Toddler Snack Boxes Perfect For Busy Moms

WIC Food Tip Perfect For Busy Moms

Toddlers love snacks! Moms of little ones may find themselves running around trying to find snacks on demand. Here is a great WIC food tip to use your WIC foods to make a perfect snack box for your little one.

One stress-free way to help busy moms looking to save some time, are pre-made snack boxes. Dig around in your cupboard for some plastic containers with lids. It doesn’t have to be fancy. One with compartments is perfect, but a food storage container without dividers also works. (TIP: You can use cupcake liners to make your own compartments) 

Grab a few of your toddler’s favorite WIC foods. Create a fun assortment of 3 to 4 single serving snacks in each container to make a perfect toddler-size snack pack to store in the fridge. Some ideas for your containers include:  cheese cubes, sliced strawberries, orange slices, blueberries, avocados, healthy WIC cereal (without the milk),  yogurt, peanut butter and whole wheat bread.  Make a whole peanut butter sandwich and cut into 1/4ths. Put one fourth in a container. 

Store the snack packs in the fridge until needed.  Making 2 or 4 containers at a time is perfect to have on hand when your little one wants something quick to eat.

This is a great way to help make sure your little one is eating healthy WIC foods. You can also get your kids involved in making their “snack packs” so they are excited to eat healthy foods. 

HAVE TODDLERS ON WIC? SHARE YOUR MOM HACKS

Do you have a great mom hack? Leave it in the comments below. We would love to hear some of your favorite tips/tricks that save you time. 

The ultimate mom hack is getting all your WIC foods in one easy stop at JC Food Mart stores. Visit a location today to see how easy it can be.

Looking for more helpful ideas?  Check out our post about WIC Snacks.

By |2023-02-09T14:07:25-05:00February 9th, 2023|Categories: Child Health, Mom Health, Recipes, Recipes, San Antonio, WIC Food|Tags: , , , , , , , , |0 Comments
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Love Texas WIC Program All Year Long

There are so many things to love about Texas WIC. 

For starters, it’s a great place for parents to turn for help. The pros at Texas WIC can also show parents the ropes for self love during pregnancy and after. Plus, nutrition tips and free healthy food packages help moms and babies eat healthy.

PRO PARENTING TIPS

Texas WIC is the perfect place to turn for your parenting questions. Whether you are pregnant and wondering what is safe for expecting moms to eat or you want help feeding your infant, Texas WIC has the answers. Plus, the program is free for qualifying Texas mothers. 

As your baby grows, Texas WIC offers tips and guidance about developmental milestones and how to care, feed your baby so they grow up healthy. 

SELF LOVE DURING AND AFTER PREGNANCY

Texas WIC also helps mothers stay healthy. A healthy mother helps create healthy babies. Texas WIC pros offer tips on how to eat, exercise and take care of you and your baby while you are pregnant and while breastfeeding. 

HEALTHY NUTRITION

Some might say the best part of Texas WIC is the free healthy food packages for WIC clients. The packages start when moms learn they are expecting. They are also adapted for children until they turn 5 years old.  So mom and babies can get free, nutritious foods like milk, bread, healthy cereal, baby formula, fruits and vegetables and so much more. The Texas WIC program is for qualifying Texas mothers and children up to age 5. To apply for Texas WIC, visit them online at Texaswic.org.

JC FOOD MART

JC Food Mart stores help WIC clients get all their WIC foods in one easy stop. Bilingual clerks help customers shop for their foods. Find out how easy WIC shopping can be, and visit a store today. JC Food Mart is a service provider for the WIC program, not a part of the WIC program.

By |2023-02-08T09:04:15-05:00January 27th, 2023|Categories: Baby Food, Baby Formula, Child Health, WIC Food, WIC Grocery Shopping, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , , , , , |0 Comments
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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.

