Amber Waves of Whole Grain

Whole grains are all the rave lately in the dieting world.  Doctors, nutritionists, and advertising companies are all pushing its benefits, and rightly so.  Whole grains are complex carbohydrates that are naturally low in fat and high in vitamins and nutrients.  Because our bodies were designed to ingest grains in their whole form, we process the carbohydrates easier, making less go to our hips.  For more information on the health benefits of eating whole grains, please visit the Whole Grains Council.

Whole grains are my favorite area to improve my diet because it is effortlessly frugal.  Today, let's focus on incorporating three to five servings of whole grains into our diet.  Here are some tips on how to do so and save money:

• Popcorn.  The perfect snack and naturally whole grain, popcorn is perfect to replace those pretzels and chips that make their way into our busy days.  Buy a bag of popcorn kernels (usually between $1.00 to $2.00 a pound) and pop it in a pan on the stove top.  I recommend popping it in a small amount of olive oil.  Sprinkle lightly with salt and you have a delicious, low-calorie, low-fat, whole grain treat.  Pop a bunch at the beginning of the week and store in individual baggies for quick snacks!  (Note: Check your local bulk foods store where I purchased a 50 pound bag for $0.40 a pound!)
• Bread.  Skip the enriched and bleached flours and reach for 100% whole grain recipes when making your own breads and rolls.  If you are like me and tend to buy most of your bread, then make sure the package states 100% whole grain.  If it just says whole grain, it may still contain enriched flours as well.  Avoid expensive brands and look for store brands.  Walmart sells 100% whole grain wheat bread for $1.50 a loaf in my area.  Not into store brands?  Check out your local bread outlets which I recently discovered and now pay $0.89 a loaf for preservative-free, 100% whole grain Nature's Pride bread.  It's cheaper than white bread!
• Rice.  One of the cheapest and healthiest options if done right, rice makes an excellent addition to almost any meal.  Skip the quick-cooking boxes and reach for a bag of whole grain brown rice (about $1.00 a pound).  It cooks up in the microwave or on the stove top in about 30 minutes (quicker in a rice cooker).  I like to cook a large batch when I have the free time and store it in meal portions in the refrigerator for quick additions to meals throughout the week.  Toss it in soups, serve it on the side of any fish or meat with some light salt, or incorporate it right into the main dish (try Tangy Chicken and Rice or Vegetarian Fried Rice).
• Pasta.  A favorite in my household, pasta is an effortless switch to whole grain.  Much like bread, make sure the package says 100% whole grain and avoid enriched pastas which are just full of preservatives.  My favorite is Walmart brand whole wheat pasta in which the only ingredient is 100% durum whole wheat for only $1.00 a box.  Occasionally, our local bulk foods store will offer five pound bags of whole grain pasta for less than $1.00 a pound.  Use pasta for your main course (try Crock Pot Spaghetti) or as a side dish (try Linguine with Capers).  The possibilities are endless!

As you can see, switching to whole grains is far from expensive.  In most cases, I wound up saving money.  I challenge you today to focus on incorporating three to five servings of whole grains into your meals.  Don't have any whole grains in the house?  Then run right over to your grocery shopping list and jot down the four items listed above.

If eating healthy can be this cheap and simple, you won't have any excuses to skimp on your diet!

What is your favorite whole grain food or recipe?

Tomorrow:  Cheap produce?  Yeah, it does exist.