Welcome to Smart Substitutions March Edition! This is where we introduce a small change that you can make in your daily cooking habits to create foods that are delicious and a little bit healthier. This month’s feature substitution: Whole Wheat Pasta.
What:
Whole wheat pasta is pasta made from 100% whole wheat. Surprise! It’s exactly what it sounds like. It comes in the same shapes as enriched pasta, only with more fiber. Many regular pasta brands now carry a whole grain variety. It comes in all of the varieties and shapes of enriched pasta. So you can get your spaghetti, rotini and penne with more nutrients than ever.
Where:
Whole wheat pasta sits right next to its cousin, enriched pasta in the pasta aisle at the store. You may need to read the labels carefully. Those marketers can be tricky! You’re looking for an indication that the pasta is made from 100% whole wheat. Things like “vegetable” pasta or “smart taste” pasta are just enriched pastas in disguise. Some companies even use different colored boxes to help distinguish between the different pastas.
Why:
Well, it’s full of whole grains, which add fiber, iron and potassium to your diet. These nutrients are important for overall health, and especially important in growing bodies. Swapping enriched pasta for whole wheat pasta is a great way to add some nutrition in a food your kids already love.
When:
Anytime! Whole wheat pasta works great under meatballs, in a pasta salad or even in Mac’N Cheese. The cooking directions are on the box, and it’s just as easy to make whole wheat pasta as it is to make enriched pasta. Simply boil water, add pasta and wait. If you cover the pasta in tomato sauce, it’s hard to tell the difference. Finally, if your family absolutely refuses to eat whole grain pasta, you can make a whole grain/enriched pasta mixture to improve the nutritional content of any pasta dish.
