WIC Nutrition

July 2021

WIC, Pregnancy and FREE Nutrition Help

2022-08-26T00:05:03+00:00July 29th, 2021|Categories: Pregnancy, Texas WIC, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , , , , |

Pregnancy, WIC Go Hand and Hand

Are you pregnant, and need a helping hand with your baby? Mothers can get nutrition help for free from Texas WIC program.

It’s a great resource for qualifying expecting moms and moms of children up to age 5. The program provides nutrition education and free monthly food packages for expecting mothers.

So what’s included in the WIC package? WIC provides pregnant mothers with access to healthy foods like fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, dairy products, and protein. They also offer nutrition education to help you make healthy choices for yourself and your baby.

Once your baby arrives, they also provide breastfeeding support, nutrition counseling, and even free formula for your baby. The good news is you can apply for the FREE nutrition assistance before your baby arrives.

EXPECTING MOTHERS CAN APPLY FOR  NUTRITION HELP FROM TEXAS WIC

If you would like to apply to the program, visit TexasWIC.org/apply to find out if you qualify.

EASY WIC SHOPPING DURING PREGNANCY AND BEYOND

Let Grocery Services North show you how easy WIC grocery shopping can be. The primarily WIC grocery store chain helps WIC clients get all their WIC groceries in one easy, hassle-free stop. Locations in Dallas, Waco, Tyler, and Longview are located near WIC clinics for convenient access.  Find a location at groceryservicesnorth.com

WIC Nutrition Help

 

WIC Food Helps Raise Healthy Babies in Texas

2022-08-26T00:01:30+00:00July 20th, 2021|Categories: Texas WIC, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , , , |

Every Texas mom wishes for a healthy baby. A free Texas program – Texas WIC – is helping moms have healthier babies while from the time they learn they are pregnant. 

Pregnant moms who meet certain guidelines (see below for guidelines) can qualify for the Texas Woman, Infant and Children (WIC) program. The program is a free nutritional counseling program to help mothers get the nutrition their babies need to be healthy. 

The program offers free nutritional guidance, support and free monthly nutritional food packages. Each WIC participant receives an ebt card that is loaded each month to help mothers get healthy food packages that are customized to their needs.

 Pregnant mothers receive credits on their ebt card for certain foods – such as cereal, eggs, cheese, peanut butter, low fat milk whole grails and fruits & vegetables –  that help them get the right nutrition while they are expecting. You can learn more about these food packages on WIC’s website.

(more…)

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.

 

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.

Grocery Services North Now Offering New WIC Products

2022-08-25T23:25:10+00:00June 7th, 2021|Categories: Grocery Services North, Recipes, Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Grocery Shopping, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , |

Take Home These Great New Products Today! Grocery Services North is now offering several new fruit and vegetable options in our stores. Texas WIC is also offering $35 fruit and vegetable benefits per eligible person starting June 1 through September. ( Learn more about these expanded fruit and vegetable WIC benefits in this blog post.) The added WIC benefits means moms can take home even more produce each month,  including these products that are already in our stores in Dallas, Waco, Tyler, and Longview.  Grocery Services North’s new WIC products (fruit and vegetable product)  can help moms get healthy, quick meals on the table for their family.  Here is a look at the items you can now take home, including a few ideas about how to serve them up on your kitchen table.  Dole Spring MixDole Spring Mix Bags This delicious salad mix is perfect for a quick meal during the summer. Mix in more fresh fruits and vegetables like bell peppers, tomatoes, onions and fresh apples or oranges for a very healthy and super fast summer meal. Best Choice Yellow Cling Diced Peach Cups  Best Choice Peach Cups These peach cups are the perfect side or snack. Place the cups in the refrigerator for a cool treat on a hot summer day. They are also the perfect topping for a nice bowl of oatmeal.  Plus, kids love them! Best Choice Halved PearsBest Choice Canned Halved Pears These canned pears are so versatile. Eat them plain or in a delicious recipe. Check out these 5 recipes for canned pears from the USDA, including how to turn canned pears into “Pear Party Salsa,” a “Pear Quesadilla,”  a “Cobb Salad with Pears” and “Frozen Pear Pops.” The possibilities are endless.  Frozen Sliced Peaches Frozen Peaches Not many foods offer up the taste of summer like a peach. These frozen peaches can be turned into a delicious smoothie. Add a handful of frozen peaches, yogurt, milk and ice cubes into a blender and mix and you have a nice cold treat in a glass.  Frozen Seasoning BlendBest Choice Frozen Seasoning Blend There isn’t a better short cut to dinner than these frozen mixed vegetables. Add them to almost any dinner for a quick shortcut with added flavor. They can be added to pasta dishes, rice and beans for a flavor power punch without having to do all the vegetable dicing on your own.   Visit a Grocery Services North location today to easily pick up all your WIC groceries. Our hassle-free WIC grocery shopping experience gives mom’s more of what they need the most, time. You can find our locations conveniently located near WIC clinics. Visit us online to find one near you. 