  1. WIC provides supplemental foods to qualifying pregnant, breastfeeding, and non-breastfeeding postpartum women.
  2. WIC helps to improve the health of pregnant women and their babies. That includes providing baby formula to babies in need.
  3. WIC provides nutrition education and counseling to help participants make healthy food choices. 
  4. WIC helps participants access other social services. 
  5. 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

By |2023-01-24T19:19:16-05:00January 24th, 2023|Categories: Baby Food, Baby Formula, Child Health, Mom Health, Pregnancy, San Antonio, WIC Food, WIC Food, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , , , , , , |0 Comments
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Budget Bites to Help You Save Money

4 Tips To Save $$$

Grocery prices keep going up, and we are all looking for ways to stretch our food budgets. Here are a few tips we can all use to curb the waste, and stretch our food dollars even further.

USE MORE, WASTE LESS

If you don’t think you will use them before they go bad, freeze fruits and vegetables. Put them in freezer-safe containers or bags and mark with a date. These frozen portions are great to add to soups or smoothies. 

Save veggie scraps like potato rinds, ends of onions and celery pieces,  to make veggie broth. These vegetables will make a perfect vegetable broth that is delicious in soups.  

Use leftovers creatively. You can turn almost any leftovers into a completely different meal. For example, did you make roasted veggies as a side dish this week? Use the leftovers in a delicious omelet. You cook once and have two delicious meals. Plus, you save time in the kitchen. 

MAXIMIZE WIC BENEFITS

One of the best ways to maximize your WIC benefits is to use your SNAP benefits first. Your SNAP benefits roll over, but your WIC benefits expire at the end of the month. USE WIC FIRST. 

Make fewer trips. If you are making a trip to the WIC clinic, redeem your WIC benefits during the same trip. JC Food Mart, which caters to WIC clients, are conveniently located near WIC clinics. JC Food Mart caters to WIC clients and helps them redeem their benefits in one easy, fast trip. 

PLAN AHEAD

By planning ahead you can save time and money. Plan your menu for the week. See what ingredients can be used to do double duty in your recipes. For example, are you making a homemade soup and stir-fry dish this week? Get an onion that can be used for both. What other ingredients can be used in both meals? Stretch your food dollars by using simple recipes with less ingredients.  Plus, it is a great way for your kids to help. Make a menu together on a chalkboard or a colorful paper that they can help create. 

KEEP IT SIMPLE

One of the best ways to save money cooking is to make simple, nutritious recipes that don’t have a ton of ingredients. Buy pantry staples like seasonings on sale or in bulk. Make your own salad dressing using olive oil and simple seasonings.

Get all your WIC foods in one easy stop conviently located next to WIC clinics. Visit any JC Food Mart in San Antonio today.

 

 

 

By |2022-12-14T15:45:20-05:00November 4th, 2022|Categories: Baby Food, Child Health, Meal Planning, Texas WIC, Uncategorized, WIC Food, WIC Grocery Shopping, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , |0 Comments
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Food From Texas WIC: Little Hands, Little Bites

Starting The Baby Food Journey

Babies grow up fast. Each month they hit new milestones and make even more progress toward becoming little toddlers. Food from Texas WIC can help them grow healthy and strong. 

One of the biggest milestones is graduating from bottles to bites. After months of breastfeeding and bottles, your little one might be ready to transition to table food.

It may seem daunting, but this can be a really exciting time for parents and kids to start exploring the world of food. 

There are so many flavors, textures and food adventures around the corner. As stressful as it may seem, this stage can be a lot of fun. Don’t worry if it seems you have gotten into a food fight with your toddler. It’s all part of the learning process. Here are a few tips to help you navigate this next phase. 

READY, SET GO – FIRST BITES

Are you wondering if your baby is ready to try table food? Make sure to discuss any feeding transitions with your Texas WIC nutritionist or doctors before making this big change.

In general, Texas WIC experts set out these first year milestones to give you a general idea when babies are ready for milestones, but every baby is different. 

Once you get the OK from a professional, let the fun begin. Wondering where to start? Popular first food choices are baby cereal, apple sauce, mashed bananas or even avocados. Make sure the food is soft and has a “paste” like consistency. 

In the beginning it is best to stick to introducing only one new food at a time. This makes it easier to know which foods your baby may have had trouble tolerating. Whether you are starting with baby cereal or baby food, try introducing one flavor at a time. 

