We have just passed the middle of Whole Grains Month – the perfect time to take a look at all the diverse ways whole grains are being celebrated across the USA. If you’d like a quick overview of interest, just search for #wholegrainsmonth on Twitter. Or better yet, add to the buzz with your own tweets, tastings and testimonials.

To Taste ‘Em is to Love ‘Em

In our experience, tasting a new whole grain is often an “aha!” moment, so we love to see sampling events happening for Whole Grains Month. Here are just a few that caught our eyes. You can see more on our WG Month Events page.

• Framingham State University (MA) will draw attention to whole grains with a “Guess the Grain” event in the dining halls, along with samples of new whole grain menu items.

• LifeStart Wellness Network’s Hamilton Lakes Athletic Club (IL) celebrated Whole Grains Month yesterday by creating two special posters and offering five whole grains to sample (quinoa, bulgur, barley, whole wheat couscous and wheat berries). Nicole Olen, RD, LDN, asked members to complete a survey about whole grains, and offerent handouts from the WGC website, as shown in the photo below.

• Richmond County Schools in Augusta, GA will be celebrating Whole Grains Month again this year by holding taste testings at many of their 56 schools, giving whole grain awards to students who participate in the taste tests, and distributing whole grain handouts and promotional materials to students. 

• What better place to test a new whole grain than at the supermarket? Selected ShopRite stores (NJ) are offering Freekeh tastings during September.

Contests and Sweepstakes

You have entered our Instagram “Share the Goodness of Whole Grains” contest already, haven’t you? Not yet? You’re missing out on the chance to win $500 (first prize), a $250 gift card to the King Arthur Flour store (second prize) or a year’s worth of Cooking Light magazine (10 more lucky winners). All you need to do is follow us on Instagram, post a photo of a yummy whole grain, and write a caption telling how you shared your whole grains with others. Add the hashtag #sharewholegrains and you’re in the running to win! Check out all the details and rules on our website, or see all existing entries on our contest page. (We’ve pasted a few examples here as a sneak preview.)

New England Natural Bakers is offering the chance to win free granola for a year! To enter the sweepstakes, click the sweepstakes tab on the New England Natural Bakers Facebook page.

Deals and Discounts for Everyone

If you want to try some new whole grains this month, this is your big chance to save money doing so. Several companies are offering discounts in honor of Whole Grains Month. 

• Shiloh Farms is offering 30% off select whole grain items online, and the choices change each week, so try something different!

• Try ancient grains like spelt and freekeh. Berlin Natural Bakeries is offering $1.20 off each of three different spelt breads at their online store, and Freekehlicious is offering free shipping for online orders, plus a 50¢ coupon for instore purchases.

• What’s the buzz about sprouted grains? With 15% off Simply Sprouted Granola from To Your Health Sprouted Flour, now’s the time to find out. (Enter code TYH915 at checkout.) Or, enjoy $2 off every Better4UFoods pizza, many of which have sprouted whole grain crust.

• Oatmeal’s not just for breakfast anymore. It can be a savory side dish too. Madras Curry? Jambalaya? 30% off every order of Steel Cut Sides from Grainful Sept. 21-30.

• Do you run a restaurant or other foodservice operation? Be one of the first 30 foodservice operators to ask InHarvest for an assortment of free whole grain samples (ask for Loretta Duncan).

But Wait! There’s More!

All of the above is before we even begin to detail all the bloggers and journalists writing about whole grains — and the businesses and organizations jumping on the whole grain bandwagon. We’ve seen dentists in Oregon and Tennessee using Whole Grains Month to remind patients that whole grains are good for dental health; a church in Delaware talking up our contest in their parish bulletin; and County Health offices like this one in Wisconsin, reminding folks of the benefits of whole grains. All of these make sense to me. But the duplex rental on Craig’s List, advertised as a “Whole Grains Month Special?” That was a stretch — and yet an indication that our annual party is getting more widely known!

What are you doing to celebrate Whole Grains Month? We’ve still got half of September to go, so tell us about your creative events and ideas. (Cynthia)