Archive for April, 2009

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Do You Love Rhubarb?

April 29th, 2009

We are excited to have rhubarb plants in our new back yard!  Our family has a favorite rhubarb cake recipe and we enjoy eating cooked rhubarb as sauce for lunchtime dessert or over ice cream for a special treat.

My friend brought me a wonderful rhubarb recipe I can’t wait to share with you.  It is simple and inexpensive to create!  If you don’t have rhubarb in your yard, ask around.  People often have more than they can use and will be happy to share.  That maximizes savings!

LeOta’s Rhubarb Jam

4 cups cut rhubarb

4 cups sugar

1 small – flat – can crushed pineapple

1 pkg raspberry, strawberry, or cherry gelatin dessert

Cook rhubarb and sugar for 12 minutes, stirring constantly.  Add pineapple, juice and all, and cook 3 more minutes.  Add gelating, stirring until dissolved.

NOTE: This recipe is quite old.  LeOta had written it on an old form and it was well worn, indicating to me that it was a family favorite or she would not have used it so much! 

We have an overnight guest coming this week…it will be great to have something special for her breakfast toast!

Thanks, LeOta!

Some of you who are clients of the SNAP program, using food stamps, food commodities and food pantries have graciously emailed the Food Stamps Cooking Club to let us know how much you are enjoying the “daisylions” and tulips, as well as the violets. You seem to be as delighted as we are that the food budget is getting some great, nutritious help and it makes for interesting meals.  WE GREATLY APPRECIATE YOUR TAKING THE TIME TO SEND YOUR MESSAGES TO US!

For those of you who have planted gardens or are participating in gardening programs in your area…we would love to hear about your successes!  Don’t hold back!  Share your stories by sending them to foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com!  Tell us what you are cooking, too!

Food is such an integral part of family life and the memories we carry.  Wherever people gather, the subject of food inevitably comes up.  If you are looking for help beyond what the Food Stamps Cooking Club offers, you are more than welcome to visit our partners:  Saving Dinner can help you with your food planning and prep; if you need help bringing some extra money for food or other expenses, you might really benefit from  Rapid Cash Marketing!

Connie Baum

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Edible Flowers Can Make You Cook Like a Rock Star!

April 24th, 2009

Spring really HAS sprung!  We have apple blossoms outside our bedroom window and as I stand at our kitchen sink to wash the dishes and prepare our meals, I can look out over several back yards filled with the bobbing yellow heads of dandelions AKA “daisylions.”  Another feature of spring are the cheery purple blooms greeting me as I make my way to the clothesline.  Oh, yes-a neighbor graciously shared some fresh asparagus from their garden!  It was tender and DELISH an very much a piece of SPRING!

Different names are given to those purple hued posies.  I think they are violets but we had a landlady once who called them Johnny Jump Ups.  The Normanator calls them weeds.

In any case, they are some of my favorite blooms.  They spring up all over peoples’ yards and their purple “faces” seem to smile that they have succeeded in survival.  Makes me think of how some of us struggle to survive as we manage our grocery budgets, perhaps assisted by SNAP, food stamps, commodities and community food pantries.

When my mom lived with us I would pluck the sweet little purple blooms from the front yard and garnish her breakfast fruit with them.  She always delcared she was living in a Five Star Hotel with room service that paid attention to detail.  She really raved when I had pansies for her plate; she truly enjoyed the peppery flavor of pansy blooms.  She also liked nasturtiums.  She said they made her feel more alive.  These are delightful memories of my mother and as Mother’s Day approaches I find great comfort in the sweet memories of my mom.

Today I cooked some brown rice and scattered some bright, honey-sweet “daisylion” blossoms over the dish.  Then I placed some violets on the mound just to give it a little boost of style.  I can’t honestly say I cooked like a rock star-although I FELT like one, but there was an encouraging “ooh” from The Normanator, which indicates his approval. 

SIDEBAR: A positive vote from the man of the house is a RAVE for the woman of the house!  END SIDEBAR.