Remember, babies have tine appetites and only require a few teaspoons at a time, WIC experts recommend.

HITTING SPEED BUMPS 

If your baby doesn’t like a certain food at first, try, try, try again. It isn’t uncommon for a little one not to like a food when it is first introduced, but to come around to it later. 

Once you know your baby tolerates certain foods, different flavors can be mixed together to make bites a little more interesting. A few good combinations are sweet potatoes and peas, apples and bananas or scrambled eggs.

CAUTION AHEAD

Be on the lookout for food allergies, which can occur between two minutes to hours of feedings, according to Texas WIC. Some of the most common to cause reactions, but experts warn any foods can cause allergies: dairy, eggs, wheat, soy, nuts, fish and shellfish. 

Hives, red skin and face swelling are a few signs of reactions, but Texas WIC offers even more details about food allergies online.  If your baby is having several signs of reaction or is having trouble breathing, call 911, according to Texas WIC. 

Also, do not give babies foods that may cause them to choke like nuts or grapes.

TEXAS WIC CAN HELP

Texas WIC has resources to make feeding your baby easier. Everything from counseling to online classes can help along the way. Be sure to reach out if you have questions. Be sure to talk to a professional about any concerns or questions about your specific situation and baby. 

Get all your WIC groceries in one easy stop at JC Food Mart in San Antonio. There are 10 locations located near WIC offices. Find a location near you today. 

By |2022-08-17T13:58:47-05:00August 16th, 2022|Categories: Baby Food, Child Health, Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Grocery Shopping, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , , , |0 Comments
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Pregnant & Need Help? 

Are you pregnant and need help with your pregnancy, but not sure where to start? Start with Texas WIC. 

The program is open to pregnant women that are Texas residents. The free program can begin as soon as you learn that you are expecting a baby. To qualify, expecting Texas mothers must meet the following income requirements, which are provided by Texas WIC: 

Households with the following gross yearly income per member: 

  • 1 household member can qualify making up to $25,142 gross yearly income per household;
  • 2 household members up to $33,874 gross yearly income; 
  • 3 household members up to $42,606 gross yearly income; 
  • 4 household members up to $51,338 gross yearly income; 
  • 5 household members up to $60,070 gross yearly income and 
  • 6 household members up to $68,802 gross yearly income.

Texas WIC 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.

By |2022-09-06T15:40:43-05:00July 11th, 2022|Categories: Child Health, Mom Health, Pregnancy, Texas WIC, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , , , , , , |0 Comments
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WIC Benefits Last For Years To Come

There are more benefits than nutrition counseling, free healthy food packages, and breastfeeding support that participants gain from the Texas WIC program.

The WIC program is a government-funded nutritional program to help improve the health and nutrition for pregnant women and their children up to age 5. 

“WIC saves lives and improves the health of nutritionally at-risk women, infants and children,” according to the USDA. “The results of studies conducted by FNS and other non-government entities prove that WIC is one of the nation’s most successful and cost-effective nutrition intervention programs.”

The USDA outlines that participants get WIC benefits that may include:

  • Improved birth outcomes and health care cost savings
  • Improved diet
  • Improved infant feeding
  • Improved immunization rates and medical care
  • Improved growth rates
  • Earlier prenatal care
  • Better health outcomes for mothers 

And much, much more!

WIC participants also receive the following WIC benefits as part of the program: Supplemental nutritious foods as part of the free monthly food package. WIC clients get their food benefit lists loaded onto an EBT card. They can redeem their benefits when shopping for food. Learn more at TexasWIC.org.

WIC clients also receive nutrition education and counseling at WIC clinics and online. 

Better health and nutrition can last a lifetime. All of the WIC services can help ensure that pregnant women and their children have the best chance at a healthy life. WIC is an important program that should be taken advantage of by all who are eligible. 

Texas WIC experts can also help participants get connected to other health and social service resources. 

WIC is an important resource for parents, providing them with the knowledge and tools they need to give their children the best possible start in life. The program helps ensure that kids get the nutrients they need to grow up healthy and strong.

