7 Easy Food Switches to Get Kiddos Eating More Whole Grains
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Getting kids to each much of anything can be an uphill battle, especially if they're picky, but upon hearing the statistic that nearly 40 percent of Americans never eat whole grains at all, we're taking a closer look on how to make some simple changes with big impacts.
Consuming whole grains — rather than refined grains — reduces the overall risk of stroke, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, chronic illnesses and can help in maintaining a healthy weight. However, it's easy to mistake something brown or "healthy-sounding" for whole grains, so make sure you're purchasing foods with ingredients like "whole wheat" and "whole oats," rather than something that says "multigrain" or "100% wheat."
Healthy habits start at home, with you as a role model, so we're hoping these seven easy food switches can help get your family on the road to being whole-grain converts!
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Whole-Grain Cereal
More and more brands are making the move toward whole grains (and removing artificial ingredients) to make for a healthier breakfast cereal. Choose a brand that has the word "whole" in its first ingredient on the list, and you should be good to go.
Oatmeal
When you need a quick, hot breakfast option, go with oatmeal. It's a surprising source of whole grains that many people don't know about!
Whole-Wheat Bread
A small change to whole-wheat bread (remember, first ingredient should be "whole," don't necessarily fall for the "100% wheat" line . . . ) on their PB&J or grilled cheese sandwich is one that they'll barely notice. The taste is similar and it's better for their bodies.
Whole-Wheat Crackers
For a healthy snack, or a more hors d'oeuvres-style lunch, pair crackers with whole grains with their favorite cheese, fruit, and cold cut. Most of the food groups can be prepared in a really kid-friendly way.
Brown Rice
Change up taco night, or order in differently from the local Chinese restaurant, by going with brown rice instead of white. Like with the whole-wheat bread, it's a very small change, doesn't taste much different — if at all — and is better for your kiddo (and you!).
Whole-Wheat Pasta
With all that cheesy goodness covering their macaroni and cheese noodles, they won't even notice the color change with their whole-wheat pasta. Bear in mind though, whole-wheat pasta takes a little longer to cook, so if you want to mask the change for finicky kids, cook it for a bit longer.
Popcorn
Quite possibly the most surprising of all whole-grain foods, popcorn is perhaps the easiest one to make a switch with. On family movie night, or just as a lunchbox snack, switch up things like chips and gummies with popcorn instead. It's not a hard switch, and with a sprinkle of salt or a spoonful of butter, they won't even know it's a better option for them.