SIDEBAR #2: If I live long enough to learn how to post photos on this blog you will be treated to the visual I enjoy from my perspective.  I should live so long!  END SIDEBAR #2.

If you have “daisylions” or violets to pluck make certain there have been no sprays or pesticides used on the lawn before you harvest them.  We don’t want any sick people, for crying out loud!

Your precious messages are reaching our Inbox!  Thank you all for taking the time to comment and to send your ideas.  You can send messages about “daisylions” or violets or your mother to foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com .  You are welcome to visit any of the partners whose banners or messages you see on this page.  They have all been selected because they can help you solve many of your life’s problems.

Connie Baum

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Are Dandelions Really Daisy Lions?

April 23rd, 2009

One of the sure signs of spring are the little yellow flowers that have popped up wherever there is dirt and grass!  Dandelions abound! 

Kids can have fun with them.  My children used to call them “daisylions” and that name has STUCK.  Even THEIR GRANDCHILDREN refer to dandelions as “daisylions.”  When I was a little girl I cut “daisylions” and pretended to cook them in my playhouse.  I pretended they were delicious and served them to my dolls, who also pretended they were gourmet items.

Thank goodness I grew up, even though I’ll deny that fact.  I learned from my good friend, Kay Young, author of “Wild Seasons” that “daisylions” are indeed delicious and they ARE gourmet items.

In her book, Kay talks about how someone taught her as a small child that she could eat the little yellow flowers and the leaves and she felt grateful and comforted, even as a youngster, that she knew she would always have food to eat.

Here’s a “Cooking Tip” taken from what transpired when I harvested some “daisylions” from our yard:

I was comfortable about bringing the greens and the blossoms into the kitchen because I am certain there have been no sprays used in or near our yard.  I dug some plants out of the earth with a small knife.  It was fun to pluck off the cheery yellow blooms and twist them away from the stems.  The leaves were dark and tender with bits of red color near the root end. 

The crop was brought into the kitchen, rinsed with good water.  I used reverse osmosis water and let the blossoms and leaves rest in the water for about an hour.  When I looked at them again, some debris had fallen to the bottom of the bowl so I emptied the bowl and strained the goods.  I then separated the flowers from the leaves and placed them into covered refrigerator containers to keep them fresh in the fridge.  I let the leaves dry on a paper towel until I put them into a covered container and slid them on the shelf beside the flowers.

I planned to create a gourmet meal last night, but then life happened, as life is wont to do!

Today I put the yellow goodies into scrambled eggs, along with a bit of bacon and some chopped chives we’d gathered from the yard.  Oh, but that was delish!  The yellow of the blooms enhanced the yellow of the fresh eggs and it was a feast of abundance for sure!

As for the leaves, those were added to leftover green veggie salad.  They were very tender and sweet and with a dressing of rice vinegar and a teeny drizzle of bacon drippings we had the perfect lunch.  Dessert?  Applesauce-made from apples we picked from the tree in our yard-with a sprinkle of cinammon and barley powder.

Now, the eggs had been given to us. The lettuce was left over from another meal.  The chives and “daisylions” cost nothing. The apples cost nothing, as well.  The only expense incurred was the cinammon, barley powder, 3 strips of bacon, a drizzle of vinegar and the heat to cook it!  BUT THE BEST THINGS are that everything TASTED DIVINE and FILLED OUR TUMMIES.  We left the lunch table feeling full and well nourished. 

If you participate in the SNAP program-using food stamps, food commodities or food pantries, this menu notion may be of value to you.  If you are a foodie and have not learned how tasty “daisylions” can be this may pique your interest as well.  Everyone likes to save money and most folks like to learn new ways of doing things.

Kay Young has more uses for “daisylions” in her book.  I’ll review some of them for you soon.

Meantime, I hope you are gleaning some good and useful information from our partners.  Their banners and ads adorn this page.  They may not work with “daisylions” but they can help you with your bottom line!

