We welcome your feedback! If you have tried recipes in the database, please submit your comments on the Rate a Recipe page. If a recipe is rated (using a scale of 1-5), the star rating system will automatically reflect the rating. If a recipe is reviewed, the responses will go to the SNAP-Ed Connection staff for evaluation and posting. Staff reserve the right to not post all reviews.

Please send us your recipes! Recipes that meet the scope and Criteria of the SNAP-Ed Connection are included in the Recipe Finder.

Teach Food Resource Management Skills
Find creative ideas to use leftovers, low cost proteins, "one pot" meals, and recipes with a limited number of ingredients that are commonly found. Recipes that are ready in 30 minutes or less may help the reluctant cook "eat-in" versus grabbing food on the run; possibly saving time, money and increasing the nutrient quality of the diet. Each recipe includes an estimated cost to help SNAP eligible participants budget wisely and prepare inexpensive meals. The cost of the recipes may be used to discuss food budgeting skills as a supplement to an existing lesson plan.

Educators may want to use the Shopping List to discuss foods that are more commonly "on-hand" versus foods that may need to be purchased on a one time basis. Shopping lists can be created by going to a recipe and clicking on the “add to shopping list” link. The contents of the shopping list can be accessed by the “view shopping list” link at the top of all recipe pages. Again, the costs of the recipes can be discussed and the ingredient list used to compare costs of recipes.

Meet Nutrition Education Goals
Search education topics and audience specific recipes to help SNAP recipients make healthy, low cost food choices. Recipes include:

• Cost per serving and per recipe
• Nutrient analysis (created with ESHA Food Processor)

Recipes offer a range of basic and slightly more advanced cooking techniques. Educators can choose appropriate recipes for food demonstrations or cooking classes to emphasize a healthy diet, healthy cooking options and to build confidence in target audiences that may be new to cooking.

Print options include printer-friendly pages, large font and recipe cards. The recipe cards can be used for educators who want to mix and match the recipes for meal and menu planning or to encourage use of a recipe card box for favorites.

For more details, please read the Recipe Finder Cost Data Questions and Answers (Q and As).

• Eat Calcium Rich Foods
  If one serving of a recipe meets the equivalent of one cup from the Milk group as described in USDA MyPyramid “Inside the Pyramid”, the recipe is placed in this group. Dairy sources of calcium should be low-fat; recipes in this category will be limited to less than 35% calories from fat. Additionally, non-dairy recipes are placed in this group if they contribute at least 10% of the Daily Value (DV) for calcium as seen on the food label. The guidance may be found in the the Food and Drug Administration resource “Focus on Food Labeling.”
• Eat More Fruits and Vegetables
  If one serving of a recipe meets one half cup from the Fruit or Vegetable Group as described in the USDA MyPyramid “Inside the Pyramid," the recipe is placed in this group. Legumes (dry beans and peas) are also included in this category if they meet one serving of a cooked vegetable (½ cup).
• Eat Whole Grains
  Recipes will be added to this category in which the grain ingredients contain 51 percent or more from whole-grains and are low in fat. Recipes in this category will be limited to less than 35% calories from fat. For details on Grains, please see Chapter 5, page 25 of the US Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005.
• Eat Less Saturated Fats, Trans Fats and Cholesterol
  A recipe is included in this group if the saturated fat per serving is less than 10% of total calories per serving. Cholesterol and trans fats should be as low as possible. Also included in this group are foods whose fats consist primarily of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (such as fish, nuts, liquid vegetable oils, etc.). Please see the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 section on Fats for more details.

• Optional Ingredients
  Recipe ingredients that are listed as "optional" are not included in the nutrient or cost analysis. If the optional ingredient is included in the recipe, it will be specifically noted on the recipe. Also, if two ingredients are listed with an "or", (i.e. margarine or butter) the ingredient that appears first is the ingredient used in analysis.

• Desserts
  Efforts have been made to choose recipes that are low in calories while maintaining high nutritive value. Some recipes, primarily in the dessert category, may have added sugars but offer a dessert option that is relatively low calorie or includes fruit, whole grains or low fat dairy ingredients.