Here in Boston's Back Bay, the WGC and Oldways team has been shaken by last week's tragic events in our beloved city.  Headquartered just 4 blocks away from the marathon's finish line, we heard the blasts and watched as runners, spectators, and emergency responders rushed past our street-level windows - a scene that is forever imprinted in our memories.  But through tragedy, we find strength.  And here in Boston, we know how to get back up, how to carry on.  We are BOSTON STRONG!
 
One way we carry on is to focus on some of the good things going on here in Boston. We invite you to check out our recent blogs full of Boston-based whole grain news.

Near-freezing temperatures on April 3rd saw the WGC team bundled in layers of sweaters, down coats, hats and mittens as we handed out more than 5,000 samples of whole grain foods throughout the city of Boston to students, commuters and lots of tourists - including a group of singers from Washington.  It was an amazing day! Check out the full story here.
 
Our Boston bash was just a small part of the nationwide celebration of Whole Grain Sampling Day, however.  20 "Whole Grain Ambassador" bloggers organized contests and giveaways... People everywhere (like the Texas WIC clinic workers shown here)   joined in a noontime "Whole Grain Toast" ... Supermarket chains organized samplings of whole grain products ... and university and workplace cafeterias held special tastings.

Email Karen if you sampled whole grains on April 3. Tell us your story!  We'll send coupons to the first five people who write.

Restaurants Offering Healthier Kid's Meals    

In 2011, we wrote that the National Restaurant Association (NRA) ranked "whole grain items in kid's meals" in the #10 slot of hot trends.  Fast forward to this year and we find that this trend
has kept it's spot and is joined by the #3 trend - healthful kids meals.
 
To keep the momentum building, the NRA created Kids LiveWell, a voluntary program with 30,000 participating restaurant locations.  In order to qualify, a children's meal must meet nutrition standards based on the US Dietary Guidelines.  The meal (entr�e, side and beverage) must include two servings of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein or a low-fat dairy; meet limits for sodium, fats and sugar; and weigh in at 600 calories or less.
 
Visit the Healthy Dining Finder site and the WGC's Eating Away From Home page to find more restaurants with healthier kids' options and whole grains on the menu.

At Whole Grain Central, we field calls and emails from consumers and  manufacturers all over the world.  Just last week, we made a connection to a group working with farmers in Sri Lanka.  Just how far of a reach does the Whole Grain Stamp have?  The answer is all the way around the world!
 
Established in 2005, the Whole Grain Stamp can now be found on products in 41 countries, up from a count of 32 just 6 months ago.  So the next time you're venturing to a different part of the world, be sure to look for the Stamp.

• North America and Caribbean: United States, Barbados, Canada, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, Mexico, Trinidad and Tobago
• Central and South America: Argentina, Belize, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela
• Europe: France, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Poland, Romania, Spain and U.K.
• Asia: China, Singapore, Taiwan and U.A.E.
• Africa: Mauritius and Tanzania
• Australia and Oceania: Australia and New Zealand