Whole grains (e.g., brown rice, quinoa, and oats) are grains that have not been processed, which makes them more nutritious than refined grains (e.g., white rice and white bread). While processing refined grain, parts of the grain with fiber and other important nutrients are removed.

By swapping refined grains for whole grains, you get more fiber in your diet (good for digestive health) and more nutrients like B vitamins (important for metabolism).

You’ll also see the name enriched grains in the ingredient list sometimes. Enriched grains are refined grains with iron and a few of the B vitamins added back after processing. When choosing grains, it’s best to reach for whole grains first, then enriched grains, and then refined grains.

Here are some examples:

• For breakfast – eat a bowl of oatmeal; make banana nut muffins with oats or quinoa flakes; have a bowl of cereal (look for a cereal with 3 grams or more of fiber and less than 10 grams of sugar per serving); top your yogurt with oats, granola, and/or cereal made with whole grains; or have a piece of whole grain toast topped with avocado.

• For lunch – eat a hummus wrap using a whole grain tortilla; make a rice bowl with brown rice or quinoa and top with tofu and roasted veggies; or make a deconstructed sandwich using whole grain crackers as your base.

• For snacks – try peanut butter and banana on a whole grain tortilla, whole grain crackers with hummus or guacamole, popcorn, bran muffins, granola bars (look for options with low sugar and high fiber), or yogurt with granola.

• For dinner – make enchiladas using whole grain tortillas, eat a grain salad and use wheat berries as your base, make bean and quinoa chili, or make your favorite pasta dish with half whole wheat pasta and half regular pasta.