Celebrate Whole Grains Month in September

September is Whole Grains Month

September is whole grains month and every year the Whole Grains Council celebrates with special events and promotions all month. In 2009, we had two very special programs for Whole Grains Month:

The "I Love My Whole Grains" contest

We invited whole grain lovers to upload a photo of their favorite whole grain food, and win a week off from cooking. We sent an award-winning chef  to the home of our Grand Prize Winner to prepare a week's worth of dinners for up to four people -- and we awarded 47 other prizes, too. You can read all about it in the Newsroom.

A Whole Grain Video-A-Day

Every day in September we posted a link to a different whole grain video, including a recipe. Once Whole Grains Month was over, we took the 22 best videos and gave them a permanent home on our WG Videos page.

What can you do?

Whole Grains Month is a great time for everyone to get on the whole grains bandwagon. Eating better is not an all-or-nothing choice; every little improvement you make in your food helps.

Post this list of "baby-steps" on your fridge, and try as many as possible this month:

  • I'll buy three different loaves of whole-grain bread and taste all of them to see which one we like best.

  • I'll serve bulgur or brown rice instead of potatoes with dinner one night this month.

  • I'll look for the Whole Grain Stamp every time I shop.

  • I'll try a new breakfast cereal with at least 16 grams of whole grain per serving.

  • I'll buy some whole-wheat pasta and try it.

  • I’ll visit the health food store or a major grocery and look at all the different grains in bins.

  • I'll make my favorite whole grain recipe for a friend.

  • On the weekend, I’ll try cooking a pot of steel-cut oatmeal.

  • I’ll make pizza for the kids with whole wheat pita as the crust.

  • I’ll make our favorite cookies with whole wheat flour next time instead of white.

  • I’ll serve hamburgers with whole wheat buns this week.

  • I'll try all of the WGC's Dozen Easy Family Whole Grain Recipes.

What else is the Whole Grains Council planning?

Here are a few more ways the WGC celebrates Whole Grains Month every year:

Support for Health Professionals. Teachers, RDs, doctors, and nurses are helping us spread the word about the health benefits of whole grains. And we're supporting them with educational materials, "Just Ask for Whole Grains" buttons and stickers, and posters, through our "Just Ask for Whole Grains" campaign. If you're an educator, order your free educational materials ahead of time, so you'll be ready for Whole Grains Month.

Sampling and Coupons. Members of the Whole Grains Council offer special consumer promotions, including discount coupons, new product introductions and instore sampling.

The Whole Grains Store Tour. We've designed a great resource for supermarkets – or community health professionals – who want to introduce the public to whole grains. Click here to learn more about this kit, which can be downloaded from the Resources section of this website. It's now available in both English and Spanish.

The Whole Grains Challenge. Every year we run a Whole Grains Challenge around the time of Whole Grains Month. The Challenge is open to any restaurant or foodservice operation that offers at least one whole grain choice at all times, day in and day out. You can learn more about the 2009 Whole Grains Challenge by clicking here.