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WIC Food

October 2021

Expanded WIC Benefits For Produce Extended

2022-08-26T01:26:25+00:00October 11th, 2021|Categories: Grocery Services North, Texas WIC, WIC Food|Tags: |

Get More WIC Fruits, Vegetables Until End of Year

EXPANDED WIC BENEFITS ALERT: Texas WIC is has extended a popular expanded benefit to get even more WIC produce through Dec. 31. The extra benefits will be added to your card to redeem with your other WIC benefits.

According to TexasWIC.org the extended fruit and vegetable benefits provide the following:

  • Children get $24 (in fruit and vegetable benefits) each month
  • Pregnant, postpartum and some breastfeeding clients get $43 each month
  • Fully and partially breastfeeding clients get $47 each month

For example, if you are pregnant and have two children (ages 1-5) receiving WIC, you will get $91 ($43 mom + $24 child + $24 child = $91) each month in October, November and December to buy fruit and vegetables.

 TexasWIC.org states, “You will see this new amount on your shopping list under your benefit amount. If you already have benefits on your card for October or November, your WIC office may contact you for a time to update your benefits. Contact your local WIC office if you have any questions.”

You can use your expanded WIC benefits at any Grocery Services North location. Grocery Services North is a chain of primarily WIC grocery stores that offers an easy, hassle-free shopping experience for WIC clients. You don’t have to search aisles to find WIC-approved products. Instead, our bilingual clerks will personally help you get all the items you want. To find out how easy WIC shopping can be, visit any of our stores in Dallas, Waco, Tyler, and Longview today. Find a location near you in the link below:

https://groceryservicesnorth.com/locations/

 

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September 2021

Texas WIC Helps Displaced LA WIC Families

2022-08-26T01:47:25+00:00September 16th, 2021|Categories: Dallas, Grocery Services North, Texas WIC, WIC Food|Tags: , |

Texas WIC Helps LA WIC Families

Texas WIC helps. The organization is offering a helping hand to Louisiana WIC families displaced by Hurricane Ida. “Wherever you find yourself in Texas, WIC can help transfer your benefits, replace your lost foods and assist with breastfeeding during this time of need,” according to social media posts by WIC agencies.  To find contact information of a Texas WIC office near you, enter the zip code of your current location at https://find.texaswic.org/?wicType=Clinic&lge=a8Jwz9Jlia. Breastfeeding assistance is available 24/7 for all moms at 855-550-6667.

PRIMARILY WIC GROCERY STORES HELP 

If you would like to redeem your WIC benefits in an easy, hassle-free store you can find primarily WIC grocery stores by visiting the links below. Primarily WIC grocery stores aim to provide quality WIC-approved products in an easy, hassle-free shopping experience, allowing WIC clients to pick up all your WIC groceries in one convenient stop. SNAP also accepted. Find a primarily WIC grocery store near you with the links below.

AUSTIN

Visit LoneStarFamilyMarket.com, a chain of primarily WIC grocery stores in Austin with locations also in Round Rock and San Marcos. Visit WICaustin.net for a list of WIC clinics and primarily WIC grocery stores.

DALLAS

Visit GroceryServicesNorth.com, a chain of primarily WIC grocery stores with locations in Dallas, Waco, Tyler, and Longview. Visit WICDallas.net to find WIC clinics and primarily wic grocery stores in Dallas. 

WACO

Visit WICWaco.com for a list of WIC clinics and primarily WIC grocery stores. You can also visit GroceryServicesNorth.com You can also visit TexasWIC.net to find primarily WIC grocery stores and WIC clinics in Texas.

SAN ANTONIO

Visit JCFoodMart.com in San Antonio, a chain of primarily WIC grocery stores in San Antonio. Visit WICSanAntonio.net to find WIC clinics and primarily WIC grocery stores in San Antonio.

 

WIC helps! Thank you Texas WIC for helping LA WIC families!

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WIC & Gerber Organic Cereal

2022-08-26T00:51:35+00:00September 8th, 2021|Categories: Baby Food, Child Health, Grocery Services North, WIC Food|Tags: , , |

Redeem WIC For Gerber Organic Cereal

Redeem your WIC benefits for organic Gerber baby cereal next time you visit Grocery Services North.  All of our locations are now providing Gerber organic cereals to help you provide the best nutrition for your baby.

Organic cereals will help your little one get a healthy start to eating solid foods. It’s the #1 Pediatrician recommended brand for infant cereals and provides “essential nutrients – like iron, B vitamins, vitamins E and C, zinc and calcium,” according to Gerber. 

