Cereal Day: March 7, 2010

Article archived: March, 2010

Judy Dodd, MS, RD, LDN Giant Eagle^® Corporate Nutritionist

Giant Eagle^® has a focus on food, health and wellness and cereal is a great fit, so grab your favorite cereal and continuing reading about why you should join on National Cereal Day.

History is on the side of cereal as a basic link to our survival. When you think of cereals, it's likely you picture a bowl of hot or cold cereal that is a mainstay for breakfast. That is only part of the picture. The hunters and gatherers of ancient civilizations saw cereals differently. Along with the nuts, vegetables and fruits, grains were a staple once man and woman learned that pounding and grinding grains between two stones and cooking them gave us new variety in our diet.

In Europe the grains were likely wheat, oats, barley or rye. Corn or maize was a staple in America. The rice we associate with Eastern cultures and millet from Africa are additional cereals, both joining quinoa (an Inca cereal) with new popularity because they are gluten-free. So when we talk about cereals, we are talking about the seeds of plants, usually related to the grass family. Because seeds or "fruits" of a grain are the basis for the food chain (we plant it to create food, we harvest it to enjoy nutrients), we are talking about a part of a plant that provides concentrated nutrition.

This leads to the fact that emphasis on cereal grains is on the whole rather than refined grains. The bran or outer part of the grain, as well as the heart or "endosperm or germ", provides unique nutrient benefits. Refined cereals or grains have separated the grain into parts, which means you are likely to be missing some of the nutrients naturally found in cereal grains.

Here are some ways to celebrate National Cereal Day:

Jump-start your active day with breakfast, including a whole grain cereal! This is easy, quick and even portable. Hot or cold, it's ready energy for the day.
Try a cereal parfait for breakfast by layering yogurt with your favorite cereal and fruit.
Check out the cereals in your pantry and Giant Eagle^® shopping cart! Whole grains may have a whole grain stamp on the box. Check out the ingredient list for whole grains (the ingredients are listed by amount). How much fiber is in one serving? There should be some fiber even if it isn't a whole grain! For more information on label reading or fiber, email nutrition@gianteagle.com.
Add some new flavors to your repertoire like quinoa, brown rice, millet, couscous pasta from semolina wheat), bulgur or wild rice. If you need some recipes, email nutrition@gianteagle.com.

Want to know more? Judy has all the tips for eating a healthy breakfast.