Kids & Company Blog

Groovy Grains

This nutrition month, our students will be learning all about the different food groups, one of them being grains! The goal is to teach your kiddies the importance of whole grains which we only serve from the Kidco Kitchen. Grain products derive from foods made of wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, buckwheat, bulgur, rye, quinoa, and less familiar foods like amaranth, millet, sorghum and triticale. Some examples of the foods that we commonly eat that contain grains are bread, pasta, oatmeal and breakfast cereals.

Some people don’t realize that there are actually two categories for grains: whole grains and refined grains. Whole grains contain the entire grain kernel which include the bran, germ, and endosperm. Examples of whole grains include whole-wheat flour, bulgur, oatmeal, and brown rice.

Refined grains, on the other hand, have been milled (a process that removes the bran and germ). This is done to give grains a finer texture and improve their shelf life. The downside to this process is it also removes dietary fiber, iron, and many B vitamins. Some examples of refined grain products are white flour, white bread, and white rice.

Most refined grains are enriched with certain B vitamins and iron after processing, however fibre is not added back to enriched grains. Whole grains have been reported to have a positive impact on satiety (the feeling of fullness or satisfaction after eating). It is important to read the labels of the grains you are buying, as most whole grain products are mixed with refined grains. The healthiest way to buy whole grains is to make sure on the ingredient list that the first thing listed is 100% whole grains or 100% whole wheat. At Kids & Company we know the health benefits of whole grains and only serve your kiddies whole grains and whole grains products.


This month your kiddies will participate in a bread tasting buffet including whole wheat bread, multigrain rolls and whole wheat pita. They will discuss the differences between taste, texture and smell of the different breads. The main focus the kiddies will take away from learning about whole grains is that these healthy and nutritious breads contain carbohydrates which give us energy and whole wheat grains like oats, cereal, bread and bagels are a great way to start your day!

If you’re looking for a delicious new grains side dish to try out for your family, click here to check out our Groovy Grains section on our Kidco Kitchen website!

From my kitchen to yours enjoy! Don’t forget to follow us on Twitter @kidcochildcare and on Instagram @cheflisaruscica!

Cheers,

Chef Lisa Ruscica
Chief Food Ambassador

Posted on: Wednesday March 22nd, 2017

Posted by: Lisa Ruscica