackers to put it on. I am assuming they're just supposed to be licking it from big wooden spoons, maybe.

One Word: Celery. Celery and Peanut Butter is a wonderful snack. My grandmother used to make up whole tupperware containers full of it when the kids would all be over. Better than sugering up on cookies.

[tigger222]

I looked at her WIC checks and the folder that states what you can buy today and it says that she can buy any brand milk as long as it is the same size as the one listed on the check. She is going to talk to them next week so I will update you when I find out what they have to say.