Bring on 2021 With Support From WIC
NEW YEAR, HEALTHY START
Every year people hope to turn over a new leaf in the New Year. People have big plans for 2021, and why not make it the Year of Everything is Possible? If you want this year to be your big year of health, start with WIC.
WIC stands for Woman, Infant and Children and is a program designed to help mothers help their children get a healthy start in life. The program offers support with clinic visits, education classes and nutrition supplements for you and your children, including help with breastfeeding.
There is no better way to help your children than to be a great example. WIC offers the tools you need to be a great example for you and your kids. Plus, they offer a ton of free resources to help along your health journey.
If you haven’t applied for WIC, do so today. To get started, you can apply online.
WIC SUPPORT & MOTHER’S HEALTH
To help be a healthy example for your kids, nutrition starts with mothers. WIC offers guidelines online about eating healthy. They even have suggested recipes to make at home. This time of year, their Chili recipe is perfect for New Year’s Day.
If you recently gave birth, WIC offers tips about how to get back to a healthy you, including getting enough sleep, getting back to a healthy weight and how to care for your emotional health. Baby blues are a real thing. If you think you are suffering from postpartum depression, there are resources.
WIC SUPPORT & CHILDREN’S HEALTH
No one is taught how to feed babies or children until they become a mother. We have to learn. WIC is a great teacher. They provide many resources on breastfeeding, how to use and mix formula and handle a picky eater.
WIC SUPPORT
Lone Star Family Market, a Primarily WIC grocery store chain, is also here to help. Our locations are located near WIC clinics, to help make it super easy to get your WIC groceries. Simply insert your WIC card in our card reader at the front counter and tell our staff which WIC-approved foods you would like to take home. We collect them for you to take home. Super easy and fast! Find a location near you today. Happy New Year!
Banana Pancakes Made With WIC Foods
Easy Recipe Uses WIC-Approved Foods
This is a super easy, kid-favorite recipe. It’s also a great one to try when your baby is ready to start eating solids. For toddlers, these mini pancakes are the perfect finger food. They are also easy to make and use two WIC-approved foods. Pair with fresh fruit and you will have a well-rounded breakfast (or snack) any day of the week. Store any remaining pancakes in the fridge up to 3 days or freeze up to a few months.
Healthy Mini Banana Pancakes
1 banana
2 eggs, beaten
Dash of cinnamon
Cooking spray
Fresh Fruit for topping or served on side
Mash the banana with a fork in a small bowl. Mash until as smooth as possible. It’s okay if there are small lumps in the batter. Beat eggs in separate bowl. Add the beaten eggs and cinnamon to the bowl with the banana. Mix to combine until a batter is formed. Coat a non-stick skillet with cooking spray. Pre-heat pan to medium-high heat. Once the pan is hot, spoon a tablespoon into the pan to form mini pancakes. Cook for a few minutes before flipping and cooking an additional 2 minutes on the other side. Top with fresh fruit and serve warm. Added Bonus: You can freeze these! Just put them in a container in the freezer. You can reheat in the skillet or microwave when ready to enjoy!
Shop for WIC foods at any Lone Star Family Market location. Lone Star Family Market is an Austin-based grocery store chain that offers mostly WIC-approved items. It’s a convenient and friendly way to pick up WIC-approved foods near Austin WIC clinics.
How Texas WIC Can Help Your Pregnancy
You just got the most exciting news: You are going to be a new mommy! Your mind is already swirling. There is so much to do: announce the big news to friends and family, pick the perfect name, and find the perfect onesie to bring your baby home. Take a deep breath. You have roughly 9 months to get ready. And you can get some help during your pregnancy from Texas WIC.
Before you get ahead of yourself, some of the most important items on the ‘To-Do’ list will be how to take care of yourself and the growing baby inside your belly. Once you become pregnant some of your most routine habits might need to be adjusted to keep you and your baby healthy.
Everything from your sleep and exercise habits to your morning cup of coffee should be examined to make sure they are safe during pregnancy. The most important advice for pregnant women is to visit your doctor as soon as you find out you are expecting and attend all scheduled visits up until delivery and immediately afterward. Always remember to talk to your doctor about any questions and concerns.
