About Shauna Siegel

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far Shauna Siegel has created 267 blog entries.

Our Favorite Recipes for July 4th

Use WIC Foods For Festive Holiday Spread This Weekend

We searched our blog for some of the best recipes for July 4th weekend, all of them made with WIC foods. Here is a list of some recipes you might like to try. Of course, you can find even more on our blog.

You can never go wrong with fresh produce served up cold and fresh. Here are some of our favorite presentation ideas using in-season favorites like watermelon, berries and cubed cheese. Pick up all your WIC foods for a festive July 4th weekend at any JC Food Mart store near you.

Click the links below for recipes:

limeade

Refreshing Limeade

Texas WIC Fruit

Frozen Yogurt Blueberry Bites

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad

Colorful Rainbow Pasta Salad

Grilled Potatoes

Peach Salsa

Fruit Drink Sparkler

Vegetables are WIC foods

Summer Apple Salad

Yogurt Freezer Pops

Veggie Kabobs

Pinto Beans

NEW WIC CEREAL OPTION

Now Offering Avelina Instant Oatmeal

WIC clients can redeem their cereal benefits for Avelina Instant Oatmeal. This new Grocery Services North product is an easy and nutritious way to start a morning. This WIC-approved option for oats is redeemed in the cereal category, not the whole grains category, which means you can redeem your cereal benefits for even more healthy oatmeal. 

Breakfast cereal doesn’t have to be served up cold. Instant oatmeal is the perfect way to get a nice warm meal to start the day.

That’s why we’re excited to introduce you to the newest addition to the WIC cereal option, this delicious instant oatmeal. This delicious and convenient breakfast option is packed with fiber, protein, vitamins, and minerals.

One of the best things about Avelina Instant Oatmeal is that it’s incredibly easy to prepare. Simply add hot water or microwave it for a minute, stir, and enjoy. This makes it the perfect breakfast option for busy mornings, when you don’t have time to cook something on the stove. 

Visit a JC Food Mart to redeem your WIC benefits for Avelina Instant Oatmeal today.  Find a Grocery Services North store near you on our locations page.

Summer Sheet Pan Recipes With WIC Foods

Summertime is the perfect time to enjoy quick and healthy meals with your family.

A quick healthy summer meal for the entire family is just a sheet pan and a few WIC ingredients away.

One of the easiest ways to do this is to use a sheet pan and a few WIC ingredients. Simply preheat your oven, line your sheet pan with foil, and add your favorite vegetables. Season everything with salt, pepper, and your favorite herbs, and roast in the oven until cooked through. 

Sheet pan meals are not only healthy and delicious, but are also quick and easy to make. Plus, cleanup is a breeze! So next time you’re looking for a summertime meal that the whole family will enjoy, reach for a sheet pan and a few WIC ingredients. Here are a few ideas to kick-start your dinner.

For breakfast, lunch or dinner this sheet pan meal is tasty any time of day!

ROASTED VEGGIES & EGGS

Round up all your leftover vegetables you can find here are a few ideas:

Onion, chopped

Carrots, chopped 

Bell peppers, chopped

Tomatoes, quartered

Roasted Vegetables:

Toss vegetables on the pan and add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with salt and pepper. You can also add any other seasonings you may like such as a sprinkle of dried Italian Seasoning, garlic powder, onion powder or cumin. Put the vegetables on one side of the pan. Bake at 375 for about 20 to 30 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Once they are cooked, remove from the pan. Serve.

For the Eggs:

Spray pan with non-stick spray and break eggs (as many as you would like) onto a sheet pan. Cook at 425 degrees for about 5 minutes or until eggs are set and cooked to the way you like them. Place vegetables on a plate and top with egg. 

This recipe is a spin on fish and chips, and can all be done on one sheet pan. 

TUNA PATTIES AND ROASTED POTATOES

2 cans Tuna

2 potatoes, diced

1/2 onion, diced, divided

¼ cup of breadcrumbs

1 egg

Celery, chopped

Salt and pepper

Put drained tuna in a bowl. Add ½ of the onion you diced (keeping some of the potatoes). Add breadcrumbs, egg, chopped celery. Form into patties, and place on a baking sheet. Brush the top with olive oil. Place diced potatoes on the other side of the baking sheet and the remaining onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook at 400 for 15 minutes. Flip the tuna patties and cook for another 10 minutes. Serve.

Breakfast Important Meal For Expecting Moms

A woman’s body goes through so many changes during pregnancy. Mom’s, after all, are creating a life. Breakfast is an important meal for everyone, but that is especially true for pregnant women.  

