WIC Food: Salsa, Tomato Sauce
Two New Products Hit Lone Star Family Market Shelves
Lone Star Family Market is offering two new WIC-approved products: mild jarred salsa and canned tomato sauce.
These delicious and healthy additions are perfect for busy families on the go. The salsa is perfect for dipping or adding a little spice to your favorite dishes, while the tomato sauce is a kitchen staple.
WIC APPROVED FOODS
Add salsa to your favorite WIC approved foods: everything from your scrambled eggs, to guacamole or as a healthy dip for your fresh veggies. Plus, they are perfect with beans or rice!
Canned tomato sauce is healthy, low in calories, and can be used in a variety of different dishes made with WIC food from pasta, and rice to tacos.
Both items are made by Always Save®. Also, both items are redeemable as a WIC food as a vegetable. Learn more about WIC’s expanded fruit and vegetable benefits here.
“We are committed to providing WIC participants with healthy, affordable food choices,” said Alex, Lone Star Family Market store manager. “These new products are perfect for busy families who want convenience and delicious flavor. Stop by your local store today to redeem them with your WIC benefits.”
So if you’re looking to spice up your WIC food options, be sure to check out jarred salsa and canned tomato sauce. They’ll make your mealtime that much easier and more delicious.
Lone Star Family Market is a chain of stores that cater to WIC clients. The stores help WIC clients redeem all their WIC benefits in one easy stop. Bilingual clerks assist shoppers throughout their visit, and you can even check your WIC balance before shopping. Visit today to find out how easy WIC grocery shopping can be.
Easter Egg Fun For Entire Family!
Easter weekend is a fun time to enjoy healthy WIC foods and get outdoors with the kids. We have rounded up some great activities and fun recipes featuring the season’s best food: eggs.
Whether you are coloring, hunting or eating them, there are so many fun ways to enjoy these nutritious little nuggets.
COLORING EGGS
Pick up a dozen eggs for your kiddos to color this Easter. We have made a step-by-step guide for coloring eggs in this blog post. This is a great activity for kids of all ages. Plus, they will love eating the results of their creative activity.
HUNTING EGGS
There is no better way to welcome spring than to enjoy some outside time with the kids in the fresh spring air. Hunting for eggs is such a fun outdoor activity for kids and adults alike. If you aren’t up for hiding colored eggs where you live, search social media for fun neighborhood egg hunts close to where you live. Another way to find a nearby egg hunt is to search on Google. Here is a search for you to see Austin area egg hunts.
EATING EGGS
Eggs are so delicious and nutritious. It’s why they are a favorite WIC food. Here are a few great recipes to enjoy for Easter:
MICROWAVE EGG CHEESE & PEPPER COFFEE MUG SCRAMBLE
2 large eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons cheddar cheese
1 tablespoon chopped tomato
1 teaspoon minced pickled jalapeño pepper, optional
Pinch each salt and pepper
Whisk together eggs, milk, cheese, tomato, jalapeño, salt, and pepper. Pour into well-greased 12-oz microwave-safe mug or mason jar. Microwave on High for 30 seconds; Stir. Microwave for 70 to 80 seconds or until eggs are puffed and set. Substitute prepared salsa for the chopped tomato and jalapeño if desired.
Make this recipe from the American Egg Board ahead of time for an amazing Easter breakfast:
Simple Breakfast Strata
4 Slices whole grain bread
4 Eggs
½ cup milk
½ teaspoon dried thyme or oregano leaves
6 slices Canadian-style bacon, chopped
½ cup shredded Cheddar cheese (2 oz.)
Place bread in a single layer in greased 8-inch square baking dish. Beat eggs, milk, and thyme in a medium bowl until blended; pour over bread. Sprinkle with bacon. Refrigerate, covered, at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight. Heat oven to 350°F. Remove strata from refrigerator; uncover and let stand while oven heats. Bake, uncovered, in the center of 350°F oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and strata is puffed, golden and firm in the center, about 5 minutes longer.
WIC Experts On Bottle Prep
Experts Provide Tips On How To Clean, Prep Bottle For Babies
Preparing a bottle for your baby has several steps. Practice makes perfect, and expert advice is helpful when perfecting the best way to make your baby a bottle.
Texas WIC is a great resource for bottle prep and preparing formula. There isn’t much they don’t know about babies. The agency offers several tips on its website on everything from cleaning bottles, protecting against bacteria and storing formula.
As you familiarize yourself with the process of preparing a bottle, consider keeping the instructions handy as you learn how to prep a bottle and prepare formula.
WIC EXPERTS ON BOTTLE PREP
It is important to clean and prep a baby bottle correctly before giving it to your baby. This helps ensure that your baby drinks safely from the bottle and that the bottle is clean. Here are the steps WIC experts recommend you take:
1. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
2. Clean the baby bottle with hot water and soap and all of its parts and air dry
3. Use a bottle brush to get to the bottom of the bottle.
4. Rinse and dry all parts thoroughly
Texas WIC experts recommend parents boil all bottle parts once a day to ensure all the germs are killed. Cover all baby bottle parts in a pot of boiling water for 5 minutes and then let them air dry. Store clean parts in a clean, covered container.
