Meet the Kernel: A Hands-On, Bilingual Way to Teach Whole Grains
Why whole grains — and why they're so hard to teach
The Dietary Guidelines call for making at least half of our grains whole, yet only about one in six grains Americans actually eat are whole. Wheat alone averages roughly 130 pounds per person each year, so the humble kernel is one of the highest-impact places to start a nutrition lesson. The trouble is that “bran, endosperm, and germ” stays abstract on a worksheet. Learners need something they can hold.
Meet the Kernel
“Meet the Kernel” is a hands-on, 6-inch 3D model of a whole grain, cut away so students can see and touch the three parts of the kernel — the fiber-rich bran, the starchy endosperm, and the nutrient-packed germ. It turns an invisible concept into something tangible for every age, from middle-school classrooms to clinic counseling and community health fairs.
The model is printed from non-toxic, plant-based PLA and comes in a reusable storage box, so it holds up to years of pass-it-around use.
The Whole Grain Education Kit — $65
The kit pairs the 3D kernel with a 33-page printable PDF book in both English and Spanish (66 pages total) — a leader guide, activities, reproducible handouts, recipes, a shopping list, and more, emailed the moment you order. See the Whole Grain Education Kit →
The Whole Grain Bundle — $99 (save over $40)
Teaching a whole room or a whole program? The bundle adds a laminated “Go for the Whole Grain” poster, a pack of 25 bilingual brochure cards, and a bilingual PowerPoint show aligned with the 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines — everything you need to teach whole grains to every age, together at a bundle price. See the Whole Grain Bundle →
Made for real classrooms and clinics
Everything is bilingual, reproducible, and built for the way people actually teach — hands-on, visual, and ready to use. It's a natural fit for schools, WIC, clinics, extension programs, and community wellness.
It is perfect for pairing the whole grain visual lesson with MyPlate as well as the new Pyramid and Dietary Guidelines to help folks enjoy more whole grains.
Ready to make whole grains click? Start with the kit, or go all-in with the bundle.
