Swap This → For That Tips and Tricks to Getting a
Child to Eat Whole Grains
● White bread → whole wheat
bread/english muffins/ bagels
● Frozen waffles/pancakes → frozen
whole wheat options or banana
oatmeal pancakes
● Sugary cereal → oatmeal
● Traditional pasta → whole wheat
pasta
● White rice → brown rice, quinoa or
farro
● Traditional crackers → whole wheat
crackers
● Chips and salty snacks →
homemade or SkinnyPop popcorn
● Be patient- if your child is used
to eating refined grains, they
most likely won’t enjoy eating
whole grains overnight. Research
show that kids need to try a new
food 20-30 times before deciding
that they like it.
● Start slow- Begin by offering one
whole grain option at each meal.
Making small swaps from refined
grains to whole grains can have a
big impact overtime.
● When baking- If you are baking
from scratch, try substituting half
of the all-purpose (white) flour for
whole-wheat flour. If the dessert is
a hit, try transitioning to all
whole-grain flour.
● Make it simple- Swap out
refined foods that your child
already knows and loves before
introducing new types of food.
For example, changing out white
bread for wheat is a great start. By Kelsey Dunn, Bridget Forth, and
Lauren Mahoney
 What is a Whole Grain? Easy Banana Oatmeal
Pancakes
A whole grain is made up of 3 parts: the
bran, endosperm, and germ. Ingredients:
● 1 medium ripe banana
A refined grain is just the endosperm, and ● 2 large eggs
therefore it has been stripped of the ● 1/3 cup oats
nutrients that are within the bran and ● 1/3 teaspoon cinnamon
germ.
Bran
Instructions:
-Source of fiber. Contains protein, B
1. Mash the banana with a fork.
vitamins, and minerals such as iron and
magnesium. 2. Add eggs and mix together.
3. Put oats into blender until fine.
Endosperm 4. Stir oats & cinnamon into banana
mixture.
-This is what remains after the refining 5. Spray heated skillet with cooking spray
process, which is the process used to make and pour ¼ cup batter.
white breads and flours.
6. Flip pancake when bubbles are present.
-This part contains only carbohydrates and 7. Cook until golden brown.
Typically we consume enough grains, but proteins, and minimal vitamins. 8. Enjoy!
not enough of what we eat comes from
whole grains. Germ
The USDA recommends that at least half -Source of B vitamins and vitamin E.
of all grains eaten should be whole grains. Contains minerals such as magnesium, zinc,
and selenium
Girls age 9-13 should be aiming for 5 oz of
-Contains fat which makes it more
whole grains/day & boys age 9-13 should susceptible to spoilage. (Freeze your whole
be aiming for 6 oz/day. grain bread!)