Recognizing Whole Grains Is Easy!

Read the ingredients list for the products you purchase. Manufacturers 

must list ingredients in descending order by weight. Look for products that 

list whole grains first. For many whole grains, the word “whole” is usually 

listed before the type of grain, such as “whole-wheat flour,” “whole durum 

flour,” “whole-grain barley,” “whole cornmeal,” or “whole white wheat.” 

Other ways to identify whole grains are:

 Some whole grains have a standard of identity and do not include the 

word “whole,” such as “cracked wheat,” “crushed wheat,” and “graham 

flour.” 

 The term “berries” or “groats” indicate a whole, unrefined grain – for 

example, rye berries or buckwheat groats.

 Rolled oats, oatmeal, brown rice, brown rice flour, quinoa, and wild rice 

are also whole grains.

Recipe for Success

 Compare Nutrition Facts labels and the ingredient lists for similar 

foods. Choose the food with whole grains listed as the first ingredient. 

Check the Nutrition Facts label for the lowest amount of trans fat, 

saturated fat, sugar, sodium, and cholesterol. Some manufacturers add 

whole grains to foods that otherwise are not good choices for children. 

For example, some grain products contain a lot of added sugars 

(sucrose, honey, high fructose corn syrup, glucose, evaporated cane 

juice, or fruit juice concentrates). Choose these products less often.

 Introduce whole grains in popular products like pizza crust, breads 

and rolls, hamburger buns, pasta, mixed dishes such as lasagna 

or wraps, and breakfast foods. For more variety, include some less 

common whole grains and offer different whole- grain-rich products to 

your students.

	 Whole grains contain fiber,

vitamins, minerals, and

antioxidants. Fiber helps

children feel full longer.

	 Whole grains may reduce

the risk of several chronic

diseases including coronary

heart disease, and may help

maintain a healthy weight.

	 The MyPlate food guidance

system recommends we

consume at least half of our

grains as whole grains (3 or 

more ounce-equivalents per

day).

 Beginning in School Year 

(SY) 2012-13, at least half of

grains offered at lunch must

be whole-grain-rich. This is

required by SY 2013-14 for

breakfast. By SY 2014-15, all

grains offered must be wholegrain-rich for both lunch and

breakfast.

KEY ISSUES: Although some students may not be familiar with the color, 

taste, and texture of whole grains and whole-grain products, 

they can enjoy these good-for-you foods if you gradually add them 

to your menus.

Just the Facts!

for Healthier School Meals

Serve More Whole Grains

Easy ways to 

follow the 2010

Dietary Guidelines for 

Americans
USDA Foods Program

Schools can order regular and quick-cooking brown rice, rolled oats, whole-wheat flour, whole-grain dry 

kernel corn (for processing), whole-grain pastas (spaghetti, elbow macaroni, and rotini), whole-grain 

pancakes, and whole-grain tortillas through the USDA Foods Program. To check the list of available 

whole-grain USDA Foods, go to the USDA Foods Toolkit at http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/foods/healthy/

Professional.htm to review the Foods Available List for Schools.

 Use crushed, unsweetened whole-grain cereal

or rolled oats as breading for baked fish and 

chicken.

 Modify recipes to add more whole-grain-rich 

foods. For example, use whole-wheat flour (50 

percent) in your favorite roll recipe, or try using 

other whole grains, such as white whole-wheat 

flour, rolled oats, or oatmeal. Share your recipes 

with other schools to help them offer their students 

tasty, nutritious whole-grain products. 

 Any flour in whole-grain-rich products that is 

not whole grain must be enriched. Enriched 

grain products are fortified with folic acid, which is 

an important nutrient for our diets.

Did You Know? 

Whole grains consist of the 

entire cereal grain seed or 

kernel. The kernel has three 

parts—the bran, the germ, and 

the endosperm. Usually the 

kernel is cracked, crushed, or 

flaked during the milling process. 

If the finished product retains 

the same relative proportions of bran, germ, and 

endosperm as the original grain, it is considered a 

whole grain. 

Refined grains are milled to remove part or all 

of the bran and/or germ. Most refined grains are 

“enriched” to add back some of the iron, thiamin, 

niacin, and riboflavin that were lost in the milling 

process. Enriched grains also have folic acid added 

to increase this important nutrient in our diets. 

Terms that indicate refined grains, NOT whole 

grains: flour, enriched flour, wheat flour, bread flour, 

durum flour, grits, hominy, farina, semolina, cornmeal, 

degerminated cornmeal, corn flour, rice, rice flour, 

couscous, pearled barley, Scotch barley, pot barley.

Some examples of whole grain-rich foods are:

• 100% whole-wheat bread, bagels, or 

English muffins

• oatmeal

• 100% whole-wheat crackers

• whole-grain breakfast cereal, such as 

whole-wheat cereal flakes

• whole-wheat tortillas and whole-corn tortillas 

that do not have “lime” in the ingredients list

• brown rice, wild rice, quinoa, bulgur 

(cracked wheat)

• whole-wheat pasta

• whole-grain cornmeal, whole-wheat flour

Bran

Endosperm

Germ

What is whole-grain-rich? FNS guidance states

that whole-grain-rich food must meet both of the

following:

Criterion #1.

A serving of the food item must meet portion-size 

requirements as defined in FNS guidance. 

AND

Criterion #2. 

The food must meet at least one of the following: 

• The whole grains per serving must be ≥8 grams. 

• The product includes the following Food and 

Drug Administration (FDA)- approved wholegrain health claim on its packaging: ‘‘Diets rich 

in whole grain foods and other plant foods and 

low in total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol 

may reduce the risk of heart disease and some 

cancers.’’ 

• The product ingredient listing lists a whole grain 

first.
Messages for Students

 Make half your grains whole!

 Try something new – whole-grain pasta or brown 

rice pilaf.

 Be “label able” – Look for whole grains in the 

ingredient statement and choose foods that list 

whole grains first.

 Choose a whole-grain cereal for breakfast!

Team Nutrition (http://teamnutrition.usda.gov)

USDA Choose MyPlate (www.ChooseMyPlate.gov)

MyPlate (http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/myplate.html) 

Let’s Eat for the Health of It (http://teamnutrition.usda.gov/

Resources/letseat.html)

The Scoop on Whole Grains (http://www.fda.gov/downloads/

ForConsumers/ConsumerUpdates/UCM152011.pdf)

Grains With Gusto (http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/

PDF/20120102044049.pdf)

Increasing Dietary Fiber (http://www.nfsmi.org/

documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20120102035930.pdf)

For More Information: 

U.S. Department of Agriculture ● Food and Nutrition Service ● August 2012 ● FNS 449-F ● USDA is an equal opportunity employer and provider.

Just the Facts: Serve More Whole Grains http://teamnutrition.usda.gov