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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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Whole Grain Risotto? Experts say YES!

October 7, 2011

If you’ve ever ordered risotto in a good restaurant, you know that it’s a masterpiece of slightly al dente rice carried in a sea of creamy deliciousness, often enhanced with vegetables, fish or other goodies. And, if you’ve actually cooked risotto at home – or even if you just read cookbooks and let others do the cooking – you know that the rice usually recommended to use for risotto is arborio rice, a short-grain white rice.

Arborio rice is used because it readily gives off starch as it’s cooked and stirred, creating a wonderful creamy base from the stock, cheese and seasonings you’ve added to the rice. Switching out that white arborio rice to readily available (often long grain) brown rice just doesn’t create the same creamy goodness.

Ancient Grains for Modern Meals

September 29, 2011

In the new cookbook Ancient Grains for Modern Meals author Maria Speck shares her enchantment with whole grains, and with good food in general. How could I not be drawn to a book whose introduction is titled “The glamour of whole grains”? It just was not possible. Here’s some of the first paragraph:

I crave the tender chewiness of brown rice, the soft, translucent pearls of quinoa, and the warming lightness of millet. I love the subtle sweetnes of whole oats, the slight sourness of rye, and the pleasing nuttiness of wheat berries. But I don’t eat whole grains because they are healthy or wholesome, or to reap their nutritional benefits. To me, whole grains carry luxurious qualities: lively textures, vivid colors, and rich flavors.

Hot Off The Presses! Our New Whole Grain Brochure!

September 22, 2011

The Welcome to Whole Grains brochure is ready and available now! You asked for it and you got it.

Since we started our journey in 2003, the Whole Grains Council has been hard at work advocating for whole grains. We researched, studied and published boatloads of information to post on our website. Everything you ever want to know about whole grains can be found on our website, pages and pages of it. And therein lies the problem. Folks first hear about whole grains and find themselves on our website and WHAM! It hits them – information overload!

It took several “wake up” calls like these here to understand what was needed:

Harvard Picks Up On WGC's Ideas With Their New Healthy Eating Plate

September 16, 2011

When the USDA unveiled its MyPlate in June of this year, The Whole Grains Council and Oldways responded immediately with official comments and supportive real-food, Mediterranean-inspired plates. We applauded the USDA's move from its former, rather obscurely-striped pyramid as a positive step towards helping people conceptualize a balanced daily meal. But MyPlate's minimalist graphic of four words--fruits, grains, vegetables and proteins--in a circle felt like only a fraction of the story, lacking essential specifics and directions to help people make healthier food choices. In our public statements, we suggested that more direction, more specificity on food types and quality, and more foods be added to the guide.

Whole Grains Month Catches On Everywhere

September 9, 2011

Four years ago, when we proposed the creation of Whole Grains Month, we had no idea that it would resonate so completely with so many people and organizations. Who would have thought that the world was just waiting for us to organize this month-long extravaganza?

This September is the fourth annual celebration of Whole Grains Month, and – just 9 days in – it’s a kick to see where observation of this event is turning up. We'll admit Hallmark hasn't come out with Happy Whole Grains Month greeting cards yet (that's a hint for next year, Hallmark) but that's about the only thing missing. Here's a sampling:

Chefs Bring Whole Grains to School

September 2, 2011

School bells are pealing, moms and dads are cheering – kids are heading back to school. It’s that wonderful time of year when we pack up our children, send them out of the house and into the classroom. There they will receive education, inspiration and LUNCH!

For generations, school cafeteria staff have been picked on – sometimes rightfully so – for plates of reheated bland foods passed across counters to eye-rolling, face-making children. How did we get to this place, where our children arrive at school to broaden their minds, but then the learning stops at the cafeteria door? The teaching opportunity can carry through to the lunchroom where kids can learn that good nutrition can in fact be delicious.

Burger King Adds Oatmeal to Menu

August 31, 2011

I'm a big believer that oatmeal is a good thing – and the more oatmeal the better. That's why I was doing little cartwheels in my office (or would have been, if I knew how to do cartwheels and my office were big enough) when I heard that Burger King was adding oatmeal to its breakfast menu.

Maybe those were just mental cartwheels, but Burger King's oatmeal is the real thing. I can attest to that, because I stopped at BK on the way back from the gym this morning, and checked it out. The oatmeal comes in two varieties – plain or maple and brown sugar. The plain is (sure enough) plain oatmeal with a little half and half mixed in, while the maple and brown sugar also adds a dried fruit blend of cranberries, raisins, cherries and blueberries. As you can see in the photo above, the oatmeal comes from Quaker; it's the same oatmeal many of us grew up enjoying at home.

Gluten-Free Guide to Whole Grains

August 26, 2011

Sure we know a lot about whole grains here at the Whole Grains Council, but one reason we do is because we know so many great people we can turn to for specialized knowledge about one aspect of the whole grains scene or another. (It takes a village to promote whole grains, or something like that.)

When we have questions about gluten-free grains or celiac disease, we always turn to Carol Fenster, author of 10 gluten-free cookbooks, and Registered Dietitian Shelley Case, who specializes in gluten-free diets. One or the other – usually both! – of these wonderful women always has the answers we need.

Mitch Li: A Medical Student with a Mission

August 17, 2011

For most medical students, the demands of school exams and clinical rotations alone are enough to have on one’s plate. But Mitch Li, and two of his colleagues at UMass Medical School, decided to add a citywide healthy foods initiative to theirs, inspiring and supporting restaurants in Worcester, MA that make healthy food choices the easiest choice for their customers. The initiative is called “WooFood” – for Worcester Food – and they’ll be awarding their WooFood Certification Symbol to restaurants who comply with their standards beginning this fall.

What Whole Grains Mom?

August 11, 2011

When I first announced to my family that I would be working with the Whole Grains Council, they initially gave me congratulations on my new job, but then a fear crept over their faces. “Are we going to have to eat that bread with the stuff on it?” cried my fifteen-year-old daughter, referring to breads with bran or seeds dusted over the top. My son, two years older, stood with arms crossed in defiance, confirming his sister’s concerns.

What was this? I was unprepared for this reaction and didn’t know how to respond. I have always tried to encourage good eating habits with my family and they are used to trying new things. They were already eating brown rice and oatmeal, and I had adapted many of our family favorites to whole grains over the last couple of years. So why was I getting the pushback from them?

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