I recently partnered with General Mills Big G Cereals to help support the #ButFirstWholeGrain challenge, asking me to increase my whole grain consumption in September. Read on to see how I incorporated whole grains into my daily meals and snacks!
The Haupert family is officially back-to-school! Mal is a teacher, so school started for him right after Labor Day. Quinn is back at full-time preschool, and I’m happy to have a schedule that allows me to work “normal” hours – instead of waking up at 4:00 AM. Haha!
With a new schedule, it’s the perfect time for our family to reassess our eating routines and reset with healthier choices, especially after quite the indulgent summer. (Holy cow, there was no shortage of treats and booze!) September is actually National Whole Grain Month and time for the #ButFirstWholeGrain Challenge, so I figured it was a great time to try adding more whole grains to my diet. Did you know 99% of the population is not getting enough whole grain in their diet? I know, it surprised me, too. My goal is to increase my whole grain consumption in September (at least 48 grams of whole grain is recommended daily for adults). That said, here’s a recap of how I incorporated whole grains into my diet with some fun family adventures mixed in!
On days when I exercise in the morning, I typically eat a breakfast that is balanced between protein, carbs, and fat to provide me with the energy needed for my workout and keep me full until lunchtime. This morning, I poured myself a bowl of Cheerios with unsweetened almond milk and banana slices along with a scrambled egg. Cereal is such an easy way to add whole grains to your diet. All of General Mills Big G cereals have whole grain listed as the first ingredient – unlike a lot of cereals on the market. And one serving of Cheerios has 23 g of whole grain oats, so I’m already off to a strong start in the challenge!
Since it’s one of our first days back to school, I especially appreciate an easy breakfast since I’m running around the house trying to get myself ready while helping Quinn and taking Murphy for a walk before Mal leaves the house. I’m a hot mess, but I manage to get us out the door and to preschool and CrossFit on time.
The workout at CrossFit a fun one. It combines running and high-intensity movements, which, of course, are my favorite way to work out!
I’m a sweaty mess by the end – just the way I like it!
Post-workout, I refuel with an oatmeal cookie protein shake, which is oats soaked overnight mixed with vanilla protein powder and almond milk. Adding oats to my protein shake gives it a nice, thick texture and the combination of carbohydrates + protein is a winning combination when it comes to post-workout recovery. (I just thought of this right now, but adding Pumpkin Spice Cheerios to my next protein smoothie would be really delicious!)
After the gym, I stop by the grocery store to grab a few things. Grocery shopping doesn’t me long, but I’m more than ready for lunch when I arrive home. I immediately put away the groceries and make lunch. On the menu: Ground chicken, brown rice, baby spinach, and jarred cowboy caviar.
Lunch comes together in no time!
After lunch, I break out my laptop and get to work. I have a conference call, so I take the call outside and cuddle with Murphy.
After my call, I take Murphy for a walk and then head to preschool to pick up Quinn. He’s super talkative on the drive home and tells me all about his friend Blake and how they played with magnets. Then, he told me all about the new fish tank in his classroom and that it had a light inside that would change the color of the water when you pushed a button – but only big kids can do it.
When we pull into the driveway, Quinn grabs his hand-fan from the car and tells me he’s going to cut the grass. Ha! So cute.
Before I know it, everyone says they’re hungry for dinner, so I throw together a quick meal using some leftovers from the fridge. In the mix: Shredded chicken, quinoa (a good source of whole grains), kale, carrots, and feta. It was a little random, but tasty and nutritious!
After dinner, I enjoyed a bowl of Pumpkin Spice Cheerios, which was the perfect sweet ending to my day without adding a ton of sugar to my diet. The first ingredient in Pumpkin Spice Cheerios is whole grain oats, so I felt good about having a snack at the end of the night.
Giveaway time!
With the start of the #ButFirstWholeGrain Challenge, it’s a great time to try adding more whole grains to your diet, including your favorite General Mills Big G Cereals.
To enter to win this amazing prize package pictured above, just leave a comment on this blog post about how you’re adding whole grain to your day with the challenge. I’ll randomly pick a winner next week. Good luck!
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