May 2021

3 Reasons To Join Texas WIC

2022-08-25T22:12:02+00:00May 20th, 2021|Categories: Baby Food, Baby Formula, Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , , , , , , |

WIC Program Helps Mothers Raise Healthy Babies

Texas WIC can be a mother’s best friend. Many moms and their children across Texas are benefiting from this nutritional supplement program aimed at getting babies off to a healthy start. It’s a FREE program for eligible mothers and their children up to age 5.

If you haven’t heard about this amazing program or aren’t sure of it’s benefits, we are giving you our top 3 reasons to Join Texas WIC:

WIC for Mothers

1. MOTHER’S HEALTH

There are few better ways to help a baby grow healthy than by helping an expecting mother with nutrition and health. A healthy mother can help create a healthy baby. That’s why the program is open to pregnant women.

The Texas WIC program helps mothers with nutrition counseling and guidance along the way. There are so many health considerations to make once you become pregnant: What should I eat? Should I exercise? How much? Am I getting the right nutrients? It can all be a lot to take in for any mother, but Texas WIC nutritionists can be there along the way to help you make healthy choices.

One of the best parts is that Texas WIC provides free, nutritious food package supplements each month to help you eat healthy in order to give the baby (and you) the nutrition you need during pregnancy.

Once the baby arrives, they are also there for support. WIC experts help with breastfeeding guidance and nutrition support for your child up to age 5. That means there is help for so many of the concerns you have as a new mother, like: “Am I feeding my baby the right way and enough” Texas WIC offers FREE counseling and guidance to so many of these health questions.

2. YOUR CHILD’S HEALTH WIC for babies

Texas WIC is an amazing gift for your child. The program ensures that your baby doesn’t go without healthy nutrition. Aside from breastfeeding support, Texas WIC even pays for baby formula (which can be very expensive). If your baby needs a special baby formula, it will pay for that too with a doctor’s prescription. As the child gets older, the free monthly food package changes with your child’s needs.

Keeping your child fed with the right nutrition isn’t the only support you will get. Texas WIC also offers free counseling and guidance to help make sure your baby is growing healthy. There are even free online nutrition classes.

WIC groceries3. JOIN TEXAS WIC FOR FREE NUTRITIONAL FOOD

There is no better benefit than free, nutritious food for you and your baby. Knowing your baby is getting the nutrition they need is enough to calm almost any anxious mother. The best part is that it’s free to qualifying mothers and their babies.

Each month Texas WIC will load benefits onto an ebt card. WIC clients can use this card to redeem their benefits for WIC foods at stores. The food benefits will change as your baby grows and has different needs. The food packages can cover everything from baby formula and baby food to milk, cheese, yogurt, beans, whole wheat bread, tortillas and pasta and fresh fruits and vegetables.

