Fresh Food for Families: WIC’s Farmers' Market Nutrition Program

On a sunny Saturday morning, the Owatonna Farmers’ Market is a buzz of activity. Walking along the many stands full of colors and smells, 4-year-old Achilles Salinas stops in his tracks to touch a long, smooth green item. Grower Audrey Klukas explains that this is a zucchini and that’s a type of squash and a member of the gourd family, like a pumpkin. Klukas shares that squash come in all shapes and sizes. Achilles is fascinated, and then grabs his mother’s arm asking, “can we buy some?”

Introducing fruits and vegetables

Achilles’s mom, Sitlaly (Lali) Salinas, knows zucchini well. It’s a main ingredient in calabacitas, a classic Mexican dish of sauteed zucchini and summer squash that her son eats often. He’s just never seen a zucchini that’s not cut up. Serving veggies within dishes is a simple way to introduce children to fruits and vegetables at a young age. This is one of the many nutrition tidbits Salinas has learned through her participation in the federal Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, more commonly known as WIC.

WIC is a nutrition and breastfeeding program that helps eligible pregnant people, new parents, babies, and young children access healthy foods and nutrition support.  

Participation in WIC during pregnancy improves birth outcomes, lowers infant mortality, promotes child cognitive development, and increases the likelihood of breastfeeding. Children participating in WIC also have healthier diets.

WIC works

Salinas was first introduced to WIC when she was pregnant with her first child. What started out as a lot of questions about breastfeeding turned into a meaningful part of her learning journey as a mother.

Through her WIC nutrition check-ins, Salinas learned about healthy weight gain during pregnancy, important vitamins, how to introduce foods to her babies, and more.

“When you eat healthy, your body loves you,” said Salinas. She added that she can tell a difference not only in herself, but also by the activity and moods of her four children. When they don’t eat healthily, they all feel sluggish.

When you eat healthy, your body loves you.

Sitlaly (Lali) Salinas, mom and WIC participant

Lisa Waypa, the family health supervisor at Steele County Public Health, has been introducing families to WIC for more than 25 years. “Young families appreciate the support they get from WIC,” said Waypa. “They especially appreciate a food package with fruits and vegetables.”

She added that buying fruits and vegetables may seem obvious, but without WIC, many families would have limited exposure to these healthy foods.

Choosing super foods

Fruits and vegetables are often considered "super foods" because they are packed with nutrients that play a major role in keeping families healthy. They can lower your risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer. They are rich in many important vitamins and minerals like vitamin A, vitamin C, folate, and potassium. Plus, most fruits and vegetables are low in calories and high in fiber.

Each WIC participant has a customized, monthly supplemental food package benefit that includes milk, cheese, yogurt, eggs, whole grains, cereal, peanut butter, beans, tuna, and more. It also includes an allocation specifically for fresh, frozen, or canned fruits and vegetables. Together, these foods provide important nutrients that address common nutritional needs.

WIC families meet with nutrition professionals and nurses to talk about their health and what they are eating so staff can offer specific nutrition education and identify how they can best serve each family, including referrals to other services.  

“It’s the personalized attention we offer that makes the difference,” said Waypa. “Our team really gets to know each family’s unique situation. It’s so rewarding to help children and families grow.”

Salinas said seeing a familiar face at her WIC appointments is welcomed. Every visit, she learns something new and receives referrals to many other programs and services that have really helped, like the free car seat program.  

It’s the personalized attention we offer that makes the difference. Our team really gets to know each family’s unique situation. It’s so rewarding to help children and families grow.

Lisa Waypa, family health supervisor at Steele County Public Health

Shopping local

WIC families support the local economy as they purchase food. In Minnesota from October 2024 – September 2025, WIC cards were used to purchase $98.9 million in WIC-allowed food items at local grocery stores, with $31.8 million specifically being used for fruits and vegetables.  

Plus, WIC participants aren’t limited to only shopping at their local grocery stores. Many families are also eligible to receive WIC Farmers' Market Nutrition Program coupons in the summer to buy fresh, locally grown produce from approved farmers who are selling at authorized farmers' markets.  

“We often hear from WIC participants that fruits and vegetables are their child’s favorite foods and that they are happy for the option to use the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program,” said Waypa.

We often hear from WIC participants that fruits and vegetables are their child’s favorite foods and that they are happy for the option to use the Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program.

Lisa Waypa, family health supervisor at Steele County Public Health

Audrey Klukas from rural Owatonna has been participating in the program since 2025. Established by Congress in 1992, the WIC Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program was designed to provide fresh, unprepared, locally grown fruits and vegetables to WIC participants, and to expand the awareness, use of, and sales at farmers’ markets.  

The Minnesota Department of Agriculture has developed the Minnesota Grown program to help promote farmers’ markets and locally grown produce. The online Minnesota Grown Directory helps Minnesotans find farmers’ markets, as well as pick-your-own farms, livestock producers, meat processors, Christmas tree growers, and producers of specialty products like honey, wild rice, and cheese. The directory even allows families to search for markets that accept Farmers’ Market Nutrition Program coupons.

Nutrition support from neighbors

Klukas especially enjoys when children help their parents shop at the farmers market.

“Kids are amazed by colors and shapes,” said Klukas. “I know a lot of parents struggle with kids and picky eating, but I think sometimes it’s just the lack of ease and access for the parents.”

Most of all, Klukas says she’s happy to share what she grows with her neighbors.

Salinas says she enjoys seeing people at her market and said everyone is so friendly. The market really brings the community together around fresh food. With recipes and advice from WIC staff, she is eager to share with friends and neighbors all that she has learned and encourages others to enroll in WIC.

As the Salinas family leaves with their bag of produce, she’s already dreaming about her next nutrition adventure: learning to grow zucchini on her own.

Published July 2026