Trailblazing

The Whole Grains Council is, as a whole, my hero. They have done so very much to contribute to the presence of whole grains you find available to you in your everyday life. And they've been doing it since long before I ever knew or cared what the difference between enriched and whole grains was!

Any time you see the Whole Grains Council stamp on a food you buy, you know they've verified that the product is whole grain. It's a GREAT way to know you're eating something at home that has whole grains, and that's a good thing as always. Their guidelines state this regarding how they qualify products from manufacturers: They check their formulations to see which products are eligible to use the Stamp. Products must contain at least 8g of whole grain per labeled serving to use the basic Whole Grain Stamp. Products containing at least 16g of whole grain, and where ALL the grains are whole grains, may use the 100% Whole Grain Stamp.

If you're just starting out on the whole grain path, you may still be stocking your home with whole grains. Even if you're a WG pro, the Whole Grains Council has a STELLAR list of products that meet their qualifications that can help you make good choices. You can find that list here: http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/find-whole-grains/stamped-products

Also (and this was SUCH an exciting find for me), they have a list of restaurants who currently offer whole grain options. It's such a great, comprehensive list that I encourage you to check it out before you eat out next time: http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/find-whole-grains/find-restaurants.

They have so many other great resources as well, including information on whole grains (which I hope to post or link here soon), tools for you to use as you go out and start asking yourself for your local restaurant to carry whole grains (see their Report Card), and ways to make the whole grain journey a better, more tasty, and more fulfilling one! Check them out today!