Selecting and Storing Whole Grains

Buy and keep the healthiest and tastiest grains for your favorite recipes.

An increasingly wide variety of whole grains is becoming available in supermarkets, and you can always find the less common ones in health food stores. Because the oil-rich germ is intact, whole grains are living foods that must be treated with special care. Unlike white rice or pasta made with refined flour, most whole grains cannot be stored indefinitely on a pantry shelf without becoming rancid. Here is some advice about shopping for and storing whole grains:

  • Shop in a store that has a high turnover.

  • If purchasing packaged grains or whole-grain products, check the expiration date and select the one that's freshest.

  • When selecting from a bulk bin, sniff the grains to be sure they are fresh; they should either have no aroma or a slightly sweet, grassy scent. If they smell oily or rank, alert the store manager and pass them by.

  • Once home, place the grains and whole-grain products such as pasta or cereals in a well-sealed container and mark the date. Store them in the refrigerator or freezer and aim to use them within six months.

  • If you open a sealed package of grains or a whole-grain product and it has an unpleasant aroma, either return it to the store owner (if it is not beyond the expiration date) or toss it.

  • When buying whole-grain products such as cereals or breads, be sure to check the label. The first word before each type of grain should be "whole." Don't be fooled by a label like "7-Grain Bread." Such a product could include seven different kinds of grains without any of them being whole.

Next Up

Whole-Grain Flours

Using the right flours is the key to delicious and wholesome baked goods.

Healthy Whole Grains

Take advantage of the nutrients in these wholesome grains.

What Are Whole Grains?

Every registered dietitian we know recommends whole grains as part of a healthy diet. But what are whole grains in the first place?

Tips for Cooking Whole Grains

Prepare a healthy and hearty dish of whole grains tonight.

What Is a Whole Grain?

Trying to find healthy and delicious recipes? Food Network makes that easy with their collection of low fat, low calorie and low carb recipes.

Taste Test: Whole-Grain Bread

We have taste-tested five popular whole-grain breads from the supermarket and rated them according to what are the tastiest and healthiest.

Taste Test: Whole-Grain Cereal

We filled you in on some of our favorite cereal picks and listened up about some of yours. We took the most popular suggestions — Special K, Total, Multigrain Cheerios, Grapenuts and Kashi — and rated and tasted them.

Whole-Grain Wrap Taste Test

Wraps are a fun alternative to sandwiches. Curious to which are the healthiest and tastiest? Find out how 5 popular flour tortillas (a.k.a. wraps) fared in our taste test.

Latest Stories