Saving Money on Food

This video about WIC comes from California, but it explains how WIC Programs work in all states:
English
Spanish

The WIC program is for infants, children under the age of 5, and pregnant, postpartum, and breastfeeding women. As with SNAP, food money is transferred to a purchase card. Unlike SNAP, though, the e-WIC card can buy only certain brands of especially healthy foods: milk or yogurt, infant formula, baby food, eggs, canned tuna or salmon, cereal, fruits and vegetables, and beans or peanut butter.

See the list of approved WIC Foods here:
English
Spanish

The WIC Program that serves Polk County has an excellent website, https://happyhealthyiawic.org/. It explains exactly how you apply and what benefits and services you get.

WIC is one of the largest public health nutrition programs in the U.S. By identifying children with low hemoglobin, the WIC Program prevents iron deficiency anemia, a common cause of developmental delays. WIC dietitians give parents accurate nutrition counseling based on the recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatricians. WIC peer counselors give breastfeeding mothers counseling and support.

Women who enroll in WIC during their pregnancy tend to have fewer premature births, low-birth-weight babies, and infant deaths.

For one child, WIC provides $37 to $60 a month worth of food. For an infant taking formula, Iowa WIC currently provides about $130 a month of Enfamil. Pregnant and breastfeeding women receive $47 to $52 a month just to buy fruits and vegetables. They also get milk, eggs, juice, cereal, and whole-wheat bread.

Also, WIC participants can get an extra $30 to spend on fresh fruits and vegetables during the Farmers Market season. See https://happyhealthyiawic.org/farmers-market/about/ Change the name of this link to WIC Farmers Market.

It’s easier to get WIC than it is to qualify for SNAP. The family income can be higher. The gross annual income of a family of four could be as high as $59,478. To see the WIC income eligibility table, go to this webpage of the Iowa Food Bank.

Families with a current Medicaid card or a SNAP EBT card are eligible for WIC. They can use these cards as proof of income.

Non-citizens are welcome to apply! A person’s immigration status does not matter. WIC does not collect information about immigration or citizenship.

Apply for WIC in Polk County online.
(The online WIC application forms can be translated to any language.)

By filling out the application form online, people can choose an appointment at any one of the five WIC clinics in Polk County. Parents need to submit proof of income, address, and identity. Click here for the list of documents that can be used.

The person who is being enrolled needs to be present at the enrollment or "certification" appointment. The clinic staff needs to check the mother's or the child's height, weight, and blood iron level, or else get this information from the family's doctor.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

More than 113,000 mothers and children in Iowa are eligible for the WIC Program. Unfortunately, only about 52% participate. Why is that? For some parents, it's hard to get time off work for WIC appointments. Some lack transportation to their nearest WIC clinic. Many do not know they are eligible.

Many parents stop participation in WIC once they no longer need formula. In a recent study, these parents said they felt they should stop WIC participation as soon as possible, to "provide food for others who are really in need."

When an eligible family decides not to enroll in WIC, or stops participating while they are still income eligible, NOBODY benefits. The government gives WIC clinics funding to serve the estimated number of eligible families. When fewer parents apply to the program, the government just reduces the program's funding. Eligible families then have less money for food, grocery stores lose sales, farmers lose buyers, and WIC clinics may close.

Many parents believe they can buy enough food without WIC help. But why turn down the chance to save up to $700 a year on food for a child? The money WIC saves a family can go toward all the other things that help children thrive--clothes, childcare, books, and toys.

Besides, WIC is not just food. It’s an investment in your family’s health.

• Good customer service
  Parents often fear that a WIC clinic visit will take many hours, or that clinic staff will be rude to them. Most WIC clinics these days take pride in welcoming families. The Polk Dallas WIC program, for example, earned a 4.2 out of 5 rating on Google.

  Recent reviews:
  "Everyone was super friendly, and the new waiting room was very nice!" 

  "Helpful, very detailed on giving information, I love the amount of time it took for us to get seen, which was 9 mins, maybe a little less. Customer service friendly and approved the same day. I am Happy"

  “Probably the friendliest, most nonjudgmental people I’ve ever met. I love the ladies that work here---always willing to help and go the extra mile! Thank you so much for all you do!”

