Exciting News!
Ways WIC Helps Moms, Babies
Mothers only want the best for their babies, and that usually starts with the news you are expecting. Luckily for qualifying Texas residents there is a program that helps mothers make sure their nutritional needs are being met to help ensure the best healthy start for their babies. Texas WIC offers nutrition education, free supplemental foods and support for moms and babies.
Here are some of the best ways Texas WIC offers help to expecting moms and moms with children up to age 5.
- WIC provides supplemental foods to qualifying pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women.
- WIC helps to improve the health of pregnant women and their babies. That includes providing baby formula to babies in need.
- WIC provides nutrition education and counseling to help participants make healthy food choices.
- WIC helps participants access other social services.
- WIC has been shown to reduce the incidence of low birth weight babies, according to studies on USDA’s website.
If you want to learn more about Texas WIC, visit their website at texaswic.org. You can also apply on online at texaswic.org/apply.
For easy WIC grocery shopping, visit JC Food Mart stores in San Antonio. Bilingual clerks help WIC clients get all their WIC foods in one easy stop. There are 10 stores throughout San Antonio. Visit today to find out how easy WIC shopping can be. Find a store near you at jcfoodmart.com/locations
Product Spotlight: Nicho’s Best Soup Mix
All The Vegetables You Need To Make Homemade Soup In One Bag!
If you are looking for an amazing family meal this winter, pick up Nicho’s Best Soup Mix at JC Food Mart.
This soup mix comes with fresh vegetables to make a hearty, homemade soup for your family. Inside the bag are the fresh vegetables you need to start your soup: cabbage, carrots, potato, celery, squash, corn and bell pepper.
Cut and dice these veggies to start the base of your homemade soup. Add water, and any additional spices and seasonings you like to make it your own. Add any combination of your favorite soup flavors, including any rinsed and drained canned beans, peppers, canned tomatoes or sauces, garlic, garlic powder, Italian seasonings, cumin, salt and pepper.
Your homemade soup will definitely be a family favorite.
Pick up your Best Soup Mix at any JC Food Mart in San Antonio. JC Food Mart makes it easy to redeem all your WIC benefits in one easy stop. Find a location near you, and visit today!
WIC Inspired Recipe
Lemon Alfredo Bowties with Tuna & Peas
1 lb whole wheat pasta
1 cup frozen peas
2 cans tuna
Juice from ½ lemon
(Add lemon zest to bring out more lemon flavor)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 ½ cups whole milk
½ stick butter
1 ¼ cup shredded parmesan cheese
(Mozzarella works great too – Just be sure not to use pre-shredded cheese!)
¼ cup flour
Season with pepper, onion powder, & oregano to your taste
Boil pasta with 1 tablespoon of salt for 10-12 minutes, or suggested cook time on package.
Drain & set aside. In the same pot, heat olive oil at medium high heat and add minced garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes, or until golden. Add tuna and break up into smaller pieces. Add lemon zest and lemon juice, cook for 3 minutes, then add butter and half of the shredded cheese. Slowly add in milk and flour, while stirring well. Turn the heat down to medium and bring to a simmer while stirring often. Add in peas, and the other half of the shredded cheese. Cook for about 5 more minutes, stirring often, then turn off the heat. Slowly mix in the pasta.
Top with more shredded cheese if you like!
Enjoy!
Quick, Easy Family Meal Features Whole Grains
Whole grains are a great source of nutrition. Texas WIC features several approved-foods that offer whole grains. This recipe for Pasta with Peas from the “staff favorites” from the Whole Grain Council is a super easy, quick meal that can be made in 15 minutes for the entire family. Find more recipes like this one on their website.
Pasta with Peas
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1 cup frozen peas
12 ounces whole wheat pasta
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, thinly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and break linguini in half and cook according to package directions.
While the pasta is cooking, combine the eggs and cheese in a small bowl, beat, and set aside. Put peas in a strainer, rinse under hot water, and set aside.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the onion and sauté for several minutes, until it softens. Add the peas to the skillet and cook for about one minute longer.