BE SURE TO SEND YOUR IDEAS AND RECIPES TO foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com and feel free to post your comment on this very blog.  All comments must be moderated but that’s no problem.  WE WELCOME YOUR COMMENTS.  If you have signed up for information from http://www.foodstampscookingclub.com  you should have received a message in your Inbox today.  Here’s hoping you’ll benefit from that!

Connie Baum

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Foodies are Coming to Food Stamps Cooking Club!

April 22nd, 2009

When we invited our peeps to participate with their recipes and food ideas, they responded to the call!  We thank everyone for their participation.

Since our mission and passion is helping people who work with SNAP to fund their food budgets from food stamps, food commodites and food pantries we are always on the hunt for good, nourishing food to fit those parameters and delight our family’s palates!

We’ll be sharing the most recent dessert offering today.  It’s not on Jenny Craig’s menu but if you can’t make a treat for your family, who ARE you going to treat?

“Angel Lush with Pineapple”
1 round angel food cake either commercial or HOMEMADE
1 20 oz can crushed pineapple in juice, undrained
1 3.4 oz  Vanilla or Lemon Instant Pudding-I prefer lemon-store brand may be cheaper
1 cup thawed whipped topping-I add a little more if cake is homemade as those seem to be larger-store brands are likely to be the better value
10 small fresh strawberries
Mix pineapple and dry pudding mix.  Gently stir in whipped topping. Cut angel food cake into three layers; I mark with toothpicks
Spread  pudding mix between layers and on top of cake,
Refrigerate 1 hr. before serving.  Top with strawberries
***Variation:  You can tear pieces of the cake and put those into a see-through bowl.  Layer the pudding mix with the pieces and top with the berries, too. Either method makes for a fancy, showy dessert! 
***Variation #2: Substitute any other berries.  Watch for sale items!
Thank you, Sheila! 
What are YOUR plans for today?  I hope to make a new recipe using dandelions!  Stay tuned for that outcome; it’s very exciting!
Please continue sending your food ideas and low cost menu notions to foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com!  WE LOVE OPENING YOUR MAIL!  WE ALSO ADORE WHEN YOU COMMENT TO THIS BLOG!  It’s oober easy and quick as a wink!  We hope you make the time to visit our partners, too.  Their banners appear on this page. 
Connie Baum

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Leftovers from Easter?

April 20th, 2009

Easter Sunday came and went.  Because it was Easter, we opted not to have Sunday School.  Well, I felt a little sad about that, really, because I enjoy those kids a lot and it just seemed to me that we needed to have an Easter lesson.

Why do I mention this on a FOOD blog?  After all, isn’t this blog meant to cater to people who avail themselves of the SNAP program, not a church program?  When you see what we made, you will better understand that users of food stamps, food commodities and food pantries can avail themselves of this QUICK, inexpensive food product.

POPOVERS

Begin with any biscuit recipe you like.  From scratch, box mix, or refrigerated tubes-any of these will do.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease muffin tins liberally.

Take each biscuit and dip in into a bowl with sugar and cinnamon, making sure both sides and the edges are well covered with the mixture. 

Place a large marshmallow in the center of the biscuit -flat side to the biscuit- and wrap the dough around the marshmallo.  Place the wrapped edge into the bottom of the muffin cup. 

When the muffin tray is full, butter the tops to keep them moist and bake for 15 – 18 minutes.  You will see them puff as they bake.  When they are cool you can remove them from the tray and they can be served.  Leftover Popovers can be stored in an airtight container.  Plastic bags are not a good storage choice, as the plastic sticks to the Popovers.

***The lesson that accompanied this is that Jesus was placed in the tomb, just the way the marshmallows were placed in the biscuit.  But when the tomb was opened, Jesus was gone.  When these little rolls are opened, there will be a hole where the marshmallow was.

The reason I wanted to share this with all of you is that this is a very inexpensive treat for a Sunday morning breakfast or a celebration with your friends over coffee.  They look a little showy, take little time and work and they taste wonderful.

