In our three previous blogs I shared some of the highlights of our recent Whole Grains: the New Norm conference (February 10 and February 6) and Kara detailed how some of our conference topics tied in to other current events (February 18). In our final post-conference blog, we’d like to tell you about some of the great conference materials available here on the WGC website.

For every conference Oldways and the Whole Grains Council run, we create a comprehensive binder filled with fascinating background information that helps everyone understand more about the conference topics. Here are just a few things you could garner from the Program Book from our most recent conference.

• What major companies are using whole grains in ads for other products – in an effort to make those products more appealing?

• When whole grain bread sales first surpassed white bread, in dollars.

• What social norms experts recommend, for crafting the most effective health messages with consumers

• What’s new in research about whole grains and health (17 new studies from 2010!)

• Percent of food dollars Americans have spent away from home – since 1869

• Which whole grain foods have made the most rapid gains on restaurant menus from 2009 to 2010

• Hot whole grain trends in restaurants, from surveys of chefs

• Listings of chain restaurants serving whole grains every day

• National guidelines for whole grain consumption from China, Denmark, Mexico and other countries around the world

Check out the Conference Proceedings page from Whole Grains: the New Norm, where you’ll find downloadable PDFs of every section of the Program Book, as well as speakers’ presentations from the event.

If you joined us in Portland for this event, these materials make great references to augment your notes. And if you missed the conference, here’s your chance to live vicariously and experience the rich flow of information we made available. And speaking of living vicariously – that’s a photo of some of our delicious conference food, shown above! (Cindy)