The organic cereal is commonly one of the first solid foods for babies to try, and is usually recommended when your baby is a supported sitter from 4-6 months. 

Grocery Services North will offer Organic Gerber Rice and Oatmeal Cereal in 8oz containers. Grocery Services North is a chain of primarily WIC grocery stores in Dallas, Waco, Tyler, and Longview that aims to provide quality WIC-approved products in an easy, hassle-free shopping experience. WIC clients can check their WIC EBT balance before they shop and bilingual clerks will help them through the entire shopping experience. Everything in the store is WIC approved.

Pick up Gerber Organic Cereal and all your WIC groceries in one convenient stop. SNAP is also accepted. Find a location near you by visiting our website.

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Need Help With Food? WIC, SNAP Can Help

2022-01-04T16:56:30+00:00September 2nd, 2021|Categories: Baby Food, Baby Formula, Grocery Services North, Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Grocery Shopping, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , , , |

Sometimes everyone needs a helping hand with their groceries. Food assistance programs – like Woman, Infant and Children (WIC) and SNAP – can offer much needed help putting food on your table so you don’t have to worry how you are going to get your next meal.

WOMAN, INFANT & CHILDREN (WIC)

Texas WIC provides free food assistance for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women and children up to age 5. The program is for Texas residents that meet  income requirements. WIC recipients get free nutrition counseling and education, breastfeeding support and food assistance to help ensure children get a healthy start. 

WIC participants get their monthly food package benefits loaded onto an ebt card that can be redeemed for WIC foods. 

Pregnant mothers may get food packages that include cereal, beans, dairy, fruits & vegetables and more. Infant children would qualify for a food package that includes baby formula and baby food. Older children would qualify for packages that include milk, eggs, cheese, bread, fruits & vegetables and more. To learn more about food packages visit WIC online. 

The program is a great tool for mothers to ensure that their babies are getting the right nutrition that they need. Afterall, baby formula is expensive, and you don’t need to worry if your little one will have enough.  Apply online at TexasWIC.org/apply.

SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)

SNAP , sometimes called a food stamp program, is a food assistance program that loads benefits onto an ebt card, used like a debit card, called the Lone Star Card, to pay for groceries. To see if you qualify, visit YourTexasBenefits.com

MAXIMIZING FOOD STAMP BENEFITS

If you qualify for both programs, understanding key differences can help you maximize your benefits. 

WIC expires at the end of each month. If not used, SNAP rolls over to the next month to be used later. To maximize food stamp benefits, use WIC benefits first. Any SNAP benefits you don’t use during the month can roll to the next month up to a year.  If you don’t use WIC benefits during the month it was issued, you lose them. To maximize all your benefits, use WIC first and roll what you don’t use for SNAP to the next month.

WIC is geared toward paying for nutritious food for growing children up to age 5. SNAP can be used for adults and older children. 

Also, some WIC clients that have both WIC and SNAP use their SNAP benefits for extra baby formula for their little ones if it is needed.

Grocery Services North can help you avoid the hassle redeeming any of your food benefits. We cater to families that need food assistance. Because our staff is familiar with food assistance programs, you won’t have any hassle at check out, and you will be in and out with nutritious food for your family in one easy stop. 

Grocery Services North stores provide all the food categories for the WIC program so you don’t have to search aisles trying to determine what qualifies for WIC. We also accept SNAP. To find a location near you, visit GroceryServicesNorth.com/locations.

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Snack With WIC: Smoothies Using WIC Foods

2023-11-10T19:53:56+00:00September 1st, 2021|Categories: Child Health, Meal Planning, Recipes, Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , , , |

Chill Out With A Refreshing Smoothie

Smoothies are a quick and easy way to get an extra dose of fruits and vegetables, making them a healthy WIC snack. They also don’t require a lot of ingredients. Gather some of your favorite WIC foods and blend away. Smoothies are a combination of fruits and/or vegetables, liquid, protein and ice (if you aren’t using frozen fruit) blended together. The fun part is that they are easy to switch up to find a fun new flavor.

SNACK WITH WIC

Some common smoothie ingredients include:

FRUITS (FROZEN OR FRESH): Bananas, Peaches, Mangos, Apples, Berries and Even Avocados

VEGETABLES: Spinach, Carrots, Celery and Cucumbers

PROTEIN: Peanut Butter

LIQUIDS: Milk, Soy Milk, Yogurt, Juice or Water (like ice if you aren’t using frozen fruit)

OPTIONAL FOR FUN: Cinnamon or Pumpkin Pie Spice There are so many WIC foods to pick from – Fruits, Veggies, Peanut Butter and Milk. Those are all super healthy WIC-approved foods you can include in your morning smoothie. The fun part is you don’t need a recipe. Use the recipe below provided by Texas WIC as a guide, but substitute any of the ingredients or combinations above to come up with new favorites. Because smoothies are packed with nutrition (and WIC ingredients) they make a great breakfast or snack for adults and kids. They are especially tasty as the long hot days of Summer approach. If you have fresh fruit you think might go bad before you eat it (like bananas or berries), just cut and put it in a freezer-safe container and store for your next smoothie.

