What’s for dinner?
That’s a question most families find themselves asking on a daily basis.
To help with that decision, Village Pediatrics in Elizabethton hosted a dinner for families demonstrating different recipes that can be made using foods available through the WIC program.
“We shared recipes that families could use at home to make the most of the food they get from WIC,” certified lactation counselor Jilian Reece said.
The recipes shared focused on foods that were given to mothers on the breastfeeding program of WIC. Reece explained the mothers who breastfeed are given a wider range of food items because they do not need to purchase formula for their infants.
“The package is an incentive to breastfeed because nursing moms are awarded more food for their families since they are not receiving formula,” Reece said. “My idea behind this event was to show moms different ideas for using the foods they are receiving and, since November is Thanksgiving month, to have family dinner together.”
More than 40 people attended the dinner and were served vegetable soup, chili garlic-roasted broccoli and Greek yogurt pumpkin pie spice fruit dip with apples.
Participant Kelli Humphries appreciated the opportunity to experience new recipes.
“It was great to get new ideas for healthy dinners for my family,” Humphries said. “I was impressed that my boys tried the new foods. I am so grateful for this group of moms and to have people in my community with kids close in age so that we can support and encourage each other.”
Four East Tennessee State University graduate students planned the meal, and Dr. Erin Majchrzak from ETSU Pediatrics was at the dinner to answer any nutrition questions the parents may have had.
ETSU Pediatrics in partnership with the BABE Breastfeeding Coalition bought the food with a Tennessee State Health Department grant intended to prevent and combat obesity in the region.
The Village Pediatrics Moms Group meets at Village Pediatrics at 117 E F St. the first Thursday of each month at 7 p.m and the third Thursday at 11 a.m.
On Nov. 20, Village Pediatrics will partner with the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Niswonger Children’s Hospital to provide car seat safety checks and installations starting at 11 a.m.