My mom used to take my sisters and our friends to Costco during summer break, where we’d tag along for her weekly grocery ...

Breakfast isn't called the most important meal of the day for nothing. Here's how to turn your oats into a balanced breakfast.

You can also add whole grain rolled oats to smoothies and milkshakes for some added nutrition and a nutty flavor. The traditional oatmeal porridge can get a bit monotonous, ...

Rolled or "quick" oats are still whole grains. Popcorn is a whole grain. Pearled barley is not a whole grain; too much of its bran layer has been removed.

Think whole rolled oats (not sugary quick-cooking oatmeal packets), unprocessed brown rice, quinoa, and other things you'd find in your supermarket's bulk foods section, Villacorta says.

Rather than being steamed and rolled, the whole oat grain is chopped into 2-3 pieces. Steel-cut oatmeal is dense and chewy, but takes much longer to cook.

Steel-cut oats are hulled oats (a.k.a. oat groats) that have been very minimally processed (i.e., cut into pieces). Like brown rice and other whole grains, they are lovely in pilafs and salads.

Some foods are also naturally whole grains, such as oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, rolled oats, bulgur, wild rice and popcorn. The USDA says you can't judge whether a food is whole-grain from its color.

As noted above, oat groats are unprocessed but take some time to cook. Steel cut oats are minimally processed, thick rolled oats somewhat more. Avoid instant oats, which are processed enough that they ...

This story is part one of a two-part series about cooking with whole grains. Next week will feature recipes that star or incorporate whole grains. Skip to content Open sections menu Sections.