Purpose: This study aims to examine the relationship between cash value benefit (CVB) redemption outcomes in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) across food processing types and socio-demographics.
Design: Cross-sectional and panel analyses.
Setting: Virginia.
Subjects: 98,067 Virginia WIC households.
Measures: CVB redemption rate.
Results: The predominant share of CVB redemption was for fresh produce (77.3%). Non-Hispanic whites and blacks redeemed a smaller share of fresh produce than Hispanic participants (P < .001). Non-Hispanic black WIC households have a significantly lower CVB redemption rate than non-Hispanic white WIC households (β = -.008, P < .001). Households with a child participant tend to have a higher redemption rate (β = .01, P < .001). The redemption rates of fruits and of vegetables were positively correlated with household size.
Conclusions: Minority status and household size were significantly related to CVB redemptions among Virginia WIC participants.
Keywords: WIC program; benefit redemption; food security; fruit and vegetable consumption; low-income consumer.