By Carley MacRae RD, CD, WSU Extension – Snohomish County Food $ense
Grains come in many different shapes and sizes and they vary in price almost as much as they vary in type. We can put grains into two categories – refined grains and whole grains. Refined grains are processed to remove parts of the grain so that it has a smoother texture. Whole grains contain every part of the grain and therefore have more nutrients and fiber than refined grains. The goal is to make sure that half of the grain foods we eat every day are whole grains. This is important for the health of our digestive system and our heart.
Unfortunately, marketing practices have made whole grain foods difficult to identify. The labeling is confusing so always read the ingredient list. Any product that names a whole grain ingredient first is a whole grain. Look for phrases such as, “whole wheat,” “brown rice,” “bulgur,” “buckwheat,” “oatmeal,” “whole-grain cornmeal,” “whole oats,” “whole rye,” or “wild rice.” These words and phrases are your clues to finding whole grain products.
If whole grains are new to your home or if they have been previously rejected, be patient. It is a big change to move from refined grains to healthy whole grains. Whole grains have a different texture and a different taste than refined grains so it may take a while for people to enjoy them. It can take at least ten to twenty times of tasting a food before kids start to like it. Here are a few tips to begin weaning yourself and your family off refined grains and onto whole grains.
When serving pasta mix white pasta with whole grain pasta. Each time add more whole grain pasta until that is all you serve. (Important tip: Whole grain pasta can have an unappetizing texture when overcooked. Be careful to follow the package’s cooking instructions).
A kid-favorite is a goofy grain sandwich. Make goofy grain sandwiches by using one slice of refined wheat bread and the other half whole-wheat bread. Make it your goal to eventually transition to using only whole-wheat or whole-grain bread.
When serving rice, mix white rice (a refined grain) together with brown rice or wild rice. Slowly add less and less white rice until your family prefers brown rice or wild rice to white rice.
Substitute whole-wheat flour for half of the all-purpose flour that a recipe calls for when cooking baked goods. This is a great way to hide whole grains in your favorite foods.