• Easier to use in the store
  In the past, parents sometimes had problems finding WIC-approved brands in the store. This is now easier to do! WIC offers a free "shopper app" for your smart phone. People just have to snap a photo of the bar code on a product to see if they can buy it with their WIC card. To find out more, go to
  English
  Spanish
• Visit clinic only once every 6 months
  Parents used to have to return to the WIC clinic every three months to attend nutrition education classes and renew the funding on their WIC e-cards. Now they can get their nutrition lessons online at whatever time is convenient for them. Go to this page to see how it works.
• More fruits and vegetables!
  
  As of Oct. 1, 2023, the monthly dollar value of fruits and vegetables that can be bought with the e-WIC card has gone up dramatically: $26 for children, $47 for pregnant and postpartum women, and $52 for fully and partially breastfeeding women.

The School Lunch program saves time and money for eligible families by providing free and low-cost lunches for their children in school. U.S. schools started providing meals for students in 1946, when it was discovered that hunger was preventing children from succeeding in school. Families with children can save $11 to $39 per month per child, or $132 to $468 per year, on groceries for their children who participate in the School Lunch Program.

These videos explain more about the National School Lunch Program:
English
Spanish

For the 2025-26 school year, all children in Des Moines public schools, regardless of income, can eat school lunches and breakfasts free of charge. No application necessary. The district aims to continue this program. For the most up-to-date information closer to the 2026-2027 school year, check the DMPS Food & Nutrition website.

In other schools in Polk County, parents can usually fill out a School Lunch application online at the school district’s website, on the “Nutrition Services” page. They may also ask for an application at the main office of their child’s school.

A child from a family of four whose parents earn up to $42,900 qualifies for free lunches every school day. A child from a family of four whose parents earn up to $61,050 qualifies for a reduced-price lunch. Check here Federal Register :: Child Nutrition Programs: Income Eligibility Guidelines to see the income eligibility table for free and reduced lunches.

Non-citizens are welcome to apply for this program.

When the school year ends and the school lunches stop, families can still get free lunches for their children through the Summer Food Service Program. This program is for any child aged 18 years or younger. There is no need to fill out applications or present an I.D. Even children too young to attend school are welcome to come. School districts sponsor summer lunches in the schools or else in community parks or apartment courtyards.

Parents can find summer food programs in their communities by contacting their school district, searching their school district’s website, or calling 211. Or they can go to the USDA Summer Meals For Kids Site Finder to find directions to nearby meal sites, their hours of operation, and contact information. This program information is usually not publicized until late May. Summer meal programs usually operate every weekday from early June to mid-August.

About 14 Community Food Pantries operate in Polk County. They can provide a family with enough free groceries to make meals for three days, once a month. To locate a pantry near you, go to the DMARC (Des Moines Area Religious Council) Find a Pantry page, or call 515-277-6969. Clients can also call 1-833-DMARC-20 (1-833-362-7220) toll free. This number is staffed by trained volunteers and staff from 9 am to Noon, Monday through Friday.

The United Way 211 website is another way to find food pantries near you. Go to https://search.ne211.org/ and type in the search box. Of course, you can simply call 211. The 211 operators can handle calls in Spanish and other languages

Find out about your local food pantry before your food is completely gone. Some pantries are open five days a week from 9 am to 5 pm. Others open only a few days for limited hours. Always call ahead, to make sure the hours haven't changed.

Arrive early. More people are likely to be waiting in line at food pantries in 2026, since qualifying for SNAP has become more difficult.

Families can eat free hot meals at a few churches and community centers in the Des Moines area. For example, at CFUM (Children and Families Urban Movement), families can join the “Supper Club.” Supper is served from 4 pm to 5 pm Monday through Friday. Volunteers from many local churches supply and prepare the food. Meal programs like this can be a help to parents who don’t always have the time and money to prepare meals every day. (To find out more about the Supper Club, click here.  (Click on the “Translate website” button for Spanish.)

To look for meal programs in your neighborhood, go to these 211.org pages:
English
Spanish

Of course, you can simply call 211. Local operators are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

A community fridge is a refrigerator in a public place that is kept stocked with free food. It’s a way to bring food to the places where people already are. In Polk County, these refrigerators can be found at public libraries, such the Altoona Library and the Franklin Avenue Library, and in apartment complexes, such as the Deer Ridge or Hill Top Apartments. To find out more about community fridges, visit the website of Eat Greater Des Moines.