To apply to Texas WIC, visit online here.

By |2022-03-15T17:02:20-05:00March 22nd, 2022|Categories: Baby Food, Baby Formula, Child Health, Mom Health, Pregnancy, Texas WIC|Tags: , |0 Comments
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Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs Helps Moms, Children

March is national nutrition month, a time to focus on the importance of good nutrition. Eating nutritious foods is essential for maintaining your health and well-being. 

For many people, that means taking steps to improve our diets and eating habits. If you’re looking for ways to get your family on the right track,  Texas WIC can help. WIC is a free supplemental nutrition assistance program for expecting mothers, mothers and children up to age 5. 

And it’s been shown to be effective: women and children on WIC have improved birth outcomes and it “significantly improves children’s diets,” according to the USDA.

WIC, A NUTRITIONAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM,  HELPS CHILDREN’S & MOMS HEALTH

Free supplemental nutrition assistance programs like WIC helps mothers and their children get a healthy start in many ways, but here are a few ways the supplemental nutrition program helps create healthy eating habits:

  1. Helping to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Fruits and vegetables are packed with fiber and nutrients, and they’re low in calories. They’re also a great source of antioxidants, which can help protect your body from disease.

Texas WIC is now offering more fruits and vegetable benefits than ever. Last year the program increased the program’s benefits to temporarily include even more fruit and vegetable benefits. Learn more about the expanded fruit and vegetable benefits here.

  1. Helping get fiber. 

Getting fiber is a great way to have a healthy diet. A great way to do that is to get whole grains and legumes into our diets. 

Texas WIC helps clients get even more whole grains in their diets. The WIC food lists for expecting mothers and older children include whole grains like whole-wheat bread, whole-wheat pasta and beans, which are filled with fiber.

  1. Diets with less added sugar. 

The WIC program offers healthy cereals as part of its free food benefit packages, to help ensure pregnant women and children have healthy foods that are not filled with extra sugars. 

Sometimes the hardest part of the battle is just knowing which cereal to pick. Texas WIC won’t steer you wrong when it comes to picking a healthy cereal.

JOIN WIC,  FREE SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

If you are interested in joining Texas WIC, start your application online today.  

Pick up all your healthy WIC foods – from formula to fruit, vegetables, cereal, whole wheat foods and more – visit JC Food Mart.  Most of the products at JC Food Mart are WIC approved.

By |2022-03-15T08:56:25-05:00March 15th, 2022|Categories: Baby Food, Baby Formula, Child Health, Mom Health, San Antonio, Texas WIC|Tags: , , |0 Comments
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How To Eat Well With The WIC Program

If you’re a mom on a budget, you know how hard it can be to provide your family with healthy meals. But did you know that the Texas WIC program can help? Keep reading to learn how to eat healthy with WIC.

Texas WIC is a government program that provides financial assistance and nutrition education to low-income families. Learn how the WIC program works and learn a few tips for eating well on a budget.

1. What is WIC and what does it offer participants?

Texas WIC is is a nutrition education program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)  that helps moms provide a healthy start for their babies. The program provides free nutrition education, counseling, breastfeeding support, and free monthly supplemental food packages for pregnant women, postpartum women, and children up to age 5. 

2. How to apply for the WIC program?

If you are a Texas resident that is pregnant or are a mother of a child younger than 5 you can apply for the program by visiting WIC online to start your application or by calling 800-942-3678 to locate a WIC clinic to schedule an appointment to apply. 

3. What foods are available with the WIC program?

There are several free monthly food packages that are different for moms and children based on their age and nutritional needs. There is a specific food package for pregnant mothers that includes foods that, according to WIC, “are low in fat and high in fiber, provide nutritional variety and help promote a healthy weight gain for a healthy baby.”  Infants have packages that may include baby formula and older children have packages that include eggs, fruits and vegetables, cereals, and more.