To make it even easier, Grocery Services North locations are open near Dallas, Waco, Tyler, and Longview area WIC clinics to help WIC clients redeem their benefits in an easy shopping format. Grocery Services North stores are not affiliated with WIC – but are a Primarily WIC grocery store – which means they mostly carry only WIC-approved items. At Grocery Services North, WIC clients don’t have to go searching for WIC items in the store. Instead, they simply walk up to a counter where a staff member will walk them through the shopping process for getting their WIC groceries. It’s a super easy and convenient way to get your WIC groceries.

JOIN TEXAS WIC TODAY

Want to find out if you qualify for Texas WIC? The program is open to pregnant women, breastfeeding women, infants and families with children under age 5. There are also income requirements to qualify for the program. If you would like to join Texas WIC, you can start your application today by visiting: https://texaswic.org/apply

You may soon learn what so many families already know: Texas WIC can be a mother’s best friend.

Happy Cinco De Mayo!

2023-11-10T19:55:49+00:00May 5th, 2021|Categories: Meal Planning, Recipes, WIC Food, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , |

Celebrate Cinco De Mayo With WIC Inspired Recipes

There’s no better reason to throw a dinner party for your family than Cinco De Mayo. To make your party perfect, we have rounded up a list of ideas for a festive family meal at home, including Cinco De Mayo WIC-inspired recipes!  Using key WIC ingredients, your family celebration will be healthy and delicious.  Plus, you don’t have to leave the house to feel you have escaped to the perfect party venue. You can turn your dining table into the perfect escape.

Here are 3 tips to make your Cinco De Mayo fiesta perfect:

GET THE KIDS INVOLVED

  1. Make a fun tablescape and decor for your home. Add lots of colors! You can even get the kids to help. Search online for instructions and inspiration to make everything from plastic egg maracas to tiny pinatas made out of toilet paper rolls and decorated with tissue paper. Here is a link for instructions for an example of the pinatas. These homemade table centerpieces are also very festive. The ideas are as endless as your imagination.

MAKE SIMPLE RECIPES WITH WIC FOODS

  1. Keep your menu simple. The party is always more perfect when there isn’t a ton of work. Simple recipes that can be made in advance (like the fruit salsa recipe below) are the perfect way to celebrate Cinco De Mayo (which falls in the middle of the week). The pinto bean salsa recipe below is also super simple and quick to make.

FIESTA!

  1. Don’t forget to enjoy yourself.  The best part about a party (even if it’s for immediate family) is to remember to have fun. Don’t stress about the details On that note, let’s get the party started with this fun Fruit Salsa Recipe. Here are a few Cinco De Mayo WIC inspired Recipes to try:

Cinco De Mayo

FRESH FRUIT SALSA

1 cup mango (peeled and chopped)

 1 cup diced pineapple 

1/2 cup diced red pepper 

1 roma tomato, seeded and chopped

 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro 

2 tablespoons diced onion

 2 tablespoons lime juice

 1 tablespoon lemon juice 

1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped (0ptional) 

Put all ingredients in a bowl. Refrigerate for a few hours before serving.  

Salsa Pinto Beans

Here is a great recipe from the USDA’s My Plate for Salsa Beans:

Salsa Pinto Beans

1 tablespoon olive oil (or canola oil)

 1 onion (medium, chopped) 

1 clove garlic (minced, or 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder) 

2 cans pinto beans (15 ounces each, drained and rinsed)

 1 cup of mild salsa

 Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook until tender. Stir in the beans and salsa. Cook for 10 minutes. 

Source: Maryland Food Supplement Nutrition Education program, 2009 Recipe Calendar.

 SHOP FOR CINCO DE MAYO WIC INSPIRED RECIPE FOODS

Get your WIC foods at Grocery Service North in one easy stop to the store. To find a store near you, visit our location page online. Interested in joining Texas WIC? You can get your application started online. For more recipes spotlighting WIC foods, visit our blog.