Breakfast helps expecting women fuel their day, support baby’s development, help provide needed nutrition and maintain a healthy weight.

 The Texas WIC food package includes several healthy breakfast options for Pregnant women, to help support them during pregnancy, including:

  • Eggs
  • Breakfast Cereal
  • Yogurt
  • Fruits and vegetables
  • Peanut butter
  • Milk

The entire package includes more foods, check the entire package out on the Texas WIC website. If you are pregnant, apply for WIC on their website here.

 Breakfast is the first meal of the day after sleeping for roughly 8 hours. The energy boost from your first meal can help moms get the nutrition they need. Use WIC foods like milk, cereal and fruit to make this breakfast recipe, that’s really perfect any time of day.

CEREAL, FRUIT SMOOTHIE BOWL

1/2 cup of breakfast cereal

2 cups fresh or frozen berries

1 banana

½ cup milk

Toppings such as almonds, berries or cereal

Blend frozen berries, banana and milk. Blend until smooth. Pour smoothie into a bowl and top with breakfast cereal or sliced fruit. Makes 2 servings

Texas WIC Updates Income Requirements

Get your growing family the support they need with Texas WIC! 

The free program provides nutritional education, breastfeeding resources, and food packages for qualifying women and children up to age 5. And if you’re expecting, you can start as soon as you learn the good news! To qualify, check out Texas WIC’s updated income requirements for pregnant moms who reside in the state. Plus, check the link to Texas WIC below to start your application.

Start your journey toward a healthy lifestyle for you and your child with Texas WIC.

WIC INCOME REQUIREMENTS 2023

Households with the following gross yearly income per member:

  • 1 household member can qualify making up to $26,973 gross yearly income per household;
  • 2 household members up to $36,482 gross yearly income;
  • 3 household members up to $45,991 gross yearly income;
  • 4 household members up to $55,500 gross yearly income;
  • 5 household members up to $65,009 gross yearly income and
  • 6 household members up to $74,518 gross yearly income

Parents, step-parents, guardians, and foster parents of infants and children who are younger than 5 can apply.

Texas WIC can help you give your baby a healthy start with education, counseling and nutritional foods. The program provides FREE resources to help you along your pregnancy, including nutrition counseling and FREE healthy food packages to help ensure you and your baby have a healthy pregnancy. To see if you qualify for the program, apply online at texaswic.com/apply.

JC FOOD MART IS A SERVICE PROVIDER FOR THE WIC PROGRAM, NOT A PART OF THE WIC PROGRAM

Make (and Eat) The Perfect Easter Egg

Making Easter Eggs is fun for kids and adults. Here are a few tips to make the perfect eggs and recipes to use when eating them.

Making the perfect Easter eggs involves a combination of boiling the eggs correctly, preparing a dye solution, and then decorating them creatively. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create beautiful and festive Easter eggs:

Boiling the eggs

  •         Place the eggs in a single layer in a large saucepan.
  •         Cover the eggs with cold water, about an inch above the eggs.
  •         Bring the water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat.
  •         Once boiling, remove the saucepan from heat and cover with a lid.
  •         Let the eggs sit for 10-12 minutes.
  •         Transfer the eggs to a bowl of ice water to cool them down and stop the cooking process. Leave them in the ice water for at least 5 minutes.

 Preparing the dye solution

  •       Choose your desired food coloring or natural dyes (such as beet juice, turmeric, or red cabbage).
  •       In a small bowl or cup, mix 1/2 cup of boiling water, 1 tablespoon of white vinegar, and 10-20 drops of food coloring (or the equivalent amount of natural dye).
  •       Stir the dye solution until the color is evenly mixed.

Dyeing the eggs

  •       Use a spoon or egg dipper to lower a cooled egg into the dye solution.
  •       Let the egg soak in the dye for 5-10 minutes, or until the desired color is achieved. The longer the egg is submerged, the deeper the color will be.
  •       Carefully remove the egg from the dye and place it on a drying rack or paper towel-lined plate to dry.

 Decorating the eggs

  •       You can use a variety of tools and materials to decorate your Easter eggs, such as markers, stickers, glitter, or paint.
  •       For a simple design, you can use a white crayon to draw patterns on the eggshell before dyeing, which will create a resist effect and leave the drawn areas white.
  •       You can also use rubber bands, tape, or stencils to create patterns and shapes on the eggs.
  •       If you want to add more colors, repeat the dyeing process with different colors and let each layer dry in between.

