U.S. consumers are showing growing enthusiasm for whole grain foods, with 73% saying they need to eat more of them and 71% citing health as their main motivation, according to the latest survey by the Whole Grains Council (WGC). Of 1,500 adults polled, 34% said they should eat “a lot more” whole grains and 39% said “somewhat more.”
Taste has emerged as both a motivator and barrier: 43% of respondents choose whole grains for their superior flavor, while 36% view taste as a drawback. “The share of consumers choosing whole grains for their superior taste has been steadily growing,” the WGC reported, noting that more people now “appreciate the fuller, nuttier flavor” of whole grains than see it as a barrier.
The survey also found that 49% of consumers have increased their whole grain consumption in the past five years, while 57% choose whole grain options at least half of the time. Among the most commonly eaten products were breads and rolls (42%), breakfast cereals (38%), and rice or grain side dishes (34%).
Cost remains a complex factor: 44% cited price as a barrier to buying whole grains—up from 25% in 2023—yet 19% now view affordability as a reason to choose them, almost double the 2021 figure.
“Consumer perceptions of whole grain affordability are steadily improving,” the WGC noted, though inflation has made price a growing concern.
The study also ties the shift to broader awareness of food processing. 66% of consumers said they try to eat less-processed foods, and 38% prefer whole grains for that reason. The trend follows national attention on “ultra-processed foods,” spotlighted in the White House’s Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) Commission report, which linked ultra-processed grains and sugars to poor health outcomes in children.
Public support for whole grains extends to school meals: 82% of respondents want healthier school menus, and 74% think schools should serve more whole-grain options. “Schools play a vital role in shaping children’s lifelong eating habits,” the WGC said.
Overall, the report underscores the growing mainstream acceptance of whole grains—once seen as niche health foods—as Americans increasingly value nutrition, taste, and whole ingredients in their diets.
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