WIC FOOD: Avocados Popular With Kids, Adults

2023-11-10T19:54:11+00:00May 4th, 2021|Categories: Meal Planning, Recipes, WIC Food, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , |

Spotlight: WIC, Avocados + Recipes

Avocados might be one of the most versatile fruits at the store.   They can shine in a wide range of recipes, like the all-time fan favorite: guacamole. This popular fruit can also be a star ingredient in everything from tuna salad to pasta. It’s even hard to find another fruit that tastes better eaten plain. It’s no wonder why they are so popular with kids and adults alike. Avocados can take standard recipes and elevate them to a new level (like a lunch wrap or even a grilled cheese) or can add a little extra pizazz to a standard family favorite like tacos or even eggs.   Because they are loaded with nutrition, it’s a good reason to mix them into breakfast, lunch or dinner. Unlike most other fruits, they are packed with monounsaturated fatty acids and may help reduce cholesterol levels. They are also full of fiber, potassium and other nutrients.   But like all fruits, avocados are also a WIC-approved food. If you haven’t used your WIC benefits to pick up this versatile, nutritious fruit, we are going to give you a few more reasons (or recipes) to pick them up next time you visit Grocery Services North. One popular avocado recipe having a moment in the online spotlight are baked avocado egg boats. If you haven’t tried this yet, it’s a fun recipe for kids and adults alike. Of course, like any recipe, it’s easy to make adjustments to add toppings you love. We will add a few variation options into our recipe for you to consider.  Avocado Egg Boat    

BAKED AVOCADO EGG BOATS

2 avocados, ripe and ready to eat 4 eggs ¼ cup grated cheese of your choice Salt, Pepper to Taste Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Wash avocados and cut in half. Remove the seeds. Remove about a tablespoon from each half from the center of each avocado. Reserve the scooped out inside for another recipe like guacamole or to spread on a sandwich. Put avocado halves in a baking dish. In a separate bowl, crack eggs. Spoon 1 yolk into each avocado half. Add some of the egg white to fill the avocado halves. Bake until whites are set and yolks are not running (about 20 to 25 minutes). You can cover with foil if avocados begin to brown toward the end of cooking. Top cooked avocados with grated cheese of your choice and salt and pepper. Enjoy! FUN OPTIONAL TOPPINGS: Sauteed diced bell peppers, sauteed diced onions, salsa, chopped green onions or cilantro or even crumbled bacon bits can be added at the end to top of this delicious recipe. This is a perfect recipe to change up each time to find your favorite combo. 

AVOCADO TOAST 3 WAYS

Avocado toast is a very popular way to eat avocados. Spread it all over your whole-wheat toast for an amazing snack, breakfast or lunch. But if you want to change it up a bit are a few variations you might want to try:

  1. Add a cooked egg (anyway you like it – boiled, over easy or scrambled) Eggs and Avocado toast are a great combo.
  2. Fresh, sliced tomatoes is another great addition. Add a few slices and sprinkle with your favorite seasoning (salt, pepper or even a dried Italian mix .
  3. Add a salad on top. Mixed greens, sliced cucumbers, which add crunch and texture. This combination is great on a hot summer day. It’s an easy, healthy meal.

Shop for avocados and other WIC foods at Grocery Services North. Find locations and products on our website. To apply for Texas WIC, visit them online at TexasWIC.org.

April 2021

4 Healthy Lunches With WIC Foods

2023-11-10T19:54:19+00:00April 21st, 2021|Categories: Recipes, WIC Food, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , |

Looking for new, healthy lunches using WIC foods? We have 4 new recipes to help make your lunch a little more exciting.

These easy and quick, less-fuss recipes are easy to make and perfect for prepping early in the week to make your lunches easy and fast to grab. Afterall, nobody wants to waste precious time during the week fussing over cooking. If you are meal prepping, consider our notes at the end of each recipe to help make it even easier.

