NOW CLOSED Wholegrain Goodness challenge: add your feedback here and be in with a chance of winning supermarket vouchers - open to non-'official' testers too - prizes to be won

[TheOtherHelenMumsnet]

If you're one of the 'official' 50 MNers who are taking part in the Wholegrain Goodness challenge, then this is the feedback/support thread that we'd like you to post on throughout the challenge. Each of the 50 MNers who post their feedback during the challenge will be entered into a prize draw to win a £150 supermarket voucher of their choice.

If you're not an 'official' participant but want to take part in the challenge anyway, or just have wholegrain tips and ideas you'd like to share, then please add your comments below. All non-'official' participants who post their thoughts will be entered into a prize draw to win a £100 supermarket voucher of their choice.

The challenge is to include wholegrain in at least one meal or snack for your family per day for two weeks, using a variety of wholegrain foods available (e.g. porridge, popcorn, oats etc.). To help, you can visit the Wholegrain Goodness website for their guide to wholegrain, for tips on how to identify wholegrain and for wholegrain recipe ideas.

The challenge starts on Monday (21 Jan) and we hope that participants will post here throughout

Please add your feedback on the following here:

~ Please share any tips and ideas you've discovered while taking part in this challenge e.g. have you found any good ways to encourage your child(ren) to choose wholegrains?

~ Have you discovered any recipes or tasty on-the-go wholegrain snacks that your family really like?

~ Have you tried out any Wholegrain Goodness recipes? How did you and your family find them?

Please add any other comments you have too - we'd love to hear from you at various stages of the challenge.

Thanks
MNHQ

[CraftyBec]

Good recipe for popcorn here. We had some today while watching films on TV (Muppets from Space and Nanny McPhee). The first time I made popcorn I didn't have a clue about quantities and the pan overflowed! No burnt or unpopped kernels with this recipe.

[MissRee]

I made some wholegrain muffins yesterday for DD to take to childcare every day this week. I've also got pasta, wholegrain cereals (cheerios and shreddies) and popping corn!

[WhatWouldGrandmaDo]

I've not been able to get to the supermarket because of the snow... school and preschool both closed today but might drag the kids along anyway. But we've got some stuff in already I can use - DS1 and DH both like porridge for breakfast and me and DS2 have weetabix. Thinking of making these www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/2667652/date-and-apple-squares with the boys later for post-sledging snack and lunchboxes when school reopens.

Major obstacle so far is DS2 refusing to eat 'balls' in seeded type / wholegrain breads. And spitting them out and handing them to me.

[cinnamongreyhound]

I've made extra porridge this morning so ds's are having it too, having theirs with sugar and cinnamon. Ds2 eaten everything, ds1 not so keen! Think its a texture thing as he doesn't like mash potato either.

We have wholemeal/multigrain bread most of the time but dinner will be a challenge I think. Will try some of the recipes and that might get dh having something whole grain, he's the biggest challenge

[CraftyBec]

Well, the first official morning of the challenge and DD chooses rice crispies for breakfast. She is genuinely surprised that they are not wholegrain. She promises to have Weetabix tomorrow. But her portion for today is assured with bread (50/50 wholemeal) for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch. She also has a Hobnobs chocolate flapjack bar, which is 40% oats, so that will count too. We are having macaroni cheese for tea - couldn't find a wholemeal version of macaroni!
I am going to try baking with some of the recipes on the [http://www.wholegraingourmet.com/] link that someone posted the other day - they look good!

[Indith]

My car is going nowhere today, it has been snowing all night and is still coming down. The roads are covered in deep slush even though the ploughs are out.

I went into the local Co-op though after battling through to the next village on the school run and picked up a wholemeal seeded loaf and some brown rice. They didn't have any wholemeal flours or pasta.

Dcs started the day with porridge as usual. They love frozen fruit in theirs so I keep bags of mixed fruit in the freezer (sour cherries, blackberries, raspberries, red and black currants. Super cheap from Tesco). Fruit should be good for muffins if I can get wholemeal flour!

