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.

Speaking of Whole Grains Challenges, we applaud the wonderful website Culinate for carrying out its own Whole Grains Challenge last June. Carrie Floyd, Culinate’s food editor, chronicled her mission to eat a daily diet of whole grains for an entire month. Kara blogged about this in June, as Carrie started her challenge, but now you can read about how it all worked out. The short answer? “An unqualified success!” (Cynthia – Sept. 24, 2008)