Drain the pasta and add to the skillet. Toss gently to mix. Create a well in the center, add the eggs and cheese, and cook until they are starting to firm up. Toss with the pasta and cook for another 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve hot.
Let’s celebrate whole grains!
September is Whole Grains Month!
Whole grains are an important part of a healthy diet. Texas WIC food packages also include whole grains, including brown rice, whole wheat bread and tortillas, corn tortillas, oatmeal and whole-wheat pasta.
Health experts recommend including whole grains in our diets because they can help “reduce risks of heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and obesity,” according to the Oldways Whole Grains Council.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends that at least half of all the grains you eat are whole grains. If you’re like most people, you’re not getting enough whole grains — so see how to make whole grains a part of your healthy diet.
Grains can be either whole or refined. Whole grains have the entire grain kernel, and include whole-wheat flour, oatmeal and brown rice to name a few. Refined grains remove fiber, iron and some vitamins. Examples include white flour, bread and rice.
In honor of whole grains month, here is a recipe to try:
Whole-Grain Tuna Rice Cakes
1 can tuna, undrained
2 cups cooked rice
1/4 cup finely chopped celery
1 Tbsp finely chopped onion
1 slice of whole wheat bread, shredded or crumbled
Dash or two of ground black pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
In a medium-sized bowl, combine the tuna with its liquid, rice, celery, onion, bread and pepper. Stir in the eggs and mix well. Form mixture into 4 patties using about ¼ cup mix for each. Heat oil in a pan over medium high heat. Add patties and brown on each side. Enjoy!
Get all your WIC foods at JC Food Mart in one easy stop. JC Food Mart is a chain of grocery stores that caters to WIC clients. There are 10 locations in San Antonio. Visit today!
Labor Less This Holiday Weekend
Make Ahead Recipes Perfect For Enjoying Time With Your Family
All moms need a break.
Labor Day is the perfect time to take a break from all the extra things you normally do – like extra cooking – and enjoy a special moment with your family.
Feeding your family can sometimes seem like an all-day event. Mom’s know that kids always seem hungry, and if you aren’t making breakfast, it’s a snack (or two) and then dinner. Mom’s also need a break. That’s why we have come up with a super easy holiday weekend menu that lets moms take a break and enjoy the holiday.
Pick a few of these recipes below to make ahead of time, giving you extra time to spend with your family. They are super easy recipes the entire family will enjoy.
ONE PAN CHILI MAC
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tbsp. cumin
2 tsp. onion powder
2 tsp. garlic powder
Salt to taste
2 cups water
1 8 oz. can of tomato sauce
8 oz. whole wheat elbow macaroni
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese or other cheese of your choice
Heat oil in a pan. Add water, tomato sauce, pasta and seasonings, cook on medium-high to bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring until pasta is tender. Sprinkle cheese on top and put the lid on the pan until the cheese is melted.
CEREAL BAR SNACK
4 cups of WIC-approved cereal of your choice
¾ cup peanut butter
½ cup honey
2 tablespoons butter
Line a square pan with foil or parchment paper. Spray foil with cooking spray. In a large saucepan, heat peanut butter, honey and butter until mixture is boiling and slightly thickened. Place cereal in a bowl. Stir heated peanut butter sauce over cereal. stir until evenly coated. Using the buttered back of the spoon, press the mixture very firmly in a square pan. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm enough to cut. Make and place in the refrigerator for up to a week.
This recipe makes 4 snack boxes you can store in the refrigerator for up to a week. They are great for snacks or lunch.
SNACK IN A BOX
Boil 4 eggs
Cheese slices
1 peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread
Cut fruit
Boil four eggs in hot water for about 7 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Peel eggs and slice in half. Slice cheese into bite sized pieces. Make a peanut butter sandwich on wheat bread and cut into 4 pieces. Sliced fruit. Assemble snack boxes and put in the refrigerator for up to one week. Enjoy!
