Food cost is the least of my worries: a qualitative study exploring food and beverage purchasing decisions among parents enrolled in the WIC program

Abstract

ABSTRACTAddressing barriers to the Women, Infants and Children [WIC] food purchasing experience may lead to interventions to help manage WIC food costs; allowing more qualified families to enroll in WIC without compromising costs. To examine factors that influence food purchasing decisions among WIC participants, an inductive approach was used to identify themes in qualitative data gathered from semi-structured interviews and focus groups. Twenty-six parents, from WIC clinics and childcare centers in the Southeast Region, participated in this study. Meal planning, store selection, price consideration, and voucher usage, all emerged as themes related to WIC food purchasing behavior among this sample.