The best part about all these recipes is they are easily adjustable to add or subtract some of your favorite ingredients to make it perfectly yours. Here are 4 lunches with WIC foods:

Rice Bowl

VEGGIE RICE BOWL

1 Cup Brown Rice, cooked

1/2 Cup Sliced Cucumbers

1 Sliced Tomato

Sliced Onion

1 Avocado

1/2 cup Cooked Green Peas

2 teaspoon Olive Oil

Juice from a Lemon or Lime

2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice according to package directions. Put cooked rice in a large bowl. Slice all vegetables and add to the bowl with the rice. Make a dressing in a separate bowl by combining olive oil, lemon or lime juice and dijon mustard. Mix dressing into the rice and vegetable bowl. Add salt and pepper to taste. Makes 2 bowls. Enjoy!

MEAL PREP TIP: To make this recipe faster, prep the dressing in advance and store in the refrigerator. You can also pre-cook the rice and store in the fridge. Slice and dice cucumbers, tomato and onion (along with cooked peas) when prepping and store in the refrigerator. Add avocado right before eating.

Stuffed Peppers

BEAN & VEGGIE STUFFED PEPPERS

4 Bell Peppers

1 tablespoon of Olive Oil

1/2 cup Onion, Diced

½ cup of Corn, optional

1 15 oz can Black Beans, drained and rinsed

2 cloves Garlic, minced

1 tsp Cumin

1/2 tsp Chili Powder

1 8 oz can of Tomato Sauce

1 cup cooked Brown Rice

1 cup of Cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove tops from peppers. Scoop out and clean the inside of the peppers. Saute onions in olive oil until they are tender. Add garlic and continue cooking for another minute. Stir in mashed black beans, cooked corn, cumin and chili powder. Add tomato sauce and cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat and stir in cooked rice. Fill peppers with the mixture and place inside a baking dish. Top each pepper with shredded cheese and bake for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted.

MEAL PREP TIP: This meal can be cooked a day in advance and stored in the fridge. Reheat before serving.

Tuna Salad Wrap

LETTUCE TUNA SALAD WRAPS

¼ cup diced Bell Pepper

¼ cup diced Cucumber

¼ cup diced Onion

1 can of Tuna, drained

¼ cup of Mayonnaise

Salt and Pepper to taste

4 large torn Lettuce Leafs

Mix all ingredients together in a medium size bowl. Chill before serving. Scoop desired amount of tuna salad into a large lettuce leaf and roll up. Enjoy!

MEAL PREP TIP: Tuna can be made and stored in the fridge for a few days.

Avocado Toast

AVOCADO, BOILED EGG ON WHOLE WHEAT TOAST

1 slice of Whole Wheat Toast

1 Egg, boiled

½ Avocado, mashed

Salt and pepper to taste

Boil egg in water for 10 minutes, until cooked. Drain, rinse and cool before removing shell and slice. Mash the inside of avocado and spread onto toast. Place sliced boiled egg on top of avocado toast. Season with salt and pepper and serve.

MEAL PREP TIP: Boil egg in advance and store in fridge.

Interested in joining Texas WIC? Apply online at TexasWIC.org. Shop Grocery Services North to easily pick up WIC groceries. Learn more about the products Grocery Services North offers. Also, learn more about Grocery Services North online.

WIC Food: Pineapple

2023-11-10T19:54:28+00:00April 12th, 2021|Categories: Recipes, Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , |

Anyway you cut it, pineapple is a delicious WIC food.

“Be a pineapple,”  as the popular social media meme goes,  “stand tall, wear a crown and be sweet on the inside.” 

Pineapple is super sweet on the inside. It’s also a nutritious, delicious WIC food.  Pineapple is a tropical fruit that is good in savory and sweet recipes. Pineapple on a pizza, shining inside a salsa or in a stir-fry is perfectly sweet and savory. Pineapple in a smoothie, a salad,  a yogurt topping, or even as a juice helps showcase this fruit’s sweet side. Grilled pineapple – either one part of a fruit and veggie kabob or plain –  is a perfect spring or summer treat.  Don’t let this fruit intimidate you. It’s rough outside and the large crown doesn’t mean this fruit is hard to cut. It’s actually pretty easy and the nutrition benefits and taste make it well worth the effort.  (more…)