Using your WIC and Fresh Fruit & Vegetable Checks at the Farmers Market

Did you know that you can use your WIC & Food Stamp Benefits at local farmers' markets?  The Farmers' Markets want you to be able to enjoy locally grown fruits and vegetables using your SNAP and WIC money.  There are just a few simple steps that you need to know to be able to use your benefits at the farmer's markets. 

To Use Your EBT Card at the Farmers' Market:

• Go to the designated area like the market managers' tent with your EBT card.
• Swipe your EBT Card OR your debit/credit card and enter the amount you want to spend.
• You will receive tokens to spend at each vendor table.

• You will use the tokens to pay for your fruits and veggies .  EBT customers are only able to purchase EBT-eligible foods.  These foods include:

 



Sample EBT Card


• Fruits & Vegetables
• Bread
• Beef, Chicken and eggs
• Frozen foods **
• Seeds or plants for growing fruits and vegetables

   ***Make sure to bring a cooler for frozen foods and meat to ensure food stays at the right temperature!


The Farmer's Market also accepts the WIC and Senior FMNP checks.  These vouchers are typically given out at the WIC offices.  The Senior FMNP vouchers are given out at community locations which are coordinated by the county.  These checks allow you to buy fresh fruits and vegetables at the farmers' markets.  Not all farmer's markets accept these checks.  To learn if the farmers' market near you participates, go the Farmers' Market listings, click on county.  If these are accepted at your farmer's market, it will be indicated by WIC and Senior FMNP Checks Accepted in the description.

Freshen Up Meals with Fall Fruits and Vegetables

As the fall leaves change to yellow, orange, and brown, the choices of fruits and vegetables at the farmers' market change too.  Fall is a perfect time to visit the farmers' market with the whole family and enjoy time outdoors together.  There might even be a market you can walk to!  Check the list of farmer's markets here.  When you visit you can choose from the freshest fall fruits and vegetables, listen to live music, and visit the information booths to learn about local services and programs.


Here is what's in season in Maryland this fall:

 

Vegetables:

• Leafy greens like lettuce, spinach, Swiss chard, and kale
• Sweet Potatoes, acorn and butternut squash, pumpkins
• Red and green cabbage

Fruits:

• Many varieties of apples
• Pears
• Raspberries

Try combining fall fruits and vegetables together in one recipes.  Here's one to try:

Baked Apples and Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients
5 sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
4 Apples, cored and sliced
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup margarine
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup hot water
2 tablespoons honey

Instructions:
1.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2.  Boil sweet potatoes in water until they are almost tender.
3.  Grease the casserole dish with margarine.
4.  Put a layer of sweet potatoes on the bottom of the dish, kids can help too!
5.  Add a layer of apple slices.
6.  Add some sugar, salt, and tiny pieces of margarine to the apple layer.
7.  Repeat steps 4, 5 and 6 to make more layers of sweet potatoes, apples, and sugar/salt.
8.  Sprink the rest of the brown sugar, margarine, and nutmeg on top.
9.  Mix the hot water and honey together and pour on top of the apples and sweet potatoes.
10.  Bake for about 30 minutes until apples are tender.



Source:  Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Program, Pennsylvania Nutrition Education Network Website recipes

September is Fruits/Veggies More Matters Month

"Eat your vegetables". "Fruit is good for you."  Your mother probably said this to you when you were a child.  Have you ever wondered why parents for generations have encouraged their children to eat fruits and vegetables?

There are many reasons. Fruits and vegetables:

•  taste good and come in many varieties.
• are high in fiber, vitamins and minerals.
• may reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and some cancers.
• are low in calories.
• are convenient to prepare and serve.

In an effort to encourage Americans to eat more fruits and vegetables, September has been declared Fruits/Veggies More Matters Month.  Consider working towards on of these goals this month:

• One More a Day -- Plan to eat (and help your family eat) at least one more fruit or vegetable every day.
• Half My Plate -- Try to fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables at every meal.
• My School -- Join the effort to provide more fruit and vegetables to students at your child's school.

To reach your goal this month, try some of these ideas for increasing the fruits and vegetables your family members eat:

• Offer your kids fresh fruit or raw vegetables as a snack.
• Add a favorite fruit, such as strawberries, blueberries, or bananas, as a topping to cereal, waffles, pancakes, and yogurt.
• Order vegetables toppings when you get pizza.
• Add lettuce, tomato, and other veggies to sandwiches.
• Drink fruit smoothies made with low-fat yogurt.
• Offer your kids two vegetables with dinner and a serving of fruit for dessert.
• Find ways for your children to be involved in selecting, preparing, and serving fruits and vegetables.  Children are much more likely to try new foods if they have helped prepare them.

Have a Healthy Labor Day

Labor Day marks the official end of summer.  If you plan to have a cookout or picnic, take some simple steps to keep your friends and family safe from foodborne illness.

Wash your hands
Wash your hands often and keep food preparation and serving surfaces clean.  Pack moist towelettes or hand sanitzer if you think you picnic site might not have handwashing facilities.

Keep Hot Foods Hot
Raw meat and poultry may contain bacteria that cause illness.  Bacteria grows at temperatures between 40 degrees F and 140 degrees F -- the "danger zone".  To keep foods safe to eat, hold them at temperatures outside the danger zone.  This means below 40F or above 140 degrees F.

Keep Cold Foods Cold
Store food in a cooler with plenty of ice or frozen gel packs.  Keep meat and poultry in a cooler until just before you are ready to start cooking.  Return leftovers to the cooler or store in the refrigerator or freezer within two hours after being cooked and only one hour when the temperature is above 90 degrees F.

Handle Leftovers Safely
The more time that food has been sitting at an unsafe temperature, the more likely harmful bacteria has grown.  Because most picnic leftovers have been sitting out for more than one hour and had many people handling them, the best thing to do is throw them out.  Cold foods kept in a cooler that still has ice may be safe.  If the ice is melted, throw out the food.  Cold water cannot keep foods cold enough to be safe.

For more information about food safety:
Grilling Food Safety at Home and Barbeque and Food Safety 

Many people do not realize that melons, such as watermelons and cantaloupe, can cause foodborne illness.  Wash melons thoroughly before cutting to remove bacteria.  Once melons are cut, refrigerate as soon as possible.

Try this  Melon Grape Salad that will be a healthy alternative to try this weekend!

Melon Grape Salad
8 servings

Ingredients
1 cup of cube cantaloupe melon
1 cup of cubed watermelon
2 cups of seedless green grapes
1/4 cup lime juice
1/2 cup of honey
1 Tablespoon of Dijon mustard

Preparation:
1.  Wash melons and grapes.
2. Cut melons into bite-sized pieces.  Mix melons and grapes together in a serving bowl.
3.  Whisk together the lime juice, honey and Dijon mustard.  Toss with the fruit and serve immediately.