SMOOTHIE BOWL

Smoothie bowls are a hot trend and is a fun new way to eat smoothies.

If your tot isn’t ready to drink from a straw, but is trying purees, this version might be perfect for them. If making for a child, be mindful to avoid certain ingredients (like nuts because of choking) and even peanut butter if you haven’t yet determined if they aren’t allergic. Also, skip adding the whole fruit on top.

Note: It’s best to try ingredients that a child might be allergic to one at a time instead of blending multiple items together. This is helpful so you can easily identify which food might have caused the allergy. Once a child has individually tried all the ingredients you want to add to a smoothie bowl, you should be safe. Just make sure everything is blended well. A smoothie bowl is also a fun way for adults to enjoy fruits and veggies. You can even top off your bowl with a handful of fresh berries or sliced fruit for extra texture. RECIPE FROM TEXASWIC.ORG Texas WIC offers this recipe on their website. Of course you can add more or substitute as you like:

FRUIT SMOOTHIE

1 Banana 2 cups frozen Strawberries (without added sugar)

¾ cup Milk

8 ounces low-fat Vanilla Yogurt

Tips: You can use any fruit – try mangoes, peaches or blueberries! If using all fresh fruit, try blending in ice cubes to thicken it up. You can also use 100% fruit juice or soy milk instead of milk, or even silken tofu instead of yogurt! Combine all ingredients in a blender and process until smooth. Pour into glasses and enjoy!

APPLY FOR TEXAS WIC

Texas WIC is a supplemental nutrition program for expectant mothers and their children up to age 5 who meet certain criteria. The program provides nutrition counseling and support, free monthly food packages and breastfeeding support. To find out if you may be eligible, visit TexasWIC.org to apply. Get the ingredients for your smoothie at Grocery Services North, a primarily WIC grocery store chain in Dallas, Waco, Tyler, and Longview. To find a location near you, visit GroceryServicesNorth.com/locations.

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August 2021

Prepping WIC Produce To Eat

2022-08-26T00:12:41+00:00August 17th, 2021|Categories: Grocery Services North, Recipes, Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , |

How To Care For Your Fruits & Vegetables

You picked up your fresh WIC produce from the store, but before you cook and prepare your favorite recipes it’s important to take a few steps to prepare your WIC fruit and vegetables. 

You should wash all of your produce under running water and dry with a clean paper towel as soon as you bring it home. Also, cut away any damaged or bruised areas before you eat or prepare, according to guidelines from the CDC. 

The CDC also recommends: “Keeping fruits and vegetables separate from raw foods that come from animals, such as meat, poultry, and seafood and refrigerating fruits and vegetables within 2 hours after you cut, peel, or cook them (or 1 hour if the outside temperature is 90° or warmer). Chill them at 40°F or colder in a clean container.”

If you don’t think you will eat your fresh produce before it goes bad, you can always freeze it. Frozen bananas are great in smoothies. For best results, blanch vegetables like broccoli before freezing. Place cut broccoli in boiling water for about 3 three minutes, derailed, cooled and placed in freezer bags and then freeze. 

Blanching times for vegetables vary, but there are a lots of guides, like this one, from the Texas Agricultural Extension Office.

TEXAS WIC PRODUCE CLASSES

Texas WIC currently offers two Click & Learn classes on their website that offers great information about preparing and eating fruits and vegetables. To sign up for the free classes, visit the following website and follow the instructions for taking the classes. Dallas WIC Produce

The first WIC class, Food Safety at Home teaches about:

      • Food safety practices
      • Importance of washing hands and surfaces
      • Ways to prevent bacteria from spreading
      • How to cook at a safe temperature

The second WIC online class, Follow the Rainbow with Fruits & Vegetables, covers the following topics:

      • Health benefits of eating fruits and vegetables
      • Daily fruit and vegetable recommendations
      • Tips for increasing fruits and vegetables

Texas WIC is a free nutritional education program that provides nutrition counseling, breastfeeding support and free food packages to qualifying mothers and their children up to age five. To apply for the program, apply online. 

Texas WIC is offering extended fruit and vegetable benefits through September. Individuals are receiving $35 in fruit and vegetable benefits instead of the normal $11 per person benefit. Learn more online at Texas WIC. 

