Inside the Pyramid: Tips to Help You Eat Whole Grains

As Snacks:

• Snack on ready-to-eat, whole grain cereals such as toasted oat cereal.
• Add whole-grain flour or oatmeal when making cookies or other baked treats.
• Try a whole-grain snack chip, such as baked tortilla chips.
• Popcorn, a whole grain, can be a healthy snack with little or no added salt and butter.

What to Look for on the Food Label:

• Choose foods that name one of the following whole-grain ingredients first on the label's ingredient list:

“brown rice” “bulgur” “graham flour” “oatmeal” “whole-grain corn”

“whole oats” “whole rye” “whole wheat” “wild rice”

• Foods labeled with the words "multi-grain," "stone-ground," "100% wheat," "cracked wheat," "seven-grain," or "bran" are usually not whole-grain products.
• Color is not an indication of a whole grain. Bread can be brown because of molasses or other added ingredients. Read the ingredient list to see if it is a whole grain.
• Use the Nutrition Facts label and choose products with a higher % Daily Value (%DV) for fiber - the %DV for fiber is a good clue to the amount of whole grain in the product.
• Read the food label's ingredient list. Look for terms that indicate added sugars (sucrose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, and molasses) and oils (partially hydrogenated vegetable oils) that add extra calories. Choose foods with fewer added sugars, fats, or oils.
• Most sodium in the food supply comes from packaged foods. Similar packaged foods can vary widely in sodium content, including breads. Use the Nutrition Facts label to choose foods with a lower % DV for sodium. Foods with less than 140 mg sodium per serving can be labeled as low sodium foods. Claims such as "low in sodium" or "very low in sodium" on the front of the food label can help you identify foods that contain less salt (or sodium).

Whole Grain Tips for Children

• Set a good example for children by eating whole grains with meals or as snacks.
• Let children select and help prepare a whole grain side dish.
• Teach older children to read the ingredient list on cereals or snack food packages and choose those with whole grains at the top of the list.