We will have bread at lunchtime. I'm off to put something in the slow cooker for dinner which will probably involve pearl barley. We'll keep the rice for tomorrow I think.

[CraftyBec]

Woops, sorry - not used to inserting links in this way. Will try again www.wholegraingourmet.com/

[CheeseStrawWars]

Porridge for breakfast, "just like Abney and Teal!". Chucked some raisins on top and they lapped it up. Will experiment with ginger and/or cinnamon if they start getting bored of it - good to have a warm breakfast in this weather.

Have had a look at the recipes on the HGCA website, the fat-free fruit loaf looked interesting but the sugar content put me off. Oatcakes as a snack is a good idea though, will be swapping them for the usual breadsticks.

[Lesbeadiva]

This morning we did our own muesli. Kids took some porridge, a handful of mixed nuts, some grated apple, sliced banana and raisins, smothered it in yoghurt and a bit of honey! Easy and pretty tasty.

[ouryve]

Grockle - if you'd normally have pasta or rice with a meal, make it with wholewheat pasta or brown rice, instead. That's an easy change that you don't need separate recipes for.

if you bake for the kids, flapjacks use oats, so are there already. Cookies like these and date crumble bars, plus crumbles in general work well with wholemeal flour. Wholemeal pastry is really lovely in a quiche, specially with a bit of parmesan added.

And of course it's easy to change bread to wholemeal or at least brown varieties, if the kids are on board with that (one of mine most definitely isn't!)

[THERhubarb]

Breakfast of porridge today. Not everyone likes porridge so I spiced ours up with some multi-grain 'boulders' from Sainsburys. I don't mind buying the kids cereals because I use them as a topping for the healthier porridge, adding a few raisins or blueberries in there too. The kids get to choose what topping they want and I know they are getting some essential fibre every morning.

My tip is to be imaginative with porridge. Add a variety of toppings and even some sprinkles or chocolate chips if you like (cocoa powder makes lovely chocolately porridge). It's still healthier than a bowl of childrens cereal and much more exciting.

Bread for sandwiches was the 50:50 type as neither of my kids will eat wholemeal bread so this is the compromise. I'll have some for my lunch too.

[MissRee]

Oh yes, I made wholemeal bread yesterday too!

[pennylovesleonard]

Just checking in! I got my voucher last week but haven't been to tescos yet. I'll pop in later & get some whole meal pasta, flour & oats.
I thought I'd ease the family in gently with some muffins or cookies!

[Tyranasaurus]

Not an official tester. The thing that strikes me is the challenge is for one portion a day. I don't consider myself a particularly healthy eater but I've already had porridge and wholemeal bread today.

Wholemeal pasta is good. Brown rice is nice but takes ages to cook. Does quinoa count as wholegrain?

[Scrambledchocpancake]

I also haven't been able to the shops yet but reading all the lovely comments above I think I might be ok for the next couple of days. Who knew popcorn was wholegrain. Got some in the cupboard. That can be our snack tomorrow. We started the day with wholegrain cereal (weetos) and porridge for me although I almost joined in with the kiddy cereal!! Most cereals I find are wholegrain. Looking forward to fulfilling this challenge.

[steppemum]

I am not an official tester but would like to join.

The only thing is we use a lot of wholegrain already. Do we have to change what we are doing to join?

Also is ordinary porridge oats a la asda's own brand really whole grain????
I had no idea, no wonder porridge is supposed to be so good for you. Mine love it, but I haven't made it for ages. We could start there!

We actually only eat wholemeal bread. 2/3 of my kids won't eat white bread, having been weaned and brought up on wholemeal. Just goes to show that you eat what is familiar.

Not sure where we can add it actually - eat wholemeal cereal or wholemeal toast for breakfast, wholemeal bread sandwiches for lunch. Dinner is mostly potatoes as the carbohydrate. I really don't like brown rice, use wholemeal spaghetti, but not wholemeal pasta (because they don't make macaroni in wholemeal and dd loves her macaroni)

I have never bought children's cereals we eat weetabix or shreddies (both wholemeal)

hmmm, will have to have a think

[Lilyloo]

I have done my shopping

Rapeseed oil £2.99
4 wholemeal rolls £1.20
Brown rice £1.79
Wholewheat spaghetti £1.00
Porridge oats £1.59
Wholemeal bread x 2 £2.20

Slightly overspent but we are keen to up our wholegrain intake so happy with that.

