Which Foods Are Whole Grain?

Grains are considered whole grains when they contain the entire grain kernel. Examples of whole grains are oatmeal, whole-wheat flour, whole cornmeal, brown rice, barley, bulgur, whole rye, amaranth, millet, quinoa, sorghum, triticale, and foods made from whole grains such as whole-wheat bread and whole-wheat pasta.

Refined grains, on the other hand, have had some part of the grain kernel removed. In the case of white flour, the wheat is milled, removing the bran and germ, to give bread and other baked products a finer texture. The nutritional problem with refined grains is that when the bran and germ are removed, so are important nutrients and fiber. Refined grains include white flour, degermed cornmeal, white rice and foods made from refined flours and grains.

How Many Whole Grain Foods Should Your Preschooler Eat Each Day?

The recommendation for preschoolers is to eat 3-5 oz equivalents of total grains per day. At least half of these grains should be whole grain foods. How much is an oz equivalent? Here are portions of common preschooler foods.

3-5 servings of these foods meets the grain recommendation for preschoolers, make at least 2 or 3 of the servings whole grain:

½ - 1 ½ cups cereal. The portion depends on how dense the cereal is. One ounce equivalent of "airy" cereal like puffed rice is about 1 ½ cups. One ounce equivalent of denser cereals like raisin bran is only ½ cup.

½ cup cooked rice, pasta or cooked cereal such as oatmeal

1 slice bread (for smaller-sized sandwich bread.) A slice of the more common, larger breads is closer to 1 ½ oz equivalents.

1/4 of a bagel-store bagel

one serving of crackers or pretzels (5-7 crackers or more for tiny fish crackers)

one small pancake

one tortilla (corn or small flour)

Adding Whole Grains to Your Preschooler's Day

The trick is to replace refined grains your preschooler eats now with whole grains. This can be as simple as using whole wheat bread instead of white bread and choosing whole grain cereals. Look for more tips for adding whole grains to your preschooler's diet.

Reference

U.S. Department of Agriculture. www.MyPyramid.gov

I'm Kati Chevaux, the Nutrition writer at PreschoolRock.com. Let's talk about how to how to help our preschoolers eat well and develop life-long healthy eating habits. Contact me with your preschool nutrition questions and healthy eating ideas.

Helpful Tips for Parents

• Breakfast is the most reliably linked meal to cognitive performance in school-age children. Prioritize a protein- and fiber-rich breakfast every morning.

• Calcium and vitamin D are the most commonly deficient nutrients in preschool-age children. Dairy, fortified plant milks, salmon, eggs, and sunlight are the primary sources.

• Preschoolers do not need dietary fat restriction. Healthy fats (avocado, nuts, olive oil, whole dairy) are essential for brain development and are not restricted except on medical advice.

• Picky eating peaks between ages 2–5 and is developmentally normal. Most picky eaters significantly expand their diets between ages 6–10 without intervention.

Frequently Asked Questions

My preschooler will only eat 5–6 foods. Is this concerning?

Accepting fewer than 20 foods is considered selective eating that may warrant attention from a feeding therapist. If a child eats 5–6 foods, is not growing appropriately, has intense anxiety around mealtimes or new foods, or has textures they physically gag on (not just dislike), evaluation by a feeding specialist or occupational therapist is appropriate. For children who eat 10–15 varied foods across food groups without significant distress, continued exposure without pressure is the recommended approach.

What are the best vitamins and supplements for preschoolers?

Most pediatric nutrition organizations do not recommend routine multivitamin supplementation for preschoolers eating a reasonably varied diet. The nutrients most likely to be deficient: vitamin D (supplement with 600 IU/day unless child gets >15 minutes of direct sunlight daily), iron (check ferritin levels at well-child visits), and omega-3 fatty acids (supplement if child doesn't eat fish 2x/week). Discuss specific supplementation with your pediatrician based on your child's individual diet and lab results.

Related reading: See also our rainbow snack board guide and our cooking projects guide for more ideas on this topic.

🎓 Skills Your Child Will Develop

• 💬 Vocabulary Expansion — Nutrition activities introduce rich vocabulary — nutrients, protein, fiber, harvest, ferment, season — expanding language range in a domain that connects directly to science, social studies, and health literacy.
• 📏 Early Math Skills — Measuring ingredients, counting servings, comparing quantities, and dividing portions makes cooking and eating some of the most authentic early math experiences available to preschoolers.
• 🤝 Family & Cultural Connection — Sharing meals and preparing traditional family foods connects children to family history, cultural identity, and the social bonds that family mealtimes — one of the strongest protective factors in child development — provide.
• 🌿 Where Food Comes From — Understanding that food grows from seeds, is harvested, and travels to the table connects children to the natural systems that sustain all human life — and measurably increases willingness to eat vegetables children have grown.

When it comes to grains - breads, pasta, rice, and cereals - the healthy choice for your preschooler is whole grains. While many preschoolers enjoy refined grains like white bread, bagels, pretzels, and crackers, few are meeting the recommendation for whole grains. To remedy this, offer whole grains to your preschooler in place of refined grains often. Your preschooler will benefit from extra nutrients and fiber and acquire a taste for the less-processed and healthier version of grains.