Introducing Wheat to Your Family

If I had children at home (my dear 7 children are all grown up now) and I wanted to introduce them to wheat, I would first go buy some-maybe 2 or 3 pounds) at WinCo, if I did not already have some.

I would bring it home and put it in a bowl on the kitchen counter and wait for the kids to discover it, and ask about it.

Her is what may occur:

Child: Mom...what is this?

Mom: What does it look like to you?

Child: Seeds?

Mom: Yes, you are right. If you plant this in the ground, you will get a plant!

Child: What kind of plant?

Mom: A stalk of wheat.

Child: What do you mean "stalk of wheat"?

Mom: Well, a stalk is like a long skinny stem...Wheat grows on stalks. These are wheat seeds, or wheat grains...You know what wheat is don't you?

Child: Like in "wheat" bread?

Mom: (Now you can impress as well as teach your child.)Yes, wheat bread is made from ground up wheat. When you grind wheat, it is called flour.

Let's go on the Internet and look at a picture of a stalk of wheat
(Go to "google.com" click on "image", type in "wheat grains" and look at those neat pictures..you can click on the picture to enlarge it)

A stalk of wheat usually has one head. There are 35 grains of wheat in one head.
Some really good varieties of wheat, in a good year, can have 3 heads on one stalk!

Enjoy the pictures on the Internet and go back to the kitchen...

Child: I like feeling this wheat. It is fun to play with.

(Note: Our daughter Molly makes a "Wheat Sandbox" for her kids to play in....)


Mom: Yes it is...

Child: Are you going to grind up this wheat?

Mom: Not today...but tonight I will put some in our crockpot with water and cook it on low all night. You see, you can cook this grain just like you cook rice, only it takes longer. You can eat cooked wheat with a spoon or fork, just like you eat rice.
In the morning, this wheat will be all soft and a lot rounder, and hot and ready to eat.
I wonder if you will like the smell you smell in the morning when you wake up.

Child: Hmmm.I don't know that yet.

Mom: Well...we shall see if it is something you like.


(Can you tell I used to be a first grade teacher?)

Anyway...that night...when the child is watching, put wheat and water in your crock pot and put it on low. Better yet, have your child measure the cups of wheat to go into the crock pot..and then let him put it in the crock pot. Maybe start out with 2 cups wheat and 5 cups water. In the morning you will have well over 4 cups cooked wheat.


In the morning, let him look inside the crockpot (Be carefull..you can burn yourself, even if it is on low..so do not touch rim). Spoon some out into a bowl and let you child try a taste...you taste it also..hopefully, you like it,too.

You can brainstorm with your child as to how to make it taste even better...by adding cinnamon, walnuts, raisins, etc.