Our team’s favourite ways to eat more wholegrains

Looking for simple ways to get more wholegrains into your day? Sometimes the best inspiration comes from seeing what other people actually eat.

We asked members of our trans-Tasman Nutrition Insights and Communications teams to share the wholegrain meals they make on repeat, from an easy breakfast smoothie to veggie-packed muffins and a fuss-free pasta bake. Their common tip? Keep it simple and start with foods you already enjoy.

Janice: Weet-Bix™ breakfast smoothie

For Media and Communications Manager Janice, mornings at home in Auckland are a family affair, with smoothies now part of the breakfast routine for her husband and two kids, aged 17 and 20.

Her pick is our Weet-Bix breakfast smoothie, with Weet-Bix providing an easy way to add wholegrains.

“Our family has recently fallen in love with smoothies again. We each have a jar and it’s easy to just grab and go on the way to work and school,” says Janice.

Her approach to eating more wholegrains is equally uncomplicated: look for everyday opportunities to make a swap. Along with crushing Weet-Bix into smoothies and baking, she often replaces plain flour with wholegrain flour when baking.

Janice’s tip: When you’re looking at a recipe or walking the supermarket aisles, ask yourself: What could I swap to add more wholegrains to this meal?

Megan: Gluten Free Weet-Bix and banana pancakes

For Communications Manager Megan, wholegrains are often part of a slower weekend breakfast. A current favourite is Gluten Free Weet-Bix and banana pancakes, which she makes a few times a month.

“Breakfast is a big thing in our house, particularly on weekends when there’s a bit more time to slow down and enjoy it,” Megan says. “There’s something really lovely about making something delicious to share with family and sitting outside in the morning sun while the rest of the world is waking up.”

Gluten Free Weet-Bix are the wholegrain star of the pancakes, but Megan often adds chia, flax or pumpkin seeds for extra crunch and fibre, or changes things up with berries.

Her approach is to add goodness to meals she already enjoys, rather than reinventing them. She carries the same thinking into other meals, adding quinoa, wholegrain pasta or legumes to summer salads and extra vegetables to frittatas and soups.

Another favourite is Sanitarium’s Five Spice Fried Quinoa, which Megan likes because it can easily be adapted with different vegetables.

Megan’s tip: Look for simple ways to add to what you’re already doing. Nuts, seeds or wholegrains can give an everyday meal a little something extra.

Charlotte: Courgette and carrot frittata muffins

Senior Dietitian Charlotte’s family favourite is Courgette and carrot frittata muffins which use Weet-Bix and help put leftover veggies to good use.

“They’re handy for lunchboxes or a snack on the go, and a great way to use up veggies in the fridge before they go to waste,” says Charlotte, mum to her two-year-old son. “There are plenty of jobs for little helpers too, from crumbling the Weet-Bix to stirring the mixture.”

For families getting used to wholegrains, Charlotte recommends starting gradually. Try replacing some white flour with wholemeal flour in baking, mixing brown rice with white rice, or combining wholemeal and white pasta.

Another favourite of Charlotte’s is a nourish bowl where everyone can build their own meal from a selection of wholegrains, vegetables, plant proteins and healthy fats.

Jess: Roast vegetable pasta bake

When our Accredited Practising Dietitian Jess wants a meal that can look after itself, she turns to a roast vegetable pasta bake made with wholemeal pasta.

“It’s a perfect ‘set and forget’ meal that can roast away while I get other things done,” says Jess. She changes the vegetables depending on what’s available, although eggplant, courgette, capsicum, red onion and cherry tomatoes are regular favourites. Better still, a big batch means leftovers for the week ahead.

Jess says adding wholegrains doesn’t need to be complicated.

“Healthy eating needs to be realistic and enjoyable. Small swaps that you can repeat regularly are often much more sustainable than trying to completely overhaul your diet.”

And if she had to recommend one wholegrain recipe to try? Overnight Weet-Bix.

“As a dietitian, I love that overnight Weet-Bix makes enjoying wholegrains feel easy and achievable, but just as importantly, it’s delicious and can be tailored to your favourite flavours and what you have on hand,” says Jess.

Her go-to combination starts with Weet-Bix, milk and yoghurt, topped with chia seeds, berries, banana, peanut butter and a little cinnamon. It’s also ideal for meal prep, with plenty of flavour combinations to explore, from Pear crumble Overnight Weet-Bix to High Protein Peanut Butter Overnight Weet-Bix.

A little wholegrain inspiration

Whether it’s blending Weet-Bix into a breakfast smoothie, adding wholegrains to lunchbox favourites or switching up your usual pasta, these ideas show there’s no single way to get more wholegrains into your day. Start with the meals you already love and see where a simple swap could take you. Looking for more inspiration? Check out our wholegrain recipe collection for more delicious ways to add wholegrains to your day.