It’s hard to believe the huge flavor potential that grains can offer until you introduce your taste buds to whole grains. Ann Taylor Pittman, author of Everyday Whole Grains, experienced this transformation firsthand.

In her book, Pittman recalls, “My kids told me to throw out all other brownie recipes and only make the teff ones from now on, and they literally licked their bowls clean of the creamy tomato soup made with creamed brown rice. My husband learned that he loves freekeh in his frittatas, and that a layer cake made with whole-wheat pastry flour tastes more chocolatey than one made with all-purpose; it’s become such a favorite that it’s now his birthday cake.”

If you, too are ready to experience the whole grain revolution afoot in kitchens across the globe, then join us today in celebrating the 6th annual Whole Grain Sampling Day! For our Boston-area friends, a number of local establishments will be celebrating with special tastings and menu items.

Boston-area Whole Grain Sampling Day Events

• Bon Me will be offering samples of their brown rice or soba noodle bowls at their Chestnut Hill Square, Alewife, and Boston Public Market restaurant locations, and will also be promoting their whole grain choices on Twitter (@BonMe).
• Mei Mei will be featuring a multigrain kimchi fried rice, made with whole grain wheat berries and rye berries, along with Hawthorne Valley kimchi, Piggery farm hot dog, and charred scallion crema. 
• b.good will be sampling their kale & grain bowls at the Boylston St. location in Boston (655 Boylston St) during the lunch rush. They will also be promoting their whole grain choices on Twitter and Instagram.
• Oat Shop, Boston’s first oatmeal cafe, will be providing samples of their delicious overnight oats to customers in the morning. Check their social media pages on that day to learn more (@OatShopBoston)!
• At Northeastern University, award-winning author Maria Speck will be doing a guest chef demo in the Xhibition Kitchen to educate students, faculty and staff about grains. [Details here.]

To find out if a store, restaurant, school, or community health center near you is participating, check out our Interactive Map.

And for those anywhere across the country, many of the most popular food companies will be doing Whole Grain Sampling Day giveaways and contests on social media!

Whole Grain Sampling Day Social Media Giveaways & Sales

• On Ancient Harvest’s Facebook page, they will be giving away a Whole Grains Prize Pack! Visit their Facebook page on Whole Grain Sampling Day for more details.
• Bob’s Red Mill will be doing giveaways every hour on Facebook (/BobsRedMillNaturalFoods), and Instagram (@BobsRedMill) between 9:00am — 4:00pm PT! For more details, check in with their social media pages on March 29. 
• On Grainful’s Facebook page, they will be giving away a Whole Grains Prize Pack with samples of their different meal kits! Visit their Facebook page and Instagram on Whole Grain Sampling Day for more details.
• House-Autry Mills will be doing product giveaways all day on their Facebook page. Visit their Facebook on March 29 for more details.
• Minute® will be running a Facebook Giveaway Prize Pack featuring a variety of their whole grain options. Check out Minute Rice on Facebook on March 29 for details and to participate!
• Success® is having a Facebook Giveaway of their all new Tri-Color Boil-in-Bag Quinoa! Visit Success Rice on Facebook on March 29 for more details and to enter for your chance to win!
• The Teff Company will be randomly giving away 4 sample packs of their whole grain Maskal Teff Grains and Flours to their Instagram followers. Be sure to follow them on Instagram (@teffco) for a chance to win!
• Tenera Grains will be having a sale on their 2 pound brown teff flour (marked down from $11 to $7.50). Be sure to stock up on March 29!
• Way Better Snacks will be sampled at various supermarkets across the country, and they will also be doing a social media giveaway! Visit their Facebook page, Twitter and Instagram on Whole Grain Sampling Day for more details.

Don’t forget to share your Whole Grain Sampling Day experience on social media using the hashtag #SampleWholeGrains! (Kelly)