Whole grains are undeniably healthier for you and the better choice at the store, but identifying them can be a problem. Thankfully, many foods are available in whole grain varieties, provided you know to search for them.
Common Whole Grain Foods
The list of common whole grain foods includes items easy-to-find at the supermarket, and can be added to your diet in place of, or in addition to, foods you already enjoy. The grains themselves are suitable for a vegetarian or vegan diet, but be sure to check labels for packaged items to see what other ingredients are added.
Whole Grain Breads
Whole grain bread products are widely available and come in different varieties. When choosing whole grain bread, opt for 100% whole wheat or whole grain to get the maximum boost. Some breads offer a smaller percentage of whole wheat, which means refined white flour has been substituted for part of the whole grains. Whole grain breads can be found in the following forms:
- Sliced bread
- Bagels
- Tortillas
- English muffins
- Pita bread
- Dinner rolls or other buns
Whole Grain Pasta
In addition to breads, many starchy pastas also come in whole grain options. In addition to plain wheat, many pastas now come in a variety of whole grain sources, and are available in all the standard pasta shapes like macaroni noodles and lasagna.
- Whole wheat
- Brown rice
- Amaranth
- Corn
Whole Grain Cereals
When most people think of cereal, they may be thinking of fast, sugary cold cereal. However, there are many different cereals that are made with whole grains.
- Steel cut oats
- Rolled oats
- Barley
- Buckwheat
- Granola
- Grape Nuts
- Cheerios
- Kashi Instant Hot Cereal
- Shredded Wheat
Whole Grain Side Dishes
It's easy to include whole grains in your diet by serving them as a side dish. You can cook and serve many of these grains as is, or you can add flavor with vegetables and broths.
- Brown rice
- Wild rice
- Kasha (whole grain buckwheat)
- Wheatberries
- Bulgur (cracked wheat)
Whole Grain Snacks
It's also possible to get whole grains in your diet through snack foods. While these snacks do contain whole grains, remember to eat them in moderation, along with a healthy, balanced diet.
- Popcorn
- Whole wheat crackers
- Whole rice crackers
- Corn chips
- Granola bars
Whole Grain Flours
If you choose to do your own baking, you may desire some whole grain flours to cook with. There are several to choose from, and each lends a different taste to the finished product.
- Whole wheat flour
- Whole rye flour
- Brown rice flour
- Millet
- Spelt flour
- Buckwheat flour
Swap for Whole Grains
You may be surprised to find that many of the foods you already eat contain whole grains. Or you may find that you can easily swap out some of the foods you already eat for the whole grain version of the same thing. Use this list of whole grains to start making better choices about the foods you eat, and start getting healthier too.