Here is a little tip:

  If you have some of the sugar/cinnamon mixture left over, it is great for cinnamon toast or to sprinkle over oatmeal.  You can even stir it into coffee for a different flavor of your morning Joe!  You can even use a pinch of that to garnish the youngsters’ hot chocolate.

Here’s hoping you are finding help with your life from this blog as well as from our partners: Rapid Cash Marketing who can help you boost your income and Saving Dinner who will help you with food preparation.

Feel free to send your food ideas to foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com and let us know your great food preparation techniques!  We welcome every comment to this blog post, too, so don’t hold back.  Share who you are.

 

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Does Being a Food Stamps Cooking Club Member Have Perks?

April 16th, 2009

Yes, Virginia, being a Food Stamps Cooking Club member DOES have perks and my favorite one is COMMUNITY!  It does not matter if you are a SNAP program client or just a foodie.  One of our faithful has written to share not only a recipe, but her culture.  We are so grateful to Imee Malabonga, who has Filipino heritage, as does one of MY favorite granddaughters in law!  Imee joins the sorority of my new best friends and here is  dear Imee’s precious contribution:

“Well. I have this recipe for chicken-pork adobo, but my mom sometimes substitutes the meat with this vegetable we call kangkong (it’s called water spinach in English). We only use the stalks for it though, instead of leaves.

Here are the the ingredients:
-1/2 kilo pork cut in cubes + 1/2 kilo chicken, cut into pieces (or 1 kilo pork, 1 kilo chicken, 1 kilo water spinach, or whatever combination)
-1 head garlic, minced (garlic over here are usually the small ones about an inch in diameter)
-1/2 white onion, diced
-1/2 cup soy sauce
-1 cup vinegar (we like to use sukang Iloco, I don’t know if that’s available in oriental stores over there)
-2 cups of water
-about 5 bay leaves
-4 tablespoons of cooking oil or olive oil (we like unflavored extra virgin coconut oil sometimes)
-Salt and pepper (to taste)

Here’s how to do it:
1. In a wok, heat 2 tablespoons of cooking oil then sauté the minced garlic and onions. If you want you can also add crushed ginger, depends on your taste.
2. Add your choice of 1 kilo of meat to the pan. Add 2 cups of water, 1/4 cup of soy sauce, vinegar, and bay leaves. You can also add 1 tsp. of paprika (in Filipino, it’s called siling pansigang, in case you’re buying from a Filipino/Oriental store). Bring it to a boil, then cover and simmer for about 30 minutes (or until meat is tender).
3. Transfer the meat from the wok. On another pan, heat cooking oil and brown the pork and chicken for a few minutes.
4. Mix the browned meat back to the sauce in the other wok, then add salt and/or pepper to suit your taste.
5. Bring to a boil then simmer for another 5 minutes.
6. You can serve it with the “gravy” or sauce, or totally drain it.

Sometimes we do variations like removing the sauce or not using ginger, etc, and like I said you can even substitute the meat with stalks of water spinach instead for a healthier alternative. :) ”

Such a healthy dish, Imee!  Thanks for sharing!

It has been my experience as a “pink person” who has frequented Asian grocery stores that the people there are delighted to help non-Asians get acquainted with the different foods and the ingredients we don’t recognize.  I sincerely believe that by sharing various cultures through food we can achieve world peace. 

I’d love it if we had one long, ginormous table for everyone in the Food Stamps Cooking Club, no matter where in the world they live, to put their toes under it so we could taste one another’s dishes and get better acquainted!

Do you have a family favorite from YOUR culture?  Or maybe you have a cooking tip you would like others to know.  Won’t you share the way Imee did?  Just drop a line to foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com !  It doesn’t matter if you are affiliated with the SNAP program in any way or not; it does matter that we want you to feel included!

We also encourage you to visit our partners.  Rapid Cash Marketing will help you boost your income; Saving Dinner will help you manage it! 

