Geek Out on Grains

Nutrition advice can be overwhelming, with new headlines regularly touting the Dangers! of one food, and the Life! Saving! benefits of another. The benefits may sound appealing, but when we cut out entire food groups we put our health at risk by lowering the likelihood of achieving adequate nutrient intakes. Fortunately, over here in the real world, we know to tune out that noise and instead focus on evidence-based nutrition advice (for example, the importance of dietary patterns rather than individual nutrients) that encourages a rather delicious menu of foods to kick-off your morning!

Grains: The Ultimate Variety Pack

Not all grain foods are the same, but luckily, all grain foods truly provide important plant-based nutrients necessary for health, including dietary fiber, B vitamins (folate, thiamin, niacin), iron, zinc, magnesium and calcium.

Enriched & Fortified Grains

Enriching grains is essentially the act of adding some nutrients back to the grains after they’ve been refined. As an added bonus, iron and other nutrients are also thrown into the mix (fortification), resulting in grains being a significant contributor of folic acid to the American diet.

Fun Fact: This small tweak reduced our nation’s prevalence of neural tube defects by 35% over a 13-year span!

Whole Grains

Whole grains aren’t refined, so the naturally occurring nutrients are undisturbed. As a result, their nutrient profile is more diverse in that they also provide antioxidants and phytonutrients in addition to the vitamins and trace minerals that are naturally present at harvest.

Picky Eaters Pick Grains

We have yet to meet a picky eater who refused grain foods. What toddler doesn’t love a bagel, a waffle, or piece of toast? Many a parent (and, ahem, spouse) has learned that those lovely grain foods, be they enriched or whole, are the perfect delivery method for those ingredients that might challenge a less sophisticated palette.

Categorize Your Favorite grain foods

Think of grains in two categories: indulgent and staples.

  • Staple grain foods are those that may fill your pantry and are the basis of many nutritious meals and snacks: think sliced bread, bagels, English muffins, fortified cereals, enriched pasta and more.
  • Indulgent grain foods are those that are higher in added sugars and saturated fats, like that delicious ham and cheese croissant from your local French bakery. We often turn to these indulgent foods when celebrating a birthday, leaning into holiday nostalgia, or treating ourselves now and then.


While both categories bring delicious flavor to any meal or snack, the winningest moments happen when you pair them with other macronutrients found in nutrient-dense foods.

Think of refined grains in two categories: Staples and Indulgences

Assembling Amazing A.M. Foods

Now that we understand how important it is to start our day with a balance of macronutrients, it’s time to put that knowledge to work! Here are some simple ideas for building a delicious and decidedly nutritious first meal or snack of the day.

Pro Tip to Sneak in the Good Stuff: Make a powerfully nutritious breakfast for those picky eaters by sneaking finely chopped or pureed vitamin C-rich cauliflower into your next batch of scrambled eggs with cheese! Serve with a side of whole grain toast, and voila: Macronutrients FTW!

Build an Assortment of Go-Tos

It’s surprisingly easy to ensure your first meal or snack of the day includes all three macronutrients – carbohydrates, protein and fat!

Breakfast Recipes

Breakfast: The Key to a Healthy Metabolism

Enrichment & Fortification

5 Reasons Why Folate Is Essential in Your Diet (and how to get more)!

Hungry for more?

Visit our Instagram for more healthy tips and delicious inspiration!