Planning Thanksgiving Recipes Helps Make Holiday More Fun

Turkey Day is almost here, and JC Food Mart is here to help you plan to make the day with your family and friends special.

Getting ready for the day can be less stressful if planning in advance. Here are some tips to help make the day full of fun.

PLANNING IS THE KEY

The most important step is planning in advance. Plan your menu, plan your shopping and plan what you can make in advance. Remember, simple is usually better.

Get all your shopping done as early as possible. One way to save time and money is by getting all your WIC foods at JC Food Mart early in the week. Click on our blog post here for our special Thanksgiving Week hours. WIC Shopping

Use your WIC fruit and vegetable allowance to pick up produce for your Thanksgiving sides: potatoes, onions, carrots, frozen vegetables and fruit just to name a few. Beans, another WIC-approved food, also make a great Thanksgiving Day side. Cheese can add excitement to a side like broccoli. Looking for a good recipe, check this one out: broccoli and cheese.

Stuffing is also a Thanksgiving Day favorite. Check out this favorite: Stuffing Recipe.

Potatoes also make very comforting side dishes. We rounded up some of our favorites here: Potato Recipes.

There are so many recipes options for creating a Thanksgiving Day menu, and they don’t have to be complicated or use 100 ingredients. Simple is usually better. Use ingredients you have to plan your menu. You can make a list on your phone or the old-fashioned way with paper and pencil. Making a list will help you make sure you have everything you need, and help plan out your recipes.

If you are looking for a few places online to find healthy, simple recipes check out these websites:

Texas WIC: Texas WIC has some great healthy recipes using WIC foods. Here are some of our favorites for Thanksgiving: Apple Crisp, Sweet Potato Balls, Citrus Glazed Carrots, Fruit Salad & Fruit Dip and Carrot Bread

Cooking Matters: This website is full of great, healthy recipes. Here are a few your family might like for Thanksgiving: Banana Pudding, baked apples and tips for cooking beans.

USDA: This website offers several recipes for Thanksgiving Day and they even have recipes for your leftovers.

SIMPLE IS BETTER

Does the thought of cooking turkey stress you out? You don’t have to cook an entire turkey. Make a small turkey breast or turkey tenderloin. They are much less intimidating and usually cost less than cooking an entire bird. Or, roast a chicken. You could also skip making a traditional Thanksgiving and opt for making your family’s favorite meal.

If you are making a turkey, check out the USDA’s tips for cooking a bird here.

ENJOY ALL THE MOMENTS

Spending time with your kids, family and friends is the best part of the day. After your meal, find time to play outside or go for a walk. It’s a great activity for the whole family. Everyone at JC Food Mart wishes you and your family a happy and safe Thanksgiving. All of our locations will be open regular hours on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving. Find a location here. We also accept SNAP. Hope to see you soon.

By |2024-11-11T08:25:02-05:00November 22nd, 2021|Categories: JC Food Mart, Meal Planning, Recipes, San Antonio, Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Grocery Shopping|0 Comments
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Let’s Celebrate National Hispanic Month

We have rounded up some great articles, history and family events to check out in celebration of the rich history that is spotlighted this month. Click on the links below to explore some of the best the web has to offer about the history, culture and food in honor of National Hispanic Month.

The Library of Congress, National Archives and Records Administration, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Gallery of Art, National Park Service, Smithsonian Institution and United States Holocaust Memorial Museum “join in paying tribute to the generations of Hispanic Americans who have positively influenced and enriched our nation and society” on this site: https://www.hispanicheritagemonth.gov/

The USDA spotlights some of the best of the culture’s foods here: https://www.usda.gov/media/blog/2018/09/25/need-reason-celebrate-national-hispanic-heritage-month-here

The US Department of Interior offers this great history video on YouTube.com, which is great for kids and adults alike: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXEVXm2l1jQ

By |2021-09-16T09:52:48-05:00September 16th, 2021|Categories: Recipes, San Antonio|0 Comments
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Texas WIC Extends Help To Displaced LA WIC Families

Texas WIC Helps LA WIC Families

Texas WIC is extending 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 

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 6 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 and Waco. Visit WICDallas.net to find WIC clinics and primarily wic grocery stores in Dallas. 

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.

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.

Thank you Texas WIC for helping LA WIC families!

By |2021-09-16T08:50:27-05:00September 16th, 2021|Categories: Baby Food, Baby Formula, JC Food Mart, Recipes, San Antonio, Texas WIC|0 Comments
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Prepping WIC Produce To Eat

How To Care For Your Fruits & Vegetables

You picked up your fresh San Antonio 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.

SAN ANTONIO 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. San Antonio 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. 

JC Food Mart is a primarily WIC grocery store chain in San Antonio that caters to WIC clients by providing an easy, hassle-free shopping experience for WIC clients. Find a location near you at JCFoodMart.com/locations.

By |2021-08-17T14:00:14-05:00August 17th, 2021|Categories: JC Food Mart, Recipes, Texas WIC, WIC Food|0 Comments
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Recipe of The Week Using WIC Foods

Veggie Open-Faced Sandwich On Whole Wheat

Using popular WIC foods, here is a twist on a classic American favorite – grilled cheese.