English
Spanish

Focus on managing your food dollar by taking a free nutrition course! In Polk County, parents can sign up for the “Buy. Eat. Live Healthy” course at Iowa State University-Extension. In this program, parents gather in groups to learn about budget food shopping, reading food labels, and planning meals. Often, they prepare meals during class!

In Buy. Eat. Live Healthy classes, parents practice the most effective ways to save money on healthy food, including

• Menu planning
• Choosing healthy, quick recipes
• Writing shopping lists
• Using unit pricing
• Cooking vegetable-centered meals
• Avoiding food waste

Parents also have fun in these classes, sharing shopping, cooking tips, and tasting new recipes. People who complete this program save an average of $50 a month on their grocery bill.

To sign up for Buy. Eat. Live Healthy, contact Kali Angerman, kalia@iastate.edu (515) 957-5760. (This program is income based. Classes are given in English and Spanish.)

For more information, go to the ISU Extension Polk County website:
English
Spanish

Another way to learn about making low-cost healthy meals is to use “Spend Smart. Eat Smart” (SSES) interactive website from ISU Extension. Here any parent can find instructions on planning, shopping, and cooking, with videos that explain basic food skills. For example, here is a video (in English) on making a slow cooker meal.

The ISU Extension Spend Smart. Eat Smart website has 70 easy recipes that university dietitians have tested. Each recipe comes with Nutrition Facts and menu suggestions. These recipes can be downloaded in Spanish too.

Visit Spend Smart. Eat Smart.  This website can be translated into many languages with Google Translate. 

Recipe from CalFresh

The ISU Extension Spend Smart. Eat Smart. website has affordable recipes that follow the U.S. Dietary Guidelines. More low-cost healthy recipes can be found at the SNAP-Ed website and government websites in other states. These recipes have Nutrition Facts, low-cost ingredients, and easy directions. Some have videos showing how the dish is made. Use Google Translate to read these recipes in your preferred language.

Recipes from MyPlate.Gov
English
Spanish

Recipes from CalFresh Healthy Living (California)
English
Spanish

Recipes from Food Heroes (Oregon)
English
Spanish

Before going to the grocery store, take an inventory of the foods you already have at home. Then write a list of the other foods needed to make your recipes for the week. A shopping list will:

• Make the shopping trip quicker.
• Prevent impulse purchases.
• Save money!

Use a pre-printed shopping list that arranges your food items in groups, according to where they are in the store. The “Spend Smart. Eat Smart” website has a downloadable shopping list:
English
Spanish

Many people put their shopping list on their phones. This article from Good Housekeeping reviews the different shopping list apps available. Some apps are free.  (Use Google Translate to read the article in another language.)

Check the prices of the foods you want to buy before going to the store. Visit the websites of stores to see what is on sale.

Download apps that can help you find the best prices for the foods you want.

For example, the Spend Smart. Eat Smart app:
English
Spanish

Try free food price comparison apps such as Flipp, Grocery Dealz, and Basket. They help users compare grocery prices, weekly ads, and coupons across local stores in real-time. These apps allow users to create shopping lists, scan barcodes, and find the lowest prices, often resulting in big weekly savings

Also, make use of “unit pricing” when you are in the store.

Unit pricing helps people compare the prices of different sizes and brands of the same product. See this video:

English
Spanish

Go to the University of Illinois Extension website to play the “Unit Pricing Game.”

English
Spanish

These shopping habits help people spend less money in the grocery store:

• Eating a full meal before going to the store. Hungry shoppers are more likely to buy more than they planned.
• Shopping alone, if possible. Children often beg parents to buy items their parents had not planned to buy.
• Shopping quickly. The more time a person spends in a store, the more money she spends.
• Shopping for food only once or twice a week. The more shopping trips people make, the more money they spend on food and gas.
• Not buying things like cleansers or toilet tissue at the grocery store. Most non-food items are cheaper at discount stores or dollar stores.

Get more tips on saving money on groceries in this video:

English
Spanish

Not all money-saving ideas work for everyone. Watch more of these kinds of videos online to find suggestions that work for your family.