Closing the science-policy-action gap through outreach and community engagement for all ages

• In Event: Interdisciplinary and multisector partnerships are key to achieving the dietary guidelines recommendations for whole grain consumption

Abstract

The simplest, most effective way to get more whole grains into more people’s diets is to show them exactly what whole grains are, how they can be prepared, and, ultimately, provide an opportunity to taste. There is not a single person who will not try, and enjoy, a whole grain cookie, tortilla, biscuit or slice of bread that they have made. Washington State University’s Breadlab is a group of researchers and educators focused on increasing whole grain consumption through the development, dissemination, and use of novel small grain varieties. The work spans from the field to the bakery giving equal importance to the agronomic and culinary aspects of the crops. Outreach and engagement programs work with students from preschools to university graduate programs, and King Arthur Baking School classes provide hands-on activities with whole grains. The Breadlab team visits K-12 schools, bringing wheat heads that the students thresh, winnow, and mill into flour. Groups visiting the lab participate in baking workshops with a diversity of grains such as buckwheat, rye, spelt and wheat, culminating in a tasting of their finished products. The WSU Breadlab also serves as the hub of the Skagit Juntos and Caminos a Carreras programs, aimed at helping local Latino students and their families reach high school graduation and post-secondary education goals with a focus on educating about Ag-STEM career opportunities through family engagement nights and field trips. The WSU Breadlab’s work shows that when people make and enjoy food while learning about the nutritional benefits of whole grains, the impacts are immediate: every person leaves the event wanting to try to do it again at home.

Author

• Janine Sanguine, Washington State University
  Presenting Author