Cooking with WIC Foods

WIC foods

By the end of this lesson you will:

•	Learn why WIC choses the foods they do for your use
•	Learn new cooking techniques/recipes using WIC foods
•	Find iron sources in WIC foods

Please do not use ENTER to move through the fields, use the TAB key.

Welcome to the Municipality of Anchorage WIC program Website. If you (or your child) are a WIC participant, please enter your first and last name here:
First and Last Name

Tired of the same old food day after day? Let's look at some creative ways to cook with WIC foods. Let's also look at nutrients provided by these foods and why they are important for good nutrition.

Let's start off with Milk Products!

MILK CHEESE AND EGGS

•	Provide calcium for strong bones and teeth. Milk is fortified with vitamin D to help our body absorb and use the calcium.
•	Milk, cheese and eggs provide complete proteins (contain all the amino acids). Proteins provide cells with the building material they need to grow and maintain structure.

CEREAL

•	Grain products are fortified with many B vitamins:
•	Thiamin(B1) metabolizes carbohydrates. Helps the nervous system function properly
•	Riboflavin(B2) Helps breakdown carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Maintains skin and mucous membranes.
•	Niacin(B3) Needed for food metabolism. Maintains healthy skin, nerves and gastrointestinal tract
•	Pyridoxine(B6) Breaks down fat, carbohydrates and proteins for our body to use. Helps with the production of red blood cells.
•	Cyanocobalamin(B12) Necessary for processing carbohydrate, fats and proteins. Helps make all blood cells in the body. Is important in the maintenance of nerves. It helps with making and repairing DNA.
•	Folic acid(B9) works with B12 to make DNA needed by all cells in the body. It is necessary for the breakdown of proteins and the formation of hemoglobin.
•	Pantothenic acid used in the break down of carbohydrates, lipids and some amino acids
•	Biotin functions as a coenzyme in many body functions
•	Cereal is also a good source of fiber, which is important for good digestive health.
•	Iron needed by red blood cells to help transport oxygen to the body

DRIED BEANS/PEAS/LENTILS AND PEANUT BUTTER

•	All of these are good sources of protein, iron, folic acid and other B vitamins, dietary fiber and minerals. Dry beans are the best source of folate and are high in fiber. Beans have more potassium, needed for the normal functioning of nerves and muscles, than one banana.

100% JUICE

•

Provides vitamin C: which is important in the production of collagen (connective tissue of skin, bone, teeth, tendons and forms cartilage). Vitamin C helps protect fat-soluble vitamins A and E. Vitamin C is beneficial in the treatment of iron deficiency anemia. *Remember, the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests no more than 12 oz of juice should be given to your child a day.

INFANT FORMULA

•	Breast milk is still the *best* food for baby. Formula provides all the nutrients (Protein, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals) needed for growth and development.

Activity 1:

1. Which vitamin is added to milk to help your body absorb calcium?
	Vitamin B
	Vitamin C
	Vitamin D

2. Dried beans, lentils, peas, and peanut butter are a good source of which nutrient?

	Carbohydrates
	Protein
	Vitamin C

3. WIC Foods provide a variety of nutrients needed for growth and development.	True	False
4. Most of the B vitamins help break down the food we eat for our body to use.	True	False
5. Vitamin C helps make connective tissue in our body.	True	False
6. Vitamin C helps our body absorb iron.	True	False

Getting Started

Choose a recipe or use an old favorite

•	Gather all the ingredients you will need
•	Assemble the tools needed to make your recipe: knife, spoon, bowls, mixer, pans etc.
•	Follow the recipe and enjoy.

FAST = KID FRIENDLY MEALS

•	We all have days where there is just not enough time. The kids are hungry and want to eat right now. Lets start with fast, easy kid pleasing recipes.

Click Here for Kid-Friendly Recipes

Dried Beans

Now its getting a little harder and you must plan ahead because it takes several hours to cook beans.

JUST THE BEAN FACTS FIRST:

•	Serving size is 1/2 cup cooked beans
•	1 pound of dry beans equals 5-6 cups of cooked beans.
•	Dry beans can be stored in unopened packages or a sealed container, in a cool, dry place indefinitely.
•	Cooked beans can be stored up to 3-5 days covered in the refrigerator.
•	Cooked beans can be frozen for several weeks.

There are several ways to start:

•

Soaking

•	Soaking dry beans in water softens them. It also helps remove tannins, phytic acid, trypsin inhibitors and flatulence (gas) causing sugars.

•

Quick hot soak

•	Cover beans with water and boil the beans for two minutes. Cover the pot and let soak for 1-4 hours before cooking.

•

Overnight cold soak

•	Cover the beans with water and allow to sit overnight (8-12 hours or more).

Drain soaking water from beans and cover with fresh water before cooking

•

Cooking

•	Bring soaked beans to a boil and simmer. Add hot water as needed and stir gently. The beans should be tender and ready for use after simmering for approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes, check the package for cooking times.
•	To avoid foaming add 2 tablespoons of oil to each pound of beans.

Wait until beans are tender before adding salt or any tomato products.

Click Here for Bean Recipes

Cereals

Cereals are often a fast easy meal. Just open the box, pour into a bowl, add milk, maybe a little fruit, and there you have a fast nutritious meal.

Lets take a look at some other ways cereal can be used in everyday recipes.

Definitions:

Beat	Mix ingredients vigorously with spoon, hand beater or electric mixer until smooth
Blend	Mix ingredients until they are smooth and uniform
Mix	Combine ingredients in any way that distributes them evenly
Stir	Mix ingredients with circular or figure eight motion until evenly combined.

Crushing cereal: Place cereal in baggie, plastic wrap or between waxed paper. Crush with rolling pin (if you don't have a rolling pin grab a can out of the cupboard). A blender or food processor can also be used.

Click Here for Cereal Recipes

100% Juice

Why only 100% juice? Juice containing 100% fruit juice has more vitamins without the added sugar. The vitamin C found in most of the juices also helps our body absorb iron better.

Lets look at some ways we can combine Vitamin C and iron containing foods. Many of the WIC cereals are also fortified with iron and they add a lot of nutrients to any recipe.

Click Here for Juice Recipes

Milk, Cheese and Eggs

Milk, cheese and eggs are foods that we use often because they are fast and convenient.

Click Here for Milk, Cheese and Egg Recipes

Activity 2:

1. Name 2 foods that are high in iron:
A.
B.

2. List one recipe you might try with milk or cheese as an ingredient.

3. List one recipe you might try with cereal as an ingredient.

4. List one recipe you might try with beans, peas, or peanut butter as an ingredients.

5. List one recipe you might try with juice as an ingredient.

Now you have many other ways to use the WIC foods you get every month. Enjoy!

Which WIC Office do you go to?

AK Regional Hospital
Eagle River
L Street
Providence Hospital

Where are you taking today's lesson?

Answers:

Activity 1:	1. Milk is fortified with vitamin D to help our body absorb and use the calcium. 2. DRIED BEANS/PEAS/LENTILS AND PEANUT BUTTER are good sources of protein. 3. True 4. True 5. True 6. True
Activity 2:	1. peanut butter and raisins, beans 2. Breakfast Pizza, Taco Soup 3. Juicy Chicken, Easy Chicken Nuggets, Baked Cheese Sticks 4. Peanut Butter Banana Dog, Red Beans and Rice, Bean Huevos Rancheros, Western Chili Con Carne 5. Muffins, Zesty Chicken Stir-fry, Bone Building Smoothie

Back to WIC Lessons
Revised: 06-13-2008