Connie Baum

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With Just a SNAP of Your Fingers?

April 15th, 2009

Oh, boy!  Wouldn’t it be splendid to end hunger with just a  SNAP of your fingers?  There are those who do their part.  One person whose Herculean effort comes to mind is Rachel Ray, who spearheaded the “Yum O” program to feed children.  Nearly every community of any size has some type of program to feed hungry people.

What about the people who use Food Stamps and depend on Food Commodities and Food Pantries?  What is being done to help THEM?  Is our government working on this?

I am delighted to share with you that I have had a message from Alice Lockett, MS, RD, LD and Senior Nutritionist with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).  If you are new to this blog or if you don’t recall, Alice is one of my new best friends.  She found us on the ‘net and shared some phenomenal resources.  I’ll tell her you send your thanks when we chat again…

Here’s what Alice Lockett was kind enough to tell us:

“SNAP Puts Healthy Food Within Reach

 

No one in America should go hungry. But every day, hard-working and retired individuals and families face the choice between buying enough food and paying for basic life necessities like rent, heat and electricity. In addition, unexpected day-to-day circumstances like a trip to the emergency room or the loss of a job can easily push a household into food insecurity.

 

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service administers 15 nutrition assistance programs that serve as the nation’s first line of defense against hunger. Its largest program the Food Stamp Program (FSP) currently helps 32 million participants and growing each month put healthy food on the table. Half of those recipients are children.  

As of October 1, 2008, SNAP is the new name for the Food Stamp Program.  SNAP stands for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and reflects the changes we’ve made to meet the needs of our clients, including a focus on nutrition and an increase in benefit amounts.  While SNAP is the federal name for the program, State programs may have different names.  Current clients will not lose benefits as a result of the name change. Current clients and recent applicants do not need to re-apply.

 

Studies show that families who do not have access to healthy foods and nutritional education suffer from higher rates of obesity. Children without access to healthy eating can experience behavioral and social problems that they otherwise wouldn’t if they were simply not hungry.

 

But there is an opportunity to increase the number of participants in SNAP.  Recent Program improvements include an increase in the minimum benefit amount (from $10 to $14) and standard deduction, elimination of the limit on child or dependent care deduction and the exclusion of education and retirement accounts from countable resources.  Through nutrition education partners, SNAP helps clients learn to make healthy eating and active lifestyle choices.  Research shows that every $5.00 of new benefits generates $9.20 in total community spending.

Please spread the word about the SNAP name change and program improvements.  With SNAP, healthy food is within reach for low-income Americans.

For more information about SNAP or one of the USDA’s Food and Nutrition Services fifteen programs, please visit:  http://www.fns.usda.gov. “

I hope you will help to spread the word about SNAP and the program improvements!  It’s the least we can do for our fellow Americans.

On a personal level, I am all but obsessed about people making wise and healthy food choices.  I will be honored to pass the word and let’s ALL keep in touch, sharing our cooking tips, recipes and ideas with one another. 

If you care to extend your efforts a bit, it would be remarkable if you “buddied up” with a family who is part of the SNAP program to share what you know about gardening and food preparation.  You might have so much fun that the Fun Police will come to investigate why there is so much laughter coming from your house!  As always, you are welcome to send your ideas to foodstampsookingclub@gmail.com ! 

In a slightly different vein…when we show honor and appreciation for participants in our Toastmaster club, we SNAP OUR FINGERS in lieu of applause.  CAN YOU HEAR THE SNAPPING OF FINGERS FOR ALICE LOCKETT, who took the time to share this message with us?

Thanks, EVERYBODY!  And especially for Alice: SNAP!  SNAP!  SNAP!

Connie Baum

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Now What?

April 13th, 2009

If you hosted your Easter meal, the chances are good you have ham left from the main event.  If you don’t have ham, you are likely to have some ground beef hanging around your freezer or fridge.  I’m going to tell you what I did with some meat that I fell heir to that was less than desirable.  It turned out to be a spectacular success and I want YOU to get the same great results.