Texas WIC is a nutritional assistance program that provides free counseling and monthly food packages for moms and their children up to age five. The program helps ensure children get a healthy start in life. Each month WIC clients get access to FREE nutritional foods.

The recipe below uses WIC foods like whole wheat bread, cheese and vegetables. It’s a great way to get multiple healthy ingredients in one meal. Plus, it’s super easy and quick to make, something every mother will love. In a few easy steps you can have this meal ready for a weekend lunch or quick family dinner.

VEGGIE OPEN FACED SANDWICH ON WHOLE WHEAT

2 pieces of Whole Wheat Bread

Enough cheese slices to cover top of toast, use whatever flavor you like

1/2 Onion, sliced

½ Bell Pepper, sliced

1 tablespoon of Olive Oil

Add olive oil to pan on medium heat. Add sliced onions and bell pepper and cook until tender. Lay bread on baking sheet. Add cheese on top. Add cooked veggies on top of cheese. Cook in oven at 355 degrees for about 10 to 15 minutes until toast is golden brown and cheese is melted.

Get your WIC foods at any JC Food Mart location in San Antonio. JC Food Mart offers WIC Grocery shopping in 1 easy stop. The stores carry baby formula, baby food, milk, cheese, yogurt, bread, beans and produce – all in an easy shopping format so you can get everything you need without all the hassle. 

By |2021-08-13T11:15:25-05:00August 13th, 2021|Categories: Recipes, Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Nutrition|0 Comments
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WIC Food Helps Raise Healthy Babies in San Antonio

Every San Antonio 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.

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By |2021-07-20T17:04:06-05:00July 20th, 2021|Categories: Baby Food, Child Health, JC Food Mart, Recipes, Texas WIC|0 Comments
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All About Peanut Allergies

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. Afterall 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 one of our favorite recipes using peanut butter:

CINNAMON PEANUT BUTTER BANANA TOAST

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 JC Food Mart locations in San Antonio. 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.

By |2021-07-12T14:25:01-05:00July 12th, 2021|Categories: Child Health, Recipes|0 Comments
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Celebrate July 4th With American Picnic Using WIC Foods

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. 

WIC Fruits: Blueberries 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. 

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.

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad

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 JC Food Mart location in San Antonio.  Texas WIC is currently offering expanded fruit and vegetable benefits this month. 

For more information about Texas WIC, visit TexasWIC.org.

 

By |2021-07-02T08:57:37-05:00July 2nd, 2021|Categories: Meal Planning, Recipes, Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Grocery Shopping|0 Comments
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Recipes Featuring WIC Foods: Fruits and Vegetables

Family-Fun Recipes Perfect For A Picnic

Looking for something new to make? We have a few family-friendly meal ideas for recipes spotlighting a popular WIC food: fruits and vegetables. 

This month Texas WIC is offering even more fruit and vegetable benefits. Here are a few ideas to serve up recipes with some great produce you can get with those added benefits. 

This first treat is perfect for kids and adults, and it’s a great treat for the summer.

RECIPES USING WIC FOODS

Banana PopsFROZEN YOGURT BANANAS

2 Bananas cut in half in the middle of the banana

1 cup Yogurt

2 tablespoons of Maple Syrup

½ teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon

Pop sticks

Insert pop stick into bottom of banana. (see photo). Combine yogurt, syrup and cinnamon in a bowl and mix. Dip the bananas in the mixture. Lay dipped bananas onto a cookie sheet. You can add sprinkles or mini chocolate chips for added fun.  Freeze for about 6 hours or until yogurt is frozen. 

This recipe is the perfect side for any summertime meal. It’s also very easy to make. 

CUCUMBER, TOMATO & ONION SALAD

1 large Cucumber, sliced.

3 Tomatoes cut into thin wedges

1 Onion, sliced

1 cup White Vinegar

2 tablespoons of Olive Oil

¼ cup Water

1 tablespoon sugar

Salt and Pepper to taste

Combine cut vegetables into a bowl. Combine all other ingredients in another bowl and mix together. Pour the mixture over the cut vegetables and mix together. Cover and place in the fridge for a couple of hours before serving.  

Pick up your WIC groceries at any JC Food Mart location in San Antonio. We provide an easy shopping format for WIC groceries and even have bilingual staff to help you get everything you need. To find a location near you, visit us online at JCFoodMart.com/locations. To learn more about Texas WIC and how to bring WIC fruits and vegetables into your home, apply online.

By |2021-06-28T09:38:34-05:00June 28th, 2021|Categories: Recipes, Texas WIC|0 Comments
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Enroll In Texas WIC Online Class Monday

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.  

JC Food Mart is a primarily WIC grocery store chain with locations in San Antonio. JC Food Mart 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.

By |2021-06-18T11:45:26-05:00June 18th, 2021|Categories: Recipes, Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Grocery Shopping, WIC Nutrition|0 Comments
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