MINNEAPOLIS, MN – In effort to raise awareness about whole grains, the Grains for Health Foundation of St. Louis Park, MN coordinated a flash mob in front of Coffman Memorial Union on the University of Minnesota’s campus over the lunch hour. Food science & nutrition student volunteers grabbed the attention of University of Minnesota students and staff with loud music and flashy dancing to the tune of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Minnesota’s “Do-Groove” song.
After the performance, volunteers distributed an informational flier on whole grain benefits and free samples of whole grain foods, donated by MOM Brands, formerly Malt-O-Meal, and Kraft Foods, to onlookers.
The Grains for Health Foundation performed this flash mob today to bring local awareness around the 1st national Whole Grain Sampling Day developed by the Whole Grains Council. The flash mob was chosen to connect with University of Minnesota students in a culturally relevant way that might make whole grain information and samples ‘hot.’
Efforts to raise awareness on the benefits of whole grains are a critical component to improving our overall food environment. According to NPD research, Americans eat according to the USDA’s MyPlate recommendations for a healthful diet only one week out of the entire year.
Whole grains are a great place to start improving your diet, requiring only minor adjustments to existing recipes when replacing refined flour from whole grain flour. They offer an easier transition for many people to make because they can still consume similar foods, bread, buns, pizza crusts, etc. Other dietary changes may be a more difficult to achieve, often requiring new skills and preparation techniques.
Whole grains are good for our health because they contain all parts of the grain (bran, germ, endosperm) and essential nutrients such as fiber, B vitamins and antioxidants.
A huge thank you to all those who helped to make the dancing debut of whole grains a great success: Nutrition and Food Science students, Kraft Foods, MOM Brands (formerly Malt-O-Meal), Katherine Schwachtgen (coordinator), Rachel and Reagan Manary (choreographers), The Whole Grains Council, and all of our other volunteers.
ABOUT
Grains for Health Foundation was founded in 2009 to increase the availability of affordable grain-based foods with substantiated health benefits to improve public health and lower the risk of diet-related diseases. Grains for Health forges partnerships with food and health leaders to develop evidence-based strategies that facilitate the development, delivery, and consumption of grain-based foods that promote public health, lower the incidence of diet-related, chronic disease, and curb health care costs. www.grainforhealth.org
Source: Grains for Health Foundation
