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When there's Big News in the Whole Grains Council, we send out a press release and post it in the press release section of this website. But every day, the momentum of whole grains moves forward in many smaller ways, which you can read about here. Come back often, and see what's new, or subscribe with our RSS feed.

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America's Healthiest Restaurants

October 15, 2008

Today, Health.com announced their list of America’s Healthiest Restaurants, based on criteria from a panel of health experts including, among other things, whether or not whole grains appear on the menus. First, the panel eliminated any national chain restaurants that did not provide any nutritional information, and the rest were sorted into two categories – sit-down service or primarily counter service. Then the panel examined the menus of the remaining chains and chose the shining examples.

If You Serve It, They Will Come

October 13, 2008

According to an article in today's Advertising Age, Starbuck's new oatmeal is "shaping up as the company's most successful food launch of all time... despite unseasonably warm weather in many markets" since the time of the product's introduction.

AdAge may call this "a bit of a stunner" but we're not surprised. We have seen time and again that consumers are eager to choose whole grains, if restaurants simply make delicious options available. We saw this at PF Chang's China Bistro, where white and brown rice are offered equally, and customers split their orders pretty darn close to 50/50 between the two.

Schools' Top Change is Whole Grains

October 8, 2008

For the second straight year, "increasing the availability of whole grains" was the top response given by school nutrition directors when they were asked about changes they were making in school meal programs. According to the School Nutrition Association's 2008 Back to School Nutrition Trends Report, 85.2% of schools cited whole grains.

In fact, interest in whole grains has stayed at a consistently high level since last year, when whole grains were also the top school effort, at 85.1%. We're heartened by this survey, which shows schools are doing the right thing for kids, despite price pressures on schools to go with less-expensive refined grains.

Whole Grain Gourmet

October 5, 2008

Recently we happened upon a great website for whole grain recipes. It's called Whole Grain Gourmet, and it's the brainchild of André Della Santa and his wife. André says they launched the site last December, when, after searching for a recipe for a whole grain cake, they were inspired to create a comprehensive resource for whole grain recipes on the web.

Whole Grain Gourmet has invited us to post a few of their recipes here on the WGC site, and we've started with the Sweet Potato Waffles pictured here. Yum. We'll be adding a few more soon, but why wait? Go visit Whole Grain Gourmet today and check out their neat website. Or even better – contribute one of your own favorite recipes to Whole Grain Gourmet. (Cindy – October 5, 2008)

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Entero vs. Integral?

October 3, 2008

Earlier this week, I was honored to fly off to Mexico City to take part in a forum on innovation and product development, hosted by one of our Members, Grupo Bimbo. We may not know the name all that well here in the states, but trust me when I tell you Bimbo is a very well known, very well respected company with diverse product offerings in many brand categories. They are, to put it simply, huge, and being invited to speak to a room full of marketers, product developers, and other “movers and shakers” within their Mexico and South American offices was a true honor.

Just Ask for Whole Grains at Starbucks

October 1, 2008

The jolt of a cuppa Joe wears off in a few hours, but you can keep your energy going for longer if you tank up from Starbucks' new oatmeal bar at the same time. Grab a bowl of oatmeal – in a convenient takeaway cup – and top it with your choice of dried fruits, nuts, or brown sugar.

Starbucks has really gotten religion when it comes to whole grains. Oatmeal's not the only whole grain choice. You can also choose from a "Fruit Stella" – a pastry made with whole grains and seasonal fruit – or an apple bran muffin, rolls and bars, or a "Power Protein Plate" including cheese, fruit, a hardboiled egg, and a whole-wheat bagel with peanut butter.

Your Whole Grains are a Quart Low

September 25, 2008

What if there were an easy way to measure your intake of whole grains, something simple like the dipstick you use to check your oil? Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle are following up a promising lead for doing just this.

The team, led by Laura Guyman, found a potential biomarker for whole grain consumption, that was excreted in people’s urine. This biomarker corresponded closely to the amount of whole grain wheat, barley and rye that subjects reported having eaten. The study, published in the Journal of Nutrition (2008 Oct; 138(10):1957-62), did not elaborate on whether the same test of urinary DHPPA would also document consumption of other whole grains.

YOU could win the Whole Grains Challenge!

September 23, 2008

Deadline is October 15 for entries in the WGC’s Whole Grains Challenge, a worldwide contest for foodservice operations that serve at least one whole grain at all times during the month of September. Win fun prizes! Get a classy award! Reap the positive PR!

Schools – which lock in their menus way ahead of time – are already practically crashing our server with their entries, and soon it will be time for other restaurants and cafeterias to send in their entries. There are ten categories, including Quick Serve Restaurants, Family Casual, Fine Dining, and Lodging/Catering; K-12 Schools (Public and Private) and College / University; and general foodservice including workplace, healthcare, and “other.” You can read all the details and enter online by clicking here.

They All Want More Whole Grains

September 17, 2008

Seventy-eight percent of consumers say they’re trying to eat more whole grains – and sixty-five percent of them say they’re trying to consume fewer refined carbohydrates.

Just in time for Whole Grains Month, IFIC (the International Food Information Council) has published its 2008 Food & Health Survey: Consumer Attitudes toward Food, Nutrition & Health, including this fact about the widespread yearning for whole grains. Whole grains get more popular every year. In last year’s survey, 71% were looking for more whole grains, and just 61% were working to cut back on refined carbs, while in 2006 68% wanted more whole grains, and 56% were trying to cut back on refined carbs.

Like we say, Just Ask for Whole Grains. (Cindy – Sept. 17, 2008)

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15 Tons of Whole Grains Donated

September 14, 2008

Okay, folks, we're halfway through Whole Grains Month – September – and the current total for our Whole Grains Giveaway is fifteen tons. That's fifteen tons of whole grain products donated to food pantries, schools, and other worthy causes by members of the Whole Grains Council.

Our latest jump in the total came from Chabaso Bakery, in New Haven CT, with contributions to the Connecticut Food Bank, the American Heart Association, the Leukemia Association, and other charities. Chabaso joined early contributions from Caravan Ingredients, CCF Brans, Cream of Wheat, Dr. Kracker, Frontier Soups, HomeFree (formerly Gak's Snacks), Hodgson Mill, Indian Harvest Specialtifoods, King Arthur Flour, Mary's Gone Crackers, Mestemacher Bread / Carl Brandt, Riviana Foods, Shiloh Farms, Sunnyland Mills, and Whole Foods Market.

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