BECOME A TEXAS WIC CLIENT WHEN PREGNANT
Expecting Texas mothers can also see if they qualify to become a WIC client.
The WIC program is 100% free. It’s aimed to help pregnant and breastfeeding mothers get a healthy start for their infants and children up to age five. WIC recipients can take home free nutritious food such as fresh fruit and vegetables, milk, and even specialty formula to make sure you are getting your baby off to the healthiest start. Texas WIC also offers access to free nutritional classes and visits to WIC-approved clinics. To find a WIC Clinic near you, visit this site.
Your team of health professionals will provide individual guidance about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle for you and your baby, but here are some important tips to help get started along your healthy pregnancy journey:
WIC, HEALTHY PREGNANCY
You are now eating for two. That doesn’t mean you eat twice as much as you did before you were pregnant. Discuss with your doctor your target calorie intake. Your daily calorie goal will vary based on your pre-pregnancy weight. There are, however, some guidelines that will apply to most pregnancies. It’s important to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables so your baby has all the right vitamins to grow. Pregnant women should eat a healthy mix of fruits, vegetables, dairy, and lean protein while avoiding calories loaded with extra fat and sugar. It’s important to get nutrients like iron, fiber, and calcium.
One of the most important nutrients you consume might be folic acid. Getting enough folic acid – from the start of your pregnancy – has been proven to help prevent birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine. You can get folate from foods such as dark leafy greens like spinach, beans, lentils and whole-grain cereals and breads that are fortified with folic acid. It’s also often found in prenatal vitamins.
Pregnant women should NOT consume unpasteurized milk, cheese, or juice. Consuming undercooked meat, eggs or fish is also harmful. Expected mothers should cook lunch meat or hot dogs until it steams before eating.
Pregnant women can eat fish low in mercury levels (up to 12 ounces) twice a week. Fish that are safe to eat include shrimp, canned light tuna, salmon, and catfish. However, Albacore tuna and tuna steak should be limited to more than 6 ounces per week. Eating fish high in mercury can be harmful to your baby.
Women should stop drinking alcoholic beverages and limit caffeine while pregnant. Drinking alcohol can cause premature birth and birth defects. Too much much caffeine can cause low birth weight.
Pregnant mothers can replace their caffeine intake with water. Staying hydrated helps you and your baby. Also, don’t forget to take your prenatal vitamins daily. Your doctor can also recommend one that is right for you.
Texas WIC can also help you navigate how to eat right if you are pregnant. You can also get your nutritious WIC foods at a Lone Star Family Market location.
SELF CARE DURING PREGNANCY
Being pregnant can be very stressful. The right self care (a healthy diet, being active, and getting enough rest) are tools you can discuss with your doctor to help make your pregnancy easier.
If you exercised regularly before becoming pregnant, discuss any modifications that are needed with your doctor. If exercise wasn’t part of your daily routine, create a plan with your physician.
The right amount of exercise might vary throughout your pregnancy, but getting the right mix of activity can help reduce stress and help you sleep better. It can also lower the risk of high blood pressure and diabetes. Consider going for a walk or taking a prenatal yoga class.
TIPS FROM TexasWIC.org DURING PREGNANCY:
- Keep all of your clinic appointments and follow the advice of your doctor.
- Take prenatal vitamins and any medications your doctor gives you.
- Brush and floss your teeth regularly.
- Relax and get help from friends and family.
For more tips on how to be prepared for pregnancy, visit a Texas WIC office near you or sign up for a class by visiting Texas WIC’s online classes.
5 Fun Ways To Nest While Pregnant
5 Fun Ways To Nest Before Delivery
All of a sudden you have an undeniable urge to clean out your closets and make homemade decorations for your new baby’s room. Trust us – it’s normal when your pregnant. Nesting is nature’s way of telling us it’s almost time to take care of your little one.