Ways To Save Money This Summer
Everything seems to cost more these days: gas, groceries, and almost everything else. Here are a few tips to help parents save money this summer on everything from groceries to gas. HINT: Maximizing Texas WIC can help!
MAKE FEWER TRIPS
One way to save gas money is to try to fit in as many errands into the same trip. Fewer trips to an area help reduce the number of miles you are driving to get there and back. Mapping out your errands this way also helps you save time.
For example, if you are driving to a WIC clinic to renew your benefits then pick up your WIC groceries at a nearby PWIC store that caters to WIC clients. Stores like JC Food Mart locations are usually really really close to WIC clinics. Sometimes they are even next door. Find a PWIC store near you at JCFoodMart.com/locations.
SAVE MONEY WITH WIC: USE EBT
Another way to save money is to make sure you redeem all your EBT benefits. Remember, if you don’t use your WIC benefits by the end of the month they expire. SNAP benefits never expire so redeem your WIC benefits first. Bonus, JC Food Mart locations accept WIC and SNAP EBT.
Using programs like WIC for food benefits will help you save money on food. Plus, PWIC stores like JC Food Mart caters to WIC clients. That means we have all your WIC items in one place, and the bilingual staff is familiar with the program if you need help.
PLAN YOUR MENU AHEAD, SAVE MONEY WITH WIC FOODS
Another way to save money is to plan your menu for the week or even the month ahead. It also helps create less waste. For example, if you roast veggies you can use them for two meals in one week by using them in a stir-fry one night, as a side, or even in a salad or a grilled sandwich. It also helps you save time because you can cook multiple meals at one time.
Plus, check out our blog for more recipe ideas using WIC foods.
It’s also a great activity for kids. When you get them involved, you can have age-appropriate conversations about healthy foods, meal planning, and not wasting food.
San Antonio WIC Shopping
Benefits Of Shopping WIC at JC Food Mart
Do you find that shopping for WIC products seems frustrating? Get all your WIC-approved groceries at JC Food Mart.
Shopping WIC at JC Food Mart is easier and faster than what you are probably used to at bigger stores. Our primary focus is WIC clients, so customers get the personalized service and attention they deserve.
Stop wasting time and find out how easy San Antonio WIC shopping can be.
6 Benefits Of WIC Shopping At JC Food Mart
Friendly, Bilingual Staff
Our staff caters to WIC clients. They are familiar with the WIC program and can help answer your questions. They are bilingual – speaking both English and Spanish – for even added ease to your shopping experience. Plus, some of our staff have even been WIC clients. Because JC Food Mart caters to WIC clients, you are in a no-judgment zone.
Everything In The Store is WIC Approved
WIC clients won’t have to waste time searching for WIC-approved items. Everything is WIC approved. Plus, because we focus on WIC groceries, customers don’t waste any time at checkout with items not ringing up as a WIC items. We know our WIC items are WIC approved.
Easy, Fast Shopping Format WIC Shopping
JC Food Mart locations are conveniently close to WIC clinics. Once you walk in you will discover an easy, fast shopping format geared specifically to WIC shoppers. You don’t have to search aisles. Just walk up to our counter, insert your WIC EBT card and our staff will walk you through the rest. You will have all your WIC groceries ready to go in minutes.
We Know San Antonio WIC
Because we cater to WIC customers, we are very familiar with the WIC program. Our staff can help answer any questions you may have, and JC Food Mart has contacts with WIC staff in case there is a specific need that arises. We are here to help.
Personal WIC Shopping Help
You aren’t shopping alone at JC Food Mart. You get personalized attention from the moment you walk in the door. You won’t feel overwhelmed with getting your WIC groceries. Our staff gathers all the WIC items for you as you select them and rings them up. The process is easy and fast.
San Antonio WIC Shopping – Everything You Need In One Stop
JC Food Mart has everything you need in one place. You won’t have to go from store-to-store looking for everything you need. Visit any of our locations in San Antonio today to find out how easy WIC grocery shopping can be jcfoodmart.com/locations.