Meat Muffins

*Note: use whatever meat you have.  If you use uncooked ground beef, that will work well.  If you have cooked ham, beef or chicken, just go with it.  You may need to adjust your cooking time accordingly.

1 pound of meat

4 eggs

1/2 loaf dried, stale bread, crumbled – I just put the dried bread into a plastic bag and pounded it to bits.  Very therapeutic ;)

1 small onion, chopped fine

2 or 3 ribs of celery, chopped fine

1 large carrot, shredded

3 Tablespoons Worcesteshire sauce

Salt and Pepper to taste; add a dash of garlic powder if that’s your fave

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix thoroughly.  Drop by spoonsful into muffin cups and place in muffin tin.  Bake at 350 until the muffins are nicely browned and cooked through.

* I did not preheat the oven for this..the oven and the product warmed up together.

When these are baked, your kitchen will smell wonderful, and you can use them like meatballs.  We did not eat all of them at the first sitting, so when I made the second meal from them I simply steamed them.  It took almost no time and they were moist and just as tasty as when they came out of the oven.

While you are baking your meat muffins and the oven is working, you might like to put in some sweet potatoes or bake some red or russets alongside your meat.  Saving energy to feed your family is a smart move.

We LOVE hearing from you!  Send your cooking tips and fave raves to foodstampscookingclub@gmail.com .  We hope you will visit our partners, whose banners appear on this page.

The Food Stamps Cooking Club caters to people who use food stamps, food pantries and food commodities to fund their grocery budgets.  We hope you have seen http://foodstampscookingclub.com  so you can receive our occasional mailings which offer tips and notions appealing to people who cook and manage households. 

This blog has received some major attention lately.  The most recent evidence of that can be found here: http://writeasrain.wordpress.com/2009/04/12/food-stampsfood-pantry-and-healthy-cooking/  We appreciate Rainy’s kind words.

Connie Baum

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HOPPY Easter! Blessed Holiday!

April 11th, 2009

“Everybody” knows that today the Easter Bunny is laying eggs so we can all roll Easter eggs tomorrow!

Okay.  So maybe I missed the memo about the bunny not really laying eggs. 

I do know that most households will be full of eggs tomorrow and some people will be wondering what in thunder to DO with the few left from the kids’ hiding them. If yours is one of the households using food stamps or food commodities, I’ll have an idea to help you with your food prep.  Even if you get your food from a food pantry, you might be able to use this same tip!  I surely hope I can help everyoe.

One of the best things about AFTER Easter when I was growing up was my mom’s ‘famous’ recipe for egg salad, which we devoured either from lettuce cups or from a tasty sandwich.

She also made a dandy salad and I want to share her recipe:

Harriet’s Kidney Bean Salad

6 hard cooked eggs, peeled and chopped

1 can kidney beans, rinsed and drained

1 slice red onion, finely chopped

1 or 2 ribs of celery, finely chopped

1 Tablespoon pickle relish

Enough mayo to moisten

1teaspoon prepared mustard (more if you like things zesty)

*If you need more moisture, drizzle in some of the pickle relish juice

pinch of salt

pinch of pepper

*This recipe is easy to double if your brood has hearty appetites.

Kidney Bean Salad is pretty when served in lettuce cups.  You can also add cooked shell macaroni to stretch it further.   You could garnish it with a sprinkle of cheese, too.  If you serve it with muffins or biscuits and tomato juice, maybe a piece of fruit for dessert, you have a fine, yet easy meal for your family. 

COOKING TIP

Whenever you have eggs to chop, use an egg slicer.  Slice them one way, turn them 1/4 and slice them again.  One more 1/4 turn and you have a nice, fine chop in the twinkling of an eye.  This is a great job for youngsters who like to play the part of the Sous Chef!

From our partners, Saving Dinner, Rapid Cash Marketing, and Kristen Suzanne, big you a happy holiday, whether you are observing Passover or Easter.