 Displaying your Easter eggs

  •         Once the eggs are completely dry, you can place them in a decorative basket, egg cups, or create an Easter egg tree by hanging them with colorful ribbons.

 Remember to be creative and have fun experimenting with different colors and designs. Happy Easter!

Once you have boiled Easter eggs, there are many delicious recipes you can make with them. Here are some ideas:

 DEVILED EGGS

6 boiled Easter eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon mustard

Salt and pepper to taste

Paprika for garnish

Cut the eggs in half lengthwise, remove the yolks and place them in a bowl. Mash the yolks with a fork, then mix in the mayonnaise, mustard, salt, and pepper. Spoon or pipe the mixture back into the egg whites. Sprinkle with paprika and serve chilled.

 EGG SALAD

6 boiled Easter eggs

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon mustard

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons chopped red onion

Salt and pepper to taste

Chop the eggs and mix them with the mayonnaise, mustard, celery, and red onion. Season with salt and pepper. Serve on bread, toast, or with crackers.

AVOCADO EGG SALAD

Avocado egg salad is a delicious and creamy twist on the classic egg salad. It’s a perfect option for a light and healthy lunch or snack. Here’s a simple recipe to make avocado egg salad:

6 boiled eggs, chopped

2 ripe avocados, diced

1/4 cup mayonnaise (optional)

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro or parsley

Juice of 1/2 lemon or lime

Salt and pepper, to taste

In a large mixing bowl, mash the diced avocados with a fork until they reach your desired consistency. You can leave it chunky or make it smoother, depending on your preference.

Add the mayonnaise (if using) to the mashed avocados and mix until well combined. The mayonnaise will add creaminess to the salad, but you can skip it for a healthier version or substitute it with Greek yogurt.

Gently fold in the chopped boiled eggs, red onion, celery, and cilantro or parsley. Make sure all the ingredients are well distributed throughout the mixture.

Squeeze the lemon or lime juice over the salad, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Mix well to ensure the flavors are evenly combined.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the avocado egg salad for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld together.

Serve the avocado egg salad on its own, with crackers, on toast, in a sandwich, or on a bed of lettuce. Enjoy this creamy and flavorful twist on a classic egg salad recipe!

Note: Avocado egg salad is best consumed the same day it is prepared, as the avocado may start to brown over time.

 COBB SALAD

4 cups chopped romaine lettuce

2 boiled Easter eggs, chopped

1 avocado, diced

1/2 cup cooked, crumbled bacon

1/2 cup diced cooked chicken or turkey

1/2 cup diced tomatoes

1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese

Your favorite dressing

Arrange the lettuce on a large plate or platter. Top with rows of chopped eggs, avocado, bacon, chicken, tomatoes, and blue cheese. Drizzle with your favorite dressing and serve.

 POTATO SALAD

4 cups cooked, cubed potatoes

4 boiled Easter eggs, chopped

1/2 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup chopped pickles

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1/4 cup chopped celery

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Salt and pepper to taste

Combine the potatoes, eggs, mayonnaise, pickles, red onion, celery, and parsley in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

 Enjoy these delicious recipes!

 

Visit Today To Pick-Up WIC-Approved Formula

WIC-Inspired Recipes For Family Dinner

Shepherd’s Pie Is Budget-Friendly, Nutritious Family Favorite

This shepherd’s pie is so tasty, you’ll forget that it’s meatless! This recipe is sure to be a new comfort food staple, and a great way to get your veggies in and use up any leftover mashed potatoes, or potatoes you may have lying around the kitchen.

VEGETABLE SHEPHERD’S PIE

1 tablespoon olive oil

½ cup diced onion

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 ½ cups diced mushrooms

1 stalk thinly sliced celery

1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

½ cup chicken broth

2 cans mixed vegetables, drained

3 cups of mashed potatoes

½ cup shredded cheese

Seasonings: Paprika, Thyme, Black Pepper

Bring olive oil to medium high heat in a skillet then add onion and garlic, cook for about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and celery, then worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, chicken broth, and spices. Stir and cook for about 10 minutes. Add canned vegetables, stir gently and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Transfer to an 8 x 8 baking dish and spread evenly in the pan, flattening as you go. Add mashed potatoes on top & spread evenly.  Top with your choice of cheese and herbs if you like!

Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until light golden brown. 

Allow to cool, and serve. Makes 4 – 6 servings.

 

 

Go to Top