[trice]

I didn't sign up for this one as I have spent the last year avoiding all grains apart from a bit of black rice. I have never felt fitter, but i am amused that I am totally at odds with the majority as usual.

[Lilyloo]

So this morning we all had porridge, was a good start for the snowy day. Dd1 managed a little bit as she has been ill with a sore throat, but she does like porridge so would normally eat more. The best thing about it was it made us all eat breakfast together instead of the normal hectic rushing around making everyone their own breakfast choice.
However I must confess to putting syrup on to sweeten.
The girls have taken wholemeal rolls in their lunchboxes so will have to see if they were eaten when they come home. I had wholemeal bread for my lunch but dp won't entertain it.
Ds is now at home stricken down with the bug so no lunch for him.
I have taken mince out of the freezer for tea so will probably make burgers for tea. Will use the rapeseed oil to cook them in.

[GiraffesMum]

Well we are all prepared here too.

Breakfast of shreddies or porridge seems to be going down well and I've rekindled my love affair with oatcakes. We tried the salmon off the website today but the DCs were not impressed with the 'biscuit' topping. DH and I thought it was ok but nothing special - we all preferred my pesto topped version. Going to try the meatballs with brown spaghetti on Thurs and the tomato soup. Kids don't like brown bread though - am going to see if I can do some 50/50 in the bread maker. Also have my eye on popcorn and some of the cakes on the website. Will let you know how we get on.

[fuzzpig]

I really like porridge but for some reason it never fills me up like it's supposed to - quite the opposite in fact, I always end up really hungry way before lunchtime!

I am however going to put a load of oats in my pancake batter the next time DH makes them - I've tried this before (I helped run a healthy cooking for parents course and this was something we did) and it's really lovely.

Kingsmill fruit and fibre bread is lovely - I did the MN product test but only got my parcel on the use by date :( it's taken me ages to find it in the shops.

[fuzzpig]

Weetos are whole grain?! Excellent :o

[prakattack]

All set to start challenge today. Unfortunately I never got my voucher though - oh well.
We already eat wholegrain cereals (weetabix or shredded wheat bitesize for the kids, bran flakes for us) but not that good the rest of the day. Planning to try pesto pasta tonight with wholemeal pasta and see if the kids notice!
We eat 50/50 bread so that counts I suppose.
Have got some porridge oats for flapjacks, and I'm also going to try the kids with some greek yoghurt, oats and honey for dessert sometimes.
Am very excited that popcorn is wholegrain, would never have thought of that, so might do that later in the week!

[cinnamongreyhound]

I think all nestle cereals are wholegrain.

We are at my mums today so not wholegrain for dinner, feinitely going to try the lamb and quinoa patties and oaty pork cider from the booklet though.

[Blatherskite]

The snow and closed school and pre school meant I couldn't shop over the weekend or today but I had picked up some wholemeal pasta so we had something to try tonight.

I had picked up both proper wholemeal pasta and a 'best of both' type one that promised the taste of white with the goodness of wholemeal but decided to go the whole hog and put the proper wholemeal stuff with our tomato sauce and meatballs tonight. I was a little worried that uber-fussy DD would refuse to eat it even though pasta is her favourite meal but she didn't seem to notice. I was surprised at how little even I noticed the taste of the wholemeal pasta too to be honest. It wasn't quite so smooth in texture but it was nowhere near as 'healthy' as I'd expected it to taste either.

Tomorrow I've got the DC's other favourite - fajitas - planned with the normal wraps swapped out for wholemeal ones. I hope they're as popular. Hoping the snow has cleared enough for me to go shopping too else our wholemeal for Wednesday may very well be weetabix and popcorn :)