Connie Baum

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Boy, Is Our Mail Fun or WHAT?

April 8th, 2009

You may or may not be aware that every effort is made to bring to all of you the very best we have to offer.  We are sincerely concerned about the plight of people who need food stamps, fill their cupboards from food pantries and depend on food commodities.

Well, my good friends, our mail indicates that we are not alone.  There IS help out there.  We just needed to know how to access it. 

I got a precious email from one Alice Lockett.  She is a NUTRITIONIST who works with the Federal Food Stamps Program!  Look at the mountain of information she was kind enough to share:

“Dear Food Stamp Cooking Club:

I am a nutritionist at the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) formerly called the Food Stamp Program.  A colleague of mine sent me the link to your site the “Food Stamp Cooking Club”.  I thought you might be interested in some of the resources we have available for folks who are eligible for SNAP benefits. 

The SNAP-Ed Connection (http://snap.nal.usda.gov) is a dynamic online resource center for State and local SNAP-Ed providers.  SNAP-Ed Connection helps educators meet their professional development needs by providing information on valuable training and continuing education resources.  SNAP-Ed Connection facilitates access to education materials developed specifically for SNAP eligibles.

o       SNAP-Ed Addresses Rising Food Cost:  Rising food prices and uncertain economic conditions are making it harder for many Americans, especially low-income families to make ends meet.  To that end, SNAP-Ed in collaboration with USDA National Agricultural Library/Food and Information Center/ Food Stamp Nutrition Connection has developed a Fact Sheet and a dedicated web page to address the problems of rising food cost issues.  The Fact sheet is called “Eat Right When Money’s Tight”: http://www.nal.usda.gov/foodstamp/pdf/Making%20Ends%20Meet%20Fact%20Sheet-FINAL.pdf

o       This fact sheet includes methods for stretching the food budget while maintaining a healthy diet.  It includes tips on creating a family food budget, making use of foods that are on hand, preparing a shopping a list, shopping techniques before, during and after going to the grocery store, and what foods are the best choice for cost and nutrition.  The factsheet also provides additional information resources from other USDA nutrition assistance programs.

o       The SNAP-Ed Connection has developed a dedicated web page titled “Making Ends Meet: Eating Well When Money’s Tight”.  The content of this web page includes links to resources for managing your food dollars wisely with over 100 low cost recipes from the Recipe Finder Database costing 25 cents or less per serving.

o       The Recipe Finder Database is one of the most popular components on the SNAP-Ed website.  This database of over 400 recipes is for use by nutrition educators working with the SNAP eligible population. Educators can search for relevant nutrition topics and audience specific recipes to help SNAP recipients make healthy, low cost food choices. Recipes include useful information such as cost per serving and per recipe. Nutrient analysis, including trans-fat, is also included for each recipe. 

o       SNAP-Ed’s Recipe Finder Available in Spanish: The SNAP-Ed Connection recently released “Buscador de Recetas,” the Spanish translation of the Recipe Finder Database. Users now have the option of searching the database of over 400 recipes in both Spanish and English. Recipes included generally use low cost, readily available ingredients; can be prepared quickly; use simple measurements and basic equipment; and are compatible with the existing US Dietary Guidelines for Americans. To access the Spanish version of the FSNC Recipe Finder, visit the web site at http://recipefinder.nal.usda.gov/.

We hope you find these resources helpful. “

I’d like to remind you that your local County Extension Service  Agents can point you in the direction of helpful resources and may have local contacts with farmers, gardeners and cooks who can offer their expertise and counsel!

Well!  There you have it!  These are wonderful sites that you can access as quickly as you clicked here at the Food Stamps Cooking Club!  They will help all of us make better use of our food dollars!

While you are clicking around, do stop by our partners, as well.  The The Dinner Diva can help you manage your resources.  The Rapid Cash Marketing Team can help BOOST your resources.

The Dinner Diva

Rapid Cash Marketing

Connie Baum

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