PREPARING FORMULA
If using a formula, prepare according to the baby’s needs and the manufacturer’s instructions. Always read the instructions provided with the formula. Every formula is different. Experts recommend.
Make sure your work area/surface and hands are clean by washing before you begin.
- WIC recommends when mixing powdered formula to heat water to 158 degrees F to kill any possible bacteria. Shake bottle and cool the bottle by running it under cold water to ensure it is a safe temperature to feed your baby.
- Following the mixing instructions that come with the formula and mix with safe drinking water.
- Never microwave formula, which can create patches of hot formula that burn your baby. Also, “Sprinkle a few drops of formula on your wrist to make sure that it is not too hot” before giving the bottle to your baby, WIC experts recommend.
- Use formula within two hours of when you mix it, and when in doubt toss it.
Following these tips will help keep your baby safe and healthy while drinking from his or her bottle. If you have any questions contact your physician or your local WIC office.
Quiches Are Perfect WIC Dinner
WIC Foods Found Perfect Pairing with Springtime Quiches
Need to whip up a quick WIC dinner? There are few recipes more perfect for spring than a delicious quiche. They are made with eggs and cheese and often feature springtime vegetables, WIC ingredients that are healthy and tasty.
There are so many different combinations for quiche. They can be made with a pie crust or crustless. They can spotlight different flavors of cheese for a little variety. They can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
To kick off spring here are a few quiche recipes we know you will enjoy.
The first recipe comes from USDA’s recipes perfect for Easter. It’s a basic quiche you can enjoy anytime:
BASIC QUICHE
1 pie crust (baked, 9-inch)
1 cup of vegetables (chopped, broccoli, zucchini, or mushrooms)
1/2 cup cheese (shredded)
3 egg (beaten)
1 cup milk (non-fat)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Shred the cheese with a grater. Put it in a small bowl for now.Chop the vegetables until you have 1 cup of chopped vegetables. Cook the vegetables until they are cooked, but still crisp. Put the cooked vegetables and shredded cheese into a pie shell. Mix the eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and garlic powder in a bowl. Pour the egg mix over the cheese and vegetables.Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let the quiche cool for 5 minutes before serving.
For nutrition information, please visit Basic Quiche at What’s Cooking? USDA Mixing Bowl.
This next recipe makes a “magic” crust so no pie shell is needed. It is from USDA’s My Plate.
MAGIC QUICHE
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1/2 cup onion (chopped)
2 cups vegetables (can use frozen, fresh or leftovers)
1 cup cheddar cheese, low-fat (shredded)
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk, 1%
3/4 cup baking mix (like Bisquick)
Cook onion in oil (or cook with vegetables). Cook vegetables (or use leftovers). Drain well. Grease round pie pan or 8 x 8 inch baking dish. Spread cooked vegetables in pan. Spread cheese on top of vegetables. Mix milk, eggs and baking mix. Pour over vegetables and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes, until a safe internal temperature has been reached and a knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. Suggest preparing with frozen broccoli or spinach. Source: Simple Healthy Recipes Oklahoma Nutrition Information and Education ONIE Project.
GET WIC DINNER INGREDIENTS AT LONE STAR FAMILY MARKET
Get all your WIC ingredients at Lone Star Family Market, a primarily WIC grocery store chain with locations in Austin, Round Rock and San Marcos. Lone Star Family Market helps make getting WIC groceries easier. The store only offers WIC foods and clients can get in and out in one easy stop. Clients can even check their WIC balance before shopping. Bilingual clerks assist shoppers throughout their visit. Locations are conveniently located near WIC offices.
Did you make this WIC-inspired recipe? Let’s be friends. Tag us on Instagram using @lone_star_family_market or Facebook using @lonestarfamilymarket
WIC Inspired Recipe – Oatmeal Banana Muffins
Use WIC Oatmeal, Bananas, Eggs, Milk + More For This Recipe
These whole wheat, maple-sweetened banana muffins are so tasty and moist, you wouldn’t guess they’re healthy muffins! They’re easy to make as well, with basic ingredients, including WIC foods, that can go in just one mixing bowl. If you love bananas as much as I do, then try cutting up an extra banana & adding a slice in the middle of each muffin before baking.
The recipe makes 12 muffins. These muffins will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Maple Sweetened Oatmeal Banana Muffins
⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup maple syrup or honey
2 eggs
1 cup packed mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
¼ cup milk of choice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
⅓ cup rolled oats, plus more for sprinkling on top
1 teaspoon raw sugar or other granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. If you don’t have a non-stick muffin pan, grease all 12 cups of your muffin tin.
In a large bowl, beat the olive oil and maple syrup together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well. Mix in the mashed bananas and milk, followed by the baking soda, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon. Add the flour and oats to the bowl and mix with a large spoon until combined.
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with a small amount of oats, followed by a light sprinkling of sugar. Bake muffins for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
WIC INSPIRED RECIPE FROM LONE STAR FAMILY MARKET
Get all your WIC groceries in one easy stop at any Lone Star Family Market location in Austin, Round Rock & San Marcos. Bilingual clerks personally help you get all your WIC foods without all the hassle.
Did you make this WIC-inspired recipe? Let’s be friends. Tag us on Instagram using @lone_star_family_market or Facebook using @lonestarfamilymarket