Our quarterly summary of how you can make the most of your Whole Grains Council membership.

WGC Quarter One 2018 Member Newsletter
Dear Oldways Whole Grains Council members,

None of us would be here if we didn't think whole grains were something special. But what if we told you that eating whole grains may be one of the most powerful ways to improve your health? New data from the Institute of Health Metrics and Evaluation presented at the Whole Grain Summit in Vienna indicates that eating more whole grains could improve your health more than reducing salt, eating more fruits and vegetables, or cutting out sodas. 

Read more about this study and the goals that came out of the Whole Grain Summit here. 
Tell Us Your Plans for Participating in WG Sampling Day, March 28, 2018

March 28th is  Whole Grain Sampling Day, which means restaurants, supermarkets, universities, and non-profits all over the country will be hosting events. This is the perfect opportunity to draw extra attention to your whole grain products. 

Join WGC member companies like Ancient Harvest in planning a social media giveaway of whole grain food and be sure to let us know about your plans so that we can help get the word out. If you know you want to get involved, but you're still unsure how to participate, take a look at these ideas for whole grain manufacturers and get a kick start on your planning! In the past, we've had companies pass out samples at a local after-school program or assisted-living facility, organize whole grain potlucks, and share pictures and recipes on their social media pages. Let us hear your ideas. Fill out an event registration form with specifics about your event and we'll publicize them on our website and on social media.

In addition to manufacturers and restaurants, we already have dozens of grocery stores and college campuses across the country planning Whole Grain Sampling Day events, with new plans and promotions popping up every day. Thank you to the many WGC members (18 and counting!) who are donating product through our supermarket matchmaking service. Many of your products will be featured in recipes or tasting stations at stores like Coborn's, Giant Food, Hy-Vee, Martin's Super Markets, Shop Rite, and Hannaford. 
Plan a WG Sampling Day Event and Get 50% Off Your Whole Grains Conference Registration!
 
This year we're offering a special deal on our Whole Grains Conference, coming up November 4-6, 2018 in Seattle, WA. Members who plan live sampling events for Whole Grain Sampling Day and send us pictures of their event will be provided a 50% discount on their second conference registration (remember, all WGC members get their first registration for free!). 

It's easy: (1) fill out an event registration form with details about your event so that we can help publicize it, (2) plan and execute your awesome event on March 28th, (3) take pictures and send them to Kelly Toups ([email protected]), (4) use the discount code we provide to get 50% off your second conference registration. 

Speaking of our conference... now's the time to get those dates (November 4-6) on your calendars, if you haven't already. Our program has started to take shape, with confirmed speakers from America's Test Kitchen, USDA's Food and Nutrition Service, the Hartman Group, and other experts in foodservice and the future of whole grains--you're not going to want to miss out!
Transition in WGC Leadership

As some of you may already know, our esteemed colleague, Cynthia Harriman, will be retiring from Oldways, after dedicating 15 years of her passion and expertise to the Oldways Whole Grains Council. Over the last year, she's been slowly phasing out her involvement with WGC activities and as of January 1, she transferred all WGC responsibilities to Kelly Toups, Director of Nutrition, and Caroline Sluyter, Whole Grains Council Program Director. 

As Kelly and Caroline have taken the reins, they've been looking for just the right person to join them in their whole grain efforts. We are very pleased to announce that in March we will be welcoming Abby Clement as our new Whole Grain Stamp Program Manager. Abby recently completed her MA in Gastronomy from Boston University and we think she's going to be a terrific addition to our team. We're looking forward to welcoming her into the family!
Save the Date for Peter Reinhart's Bread Symposium, On the Rise II

After the success of last year's phenomenal On the Rise Bread Symposium--which we had the great pleasure of attending--Peter Reinhart and his team have decided to host another. This event offers the perfect chance to meet and learn from renowned bakers, millers, and scientists from around the world. The symposium will be held again at the Johnson & Wales Charlotte Campus, April 26-28. For more information, contact [email protected]. 
Caroline Sluyter
Program Director

Kelly Toups, MLA, RD, LDN
Director of Nutrition
[email protected] 

Cynthia Harriman
Director of Food and Nutrition Strategies

... and from all of the Oldways and Whole Grains Council staff
Oldways is a nonprofit food and nutrition education organization inspiring good health through cultural food traditions and lifestyles. The Oldways Whole Grains Council is only one of our many successful programs. Check out our website to learn more. 
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