Grocery Services North is a primarily WIC grocery store chain in Dallas, Waco, Tyler, and Longview that caters to WIC clients by providing an easy, hassle-free shopping experience for WIC clients. Find a location near you at GroceryServicesNorth.com/locations.

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July 2021

All About Peanut Allergies

2022-08-25T23:56:13+00:00July 12th, 2021|Categories: Child Health, Recipes, WIC Food, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , |

Experts Give Advice About Peanut Allergies

The thought of peanut allergies may stir up some nerves for parents concerned about giving peanut butter to their little ones.  With a few tips and guidelines from pros, parents can be prepared to recognize any signs of an allergic reaction. Texas WIC provides a great online resource about food allergies, including how to spot signs of a food reaction, like hives, flushed skin or rash, tingling or itching in the mouth or other body part swelling in face or tongue, vomiting or diarrhea, stomach cramps, coughing or wheezing or dizziness or difficulty breathing.  

Even though parents may want to avoid exposure to peanuts out of fear of an allergy, experts offer some advice. Early exposure to peanuts (around 6 months of age) might actually lower the chances of developing an allergy, according to research provided by The National Peanut Board.  A great way to introduce peanuts to your little one is thinned peanut butter. After all you don’t want your little one to choke on peanuts, which are not at all recommended to be given to babies or toddlers.

According to Texas WIC: you most likely do not need to avoid the common food allergens while you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Introducing a common food allergen to your baby after 6 months is okay, unless your doctor tells you otherwise. Offering foods containing ground or powdered peanuts may even lower his risk of developing an allergy. It does not increase the chance of your baby developing a food allergy.

PEANUT BUTTER IS A WIC FOOD

Peanut butter, a Texas WIC Food, is full of nutrition, including more protein than any other nut and more than 30 vitamins, minerals, fiber and good fats, according to the National Peanut Board.  To help offer up a few servings of peanut butter perfect for toddlers and adults here are a few recipes to try. Yogurt Cinnamon Peanut Butter Dip For Fruit The National Peanut Board offers great recipes online, including this one originally from rhubarbarians.com for:

FRUIT  KABOBS WITH YOGURT PEANUT BUTTER DIP

1 cup salted peanut butter* 1 cup plain yogurt 1-2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup (Omit for children 2 and younger) 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 10 large strawberries, hulled and sliced in half lengthwise 1 medium banana, peeled and sliced into 1″ slices 1/2 medium apple, cut into bite sized pieces 20 large blueberries Stir together the 1 cup of peanut butter, 1 cup of yogurt, 1 or 2 tablespoons of honey or maple syrup (depending on how sweet you’d like the dip), and the 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Set aside. Form your kabobs by piercing the fruit with the end of a skewer and sliding the fruit on. Continue adding fruit to your kabobs evenly until you have 5 full kabobs of fruit. Enjoy and have fun! Take pieces of fruit off of the kabobs and dip into the yogurt peanut butter dip. Note: If using unsalted peanut butter, add a small pinch of salt to the dip. Peanut butter is a popular WIC food.

Here is is one of our favorite recipes using peanut butter:

CINNAMON PEANUT BUTTER BANANA TOAST WIC Peanut Butter

1 slice whole-wheat bread, toasted 1 tablespoon peanut butter 1 banana, sliced Ground Cinnamon to taste Toast bread. Spread peanut butter on one side of toast. Place sliced bananas on bread in single layer. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Get all your WIC foods at Grocery Services North locations in Dallas, Waco, Tyler, and Longview. Our stores have bilingual clerks that gather all your WIC items during a one-stop shop without all the hassle of  searching for all your WIC foods.

 

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Celebrate July 4th With American Picnic Using WIC Foods

2023-11-10T19:54:05+00:00July 2nd, 2021|Categories: Meal Planning, Recipes, Texas WIC, WIC Food|Tags: , |

The heart of the summer – July 4th – is almost here. 

Grilling, cold fruit and fresh sides are the perfect ingredients for a holiday picnic. To help make your planning a little easier, here are two perfect recipes featuring WIC foods.  The first recipe will cool you off from that hot summer sun, but offers the ‘blue’ and ‘white’ for your red, white and blue menu. These little bites pair perfectly with a cold watermelon.  They may be such a hit with the kids, that you want to keep some in the freezer for the next few months. 