4. How to use your WIC benefits

Texas WIC clients receive an EBT card that is loaded each month with their WIC benefits. Clients take their EBT to the store to redeem their benefits. Stores like JC Food Mart – which are PWIC stores that cater to WIC clients – help make it easy for WIC customers to get all their WIC products in one easy stop. 

5. Sample meal ideas to eat healthy with WIC

WIC-approved foods help make it easy to create healthy meals for your family. Use WIC-approved foods to make meals like omelets (which use WIC-approved eggs and vegetables), stir fry (using WIC foods like whole-wheat rice and vegetables), beans, and whole-wheat rice and pasta dishes use whole-wheat pasta and cheese. The options are endless and you know you are going to be eating healthier when you are cooking with WIC foods. Get more recipe ideas using WIC foods on our blog. 

The WIC program is a great way to get started on the path to healthy eating on a budget. With the help of JC Food Mart, it’s easy to find nutritious WIC-approved foods that your family will love.

By |2022-08-17T14:12:02-05:00February 25th, 2022|Categories: Baby Food, Child Health, Mom Health, Texas WIC, WIC Food, WIC Grocery Shopping, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , , , , |0 Comments
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Expecting A Baby in 2022? Let Texas WIC Help

If you are expecting a baby in 2022, Texas WIC can help you get off to a healthy start.

The program is open to eligible expecting mothers and mothers with children up to age five. To qualify, Texas residents must meet certain income requirements. (Learn more about the requirements below.) 

Texas WIC benefits are offered to qualifying expectant mothers in order to help them get proper nutrition and education while they are pregnant.  

Pregnant mothers can even get a free food package to help ensure they are getting healthy foods. Expecting mothers can access their FREE benefits with a Texas WIC ebt card, which allows clients to pay for their FREE monthly WIC food benefits such as eggs, cereal, fruits and vegetables and more!

The WIC program also provides important pregnancy education, including FREE online classes that help mothers to be on everything from how to plan for a healthy pregnancy and how to eat healthy while pregnant. Their education guidance also helps mothers know what to expect during pregnancy.

The program continues to help once the baby arrives by providing breastfeeding support and access to healthy nutrition for mothers and their babies.

Mothers can access all their WIC benefits in an easy, hassle-free shopping experience at any JC Food Mart store. There are 10 locations in San Antonio. All the groceries in the Primarily WIC store are WIC approved, and our bilingual clerks help make WIC shopping super easy. Find a location online at JCFoodMart.com/locations.

Are you Eligible for Texas WIC? Find Out If Texas WIC Can Help

To qualify for Texas WIC is open to Texas residents that are:

  • Pregnant women
  • Breastfeeding women
  • Infants
  • Families with children younger than 5 years old

Texas residents must also meet income requirements to join Texas WIC.

According to Texas WIC:  “If you are on Medicaid, TANF, or SNAP you meet the income eligibility guidelines for WIC. If you don’t qualify for these programs, you may still qualify for WIC by meeting the income guidelines for your household. The Recovery Rebate Credit, also known as stimulus checks, and the Child Tax Credit direct payments are not included when calculating your income to determine eligibility.”

WIC has provided these Gross Yearly Income guidelines from its website and was updated as of 7/19/22: 

Number of Household Members* Gross Yearly Household Income**
1 $0 up to $25,142
2 $0 up to $33,874
3 $0 up to $42,606
4 $0 up to $51,338
5 $0 up to $60,070
6 $0 up to $68,802

*A pregnant woman’s household is increased by the number of infants she is expecting. For more than 6 household members, or if you have any income questions, call 1-800-942-3678. This information is provided by Texas WIC, and is subject to change. Last updated 7/19/2022.

**Income can also be determined on a weekly or biweekly basis. For more information, call 1-800-942-3678. This information is provided by Texas WIC, and is subject to change. Last updated 7/19/2022.

Apply for Texas WIC online at TexasWIC.org/apply

 

By |2022-07-19T09:36:41-05:00January 21st, 2022|Categories: Baby Food, Baby Formula, Child Health, JC Food Mart, Mom Health, Pregnancy, Texas WIC, WIC Nutrition|Tags: , |0 Comments
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