STEP 1:

Take a look at the foods you already have on hand in your pantry. Look to see how many of them are whole grain. Notice which ones are not. Also, notice which ones your family eats the most often. 

To find whole grain foods, check the first ingredient in the ingredient list. It is pretty easy to do this with whole grains that only have one ingredient, like bulgur, brown rice, barley, etc. When it comes to food items that have more than one ingredient, knowing what to look for is key. Use the list below to recognize the whole grains within an ingredients list:

• Whole grain (type of grain, such as “flour”)

• Whole wheat

• Whole (name of grain, such as “rye”)

• Brown rice

• Oats and oatmeal (such as “old-fashioned” and “instant”)

• Wheat berries 

STEP 2: 

The next time you are grocery shopping, keep these ingredients in mind. Checking the ingredients list for these grains will help to make sure you purchase whole grain foods for your meals and snacks. 

Just getting started with whole grains? Plan to purchase 1 - 2 whole grains to try in your meals and snacks this week.  

Already include some whole grains? Plan to add 1 - 2 more whole grains to your meals and snacks this week.