Texas WIC Fruit FROZEN YOGURT BLUEBERRY BITES

1 8-ounce container of Blueberries

½ cup Vanilla Yogurt

Cover a large baking sheet with wax paper. Place yogurt in a small bowl and stir. Poke blueberry one at a time with a toothpick and dip into yogurt until it is completely covered. Move blueberry from toothpick onto wax-covered baking sheet. Repeat with all blueberries. Place in the freezer for 2 hours. Remove blueberries from wax paper using a spatula. Once frozen, place all blueberries into an airtight freezer-safe bowl with lid and until ready to eat. Can store in the freezer for a few months.  Whole Wheat Pasta Salad

This next recipe is easy to add any vegetables from your refrigerator. Feel free to cut and use what you have. Substitution ideas include broccoli, olives, carrots or really anything you like.

COLORFUL RAINBOW PASTA SALAD

8 ounces of Dried Pasta (such as Rotini)

1 package of Italian Salad Dressing mix

2 Roma Tomatoes, diced

½ Onion, sliced thin

1 Zucchini squash, sliced thin

1 Yellow Squash, sliced thin

Pepper to taste

Cook pasta according to package directions and drain.  Prepare Italian seasoning mix according to directions. Mix dressing and pasta in a large bowl. Add cut vegetables. Refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. To pick up all your WIC groceries for your July 4th party, visit any Grocery Services North location in Dallas, Waco, Tyler or Longview.  Texas WIC is currently offering expanded fruit and vegetable benefits this month.  For more information about Texas WIC, visit TexasWIC.org.

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June 2021

Enroll In Texas WIC Online Class Monday

2022-08-25T23:27:28+00:00June 18th, 2021|Categories: Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Nutrition|Tags: |

Texas WIC Class Offers Up Recipe To Stay Hydrated During Summer

The hot summer months have arrived, and it’s important to keep you and your family hydrated without filling up on sugary drinks. An online Texas WIC class  has several tips to help.

Texas WIC is offering an online class Monday that offers recommendations for drinks for children, ways to drink “more water and less sugar” and how to make kid-friendly infused waters and ice cubes. 

“We’ll explore the truth behind many common drinks and demonstrate recipe ideas that are not only cool for kids, but fun for the whole family,” according to Texas WIC’s online class description.

TEXAS WIC ONLINE CLASS

The “Live Discussion and Activity on Cool Drinks for Kids” class is being offered online from 1 to 2 PM on Monday, June 21st on the TexasWIC.org website. If you would like to participate, simply register for the class using the link below:

https://classes.texaswic.org/class/de408a18-4dd4-4457-82ad-c924abd56f59

You can watch the online class with a computer, tablet or mobile device that has Internet.  

Grocery Services North is a primarily WIC grocery store chain with locations in Dallas, Waco, Tyler, and Longview. Grocery Services North makes it easy and convenient to shop for WIC groceries. We have bilingual staff that is familiar with the WIC program that can help you shop for the items you need. Find a location near a WIC clinic today on our website.

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Summertime Pasta Recipe

2024-06-13T13:15:06+00:00June 15th, 2021|Categories: Meal Planning, Recipes, Texas WIC, WIC Food|Tags: , |

Try This Recipe For Whole Wheat Pasta (A WIC Food) The Whole Family Will Love

It’s summertime. That means parents need healthy, fast, no-fuss recipes that are also kid-friendly. If you are looking for a quick meal using WIC foods, try this pasta recipe. You may find yourself using this recipe again and again this summer.  It’s easy, fast and doesn’t heat up the kitchen during those warm summer months. It’s great for lunch, dinner and makes enough for leftovers. The best part, it features several WIC foods. WIC Whole Wheat Pasta

WHOLE WHEAT PASTA AND BROCCOLI

1 16oz box of Whole Wheat Pasta, any kind (elbows, bow ties, spirals or even spaghetti)

3 cups of  Broccoli, fresh or frozen works

4 tbsp Butter

3 cloves Garlic, minced

2/3 cup shredded or grated cheese of your choice

1.5 to 2 cups of reserved Pasta water

Cooked Boneless Chicken, optional

Cook pasta according to package directions. When you have about 5 minutes remaining, add the broccoli.  Once broccoli is tender, drain water In a large colander. Use the cooking pot to melt the butter on low heat. Add minced garlic and saute for a few minutes, stirring often. Add pasta and broccoli back into the pot. Add cheese and pasta water. Stir until the cheese is mixed thoroughly. Mix in cooked, cut up, boneless chicken chunks if using. Enjoy! Find more great recipes using WIC foods on the Grocery Services North blog page. Grocery Services North helps make shopping for WIC foods easy for mothers. You can find a location near WIC clinics by visiting our locations page online. You can apply online for Texas WIC by visiting the organization’s website at TexasWIC.org.

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