Nesting can actually occur at any moment in pregnancy, and while the sudden burst of energy to organize and clean everything may seem out of character, go ahead and embrace it. Just don’t overdo it!
Here are 5 fun and safe ways to nest while you get ready for your baby:
ORGANIZE YOUR PANTRY
This is an activity that will actually help you once the baby arrives. Once your pantry is organized you will quickly be able to find what you need. Toss out expired foods and canned goods. Make sure opened containers are sealed with clips. Arrange like items together (cereal, canned goods, spices, oils and staples like flour). If you want to really go overboard, head on over to your local dollar store for cute storage containers and labels to help you organize.
Stock up on storing extra freezer meals while you are pregnant. It will help save time in the kitchen, once you bring your baby home.
MAKE FREEZER MEALS
Finding time to cook will be hard once the baby arrives. Take any leftover veggies you didn’t eat this week, cook them up and store them in your freezer. This will save you lots of time when you need a quick meal on little sleep. Most fruits, vegetables and beans freeze well. Go ahead and research a few recipes for healthy freezer meals to get you started. Texas WIC also offers a few health guidelines to keep in mind when searching for recipes. Lone Star Family Market, a primarily WIC grocery store, to help WIC clients easily shop for healthy foods.
Find healthy recipes, using WIC ingredients, online.
START A PINTEREST BOARD
After you research those recipes go ahead and add them to a newly created Pinterest board. You can make a board of all the things that inspire you – activities for you and your baby, recipes, parenting tips and just about anything else that pops in your mind. It’s also a great way to relax!
PACK YOUR HOSPITAL BAG
Every mother has ideas on what to pack for the hospital. Call up a few family and friends to see what they suggest. Plus, it’s a great way to connect to loved ones. You might want to consider comfortable clothes and extra underwear and a nursing bra, a cell phone charger, travel-size toiletries like shampoo, conditioner and toothbrush. Also when you head to the hospital don’t forget your ID and insurance card.
SELF CARE
Once your baby arrives, you will be short on sleep and time. This is the perfect time to get in some extra relaxation. In fact, go ahead and get in as much time as you can doing all the things you enjoy. You deserve it.
Tuna Patty Melts Made with WIC Ingredients
Tuna Patty Melts Made with WIC Ingredients
Tuna packs a nutritional punch! It’s also an easy way to incorporate WIC ingredients into your menu.
It offers protein, iron, vitamin D, vitamin B-12 and omega 3. If you are pregnant, you must eat tuna and other high mercury fish in moderation, but that doesn’t mean you have to completely avoid it.
Pregnant and nursing mothers may eat up to 12 ounces of canned light tuna or other low mercury fish a week. Canned Albacore tuna has higher mercury so it is only advised to eat 6 ounces a week. It’s also important that tuna is fully cooked and not raw, health experts advise.
If you are pregnant, the omega-3 fatty acids in tuna also help your baby grow, especially in the development of your baby’s brain.
THE TEXAS WIC PROGRAM
Tuna is a 100% WIC-approved item.
Texas WIC is a special supplemental nutrition program for Woman, Infants and Children. To find out if you qualify, visit an Austin Area WIC Clinic. You can also shop nutritious WIC-approved foods at a Lone Star Family Market location.
WIC INGREDIENT INSPIRED RECIPE
There are plenty of ways to eat your weekly serving of tuna, whether it be a classic salad sandwich or wrap. The recipe below makes for a great sandwich, or can be enjoyed plain. Here’s the recipe that uses WIC-inspired ingredients:
SKILLET TUNA PATTY MELTS
3 cans of tuna
4 potatoes, peeled
1 tomato, sliced
1/3 head of lettuce
1 avocado
Vegetable oil
Dash of salt, pepper
Boil potatoes until cracked. Mash potatoes. Drain 3 cans of tuna. Add tuna into the boil of mashed potatoes. Mix together. Add three eggs, dash of salt and pepper. Mix until combined. Form patties in your hand. Add oil to the pan. Cook patties on medium heat. Serve with lettuce, tomato and avocado.
Enjoy while hot!