12 Recipes Using WIC Foods For Christmas
This is the perfect time to spend quality time in the kitchen with your family. Food and holidays go hand-and-hand. To help you get in the holiday spirit, here are 12 recipes using WIC foods you might consider making for your family this Christmas.
BERRY BREAD PUDDING
This recipe from the USDA’s MyPlate, features several WIC foods: frozen berries, whole wheat bread and yogurt. https://www.myplate.gov/recipes/supplemental-nutrition-assistance-program-snap/berry-bread-pudding
HOMEMADE CHEESE STICKS 
Spending time in the kitchen is the perfect way to get quality time with your kids. This fun snack or appetizer from CookingMatters.org is sure to be a fun one for the whole family to make. It also has several WIC foods. Consider making your own bread crumbs with a slice or two of whole-wheat bread. https://cookingmatters.org/recipe/mozzarella-sticks/
PINEAPPLE CARROT MUFFINS
Every holiday needs a muffin. This one from CookingMatters.org won’t disappoint. It even features WIC-friendly fruits and vegetables. https://cookingmatters.org/recipe/pineapple-carrot-muffins/
Texas WIC Fruits, Veggie Benefit Expansion Extended Thru March
WIC clients are getting a little something extra for the new year: an extension on the expanded fruit and vegetable benefits.
Texas WIC announced on its website that the expanded benefits will be offered through the end of March 2022.
“This extension has different dollar amounts based on your category. Eligible clients will receive the following,” according to Texas WIC.
- Children get $24 each month
- Pregnant, postpartum and some breastfeeding clients get $43 each month
- Fully and partially breastfeeding clients get $47 each month
Here is an example the agency provided: If you are pregnant and have two children (ages 1-5) receiving WIC, you will get $91 ($43 mom + $24 child + $24 child = $91) each month in January, February and March to buy fruit and vegetables, according to Texas WIC.
WIC clients will find this new amount on your shopping list under their benefit amount.
Texas WIC urges clients that have already received benefits on their WIC cards for the first three months of year to contact their local WIC office to get the expanded fruit & vegetable benefits. Produce benefits are expected to return to regular levels at the end of March.
Planning Thanksgiving Recipes Helps Make Holiday More Fun
Turkey Day is almost here. There is so much to be thankful for this year. It may be the first time in a couple of years we can more safely gather with family and friends. Bringing back some of our familiar holiday traditions will be even sweeter this year.
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 Lone Star Family Market early in the week. Click on our blog post here for our special Thanksgiving Week hours.
Use your expanded WIC fruit and vegetable allowance to pick up produce for your Thanksgiving sides: bread, potatoes, onions, carrots, frozen vegetables, cheese and fruit just to name a few. Beans, another WIC-approved food, also make a great Thanksgiving Day side.
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.
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. 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 Lone Star Family Market 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.
FREE Texas WIC Classes Online Packed With Parenting Tips
Take Free Classes At Home From Phone, Computer
Texas WIC classes this month are packed with wonderful tips from experts. Included are classes from everything from how to make a recipe using WIC foods to storytime for your little one. Use the link below to Texas WIC to sign up for the Free Classes.
Here is a glance at some of the FREE upcoming LIVE ONLINE classes that can be taken from the comfort of your own home:
- Introducing Your Baby To Foods – Oct. 13 – 11 AM to Noon In this class, Texas WIC covers how to know if your baby is ready for solid foods and what foods to introduce at first.
- Story Time with Zobey – Oct. 14th – 9:30 – 10 AM Texas WIC makes learning with your little one fun with a story told by Zobey. In this story, Zobey introduces how fruits and vegetables grow in a garden and explains why trying new foods is fun.
- Discussion on Picky Eating – Oct. 18th – 10 – 11 AM Experts at Texas WIC explain how to encourage new foods and how to respond to picky eating.
- Cooking with WIC Foods – Oct. 18th – 11:30 – 12:30 In this fun class, Texas WIC demonstrates how to turn WIC foods into a fun cooking activity, and to get your kids excited to try new foods.
To register for these events, and see additional WIC Click & Learn Classes visit Texas WIC online at: https://texaswic.org/online-classes
Texas WIC’s Expanded Produce Benefits Offered Thru December
Get More WIC Fruits, Vegetables Until End of Year
Texas WIC is has extended a popular expanded benefit to get even more WIC produce through Dec. 31. The extra benefits will be added to your card to redeem with your other WIC benefits.
According to TexasWIC.org the extended fruit and vegetable benefits provide the following:
- Children get $24 (in fruit and vegetable benefits) each month
- Pregnant, postpartum and some breastfeeding clients get $43 each month
- Fully and partially breastfeeding clients get $47 each month
For example, if you are pregnant and have two children (ages 1-5) receiving WIC, you will get $91 ($43 mom + $24 child + $24 child = $91) each month in October, November and December to buy fruit and vegetables.
TexasWIC.org states, “You will see this new amount on your shopping list under your benefit amount. If you already have benefits on your card for October or November, your WIC office may contact you for a time to update your benefits. Contact your local WIC office if you have any questions.”
You can use your WIC benefits at any Lone Star Family Market location. Lone Star Family Market is a chain of primarily WIC grocery stores that offers an easy, hassle-free shopping experience for WIC clients. You don’t have to search aisles to find WIC-approved products. Instead, our bilingual clerks will personally help you get all the items you want. To find out how easy WIC shopping can be, visit any of our stores in Austin, Round Rock and San Marcos today. Find a location near you in the link below: