World of Grains

When I see a small package of snacks these days, I think of the common dieting strategy for treats that puts its faith in 100-calorie portions. No matter what’s in the bag, instead I guess we’re supposed to focus on how much is in there. In an all-you-can-eat culture, it makes some sense, but it’s a good idea to take a look at where those calories come from, not just how many of them there are.

World of Grains offers a selection of cookies packaged in single-serving envelopes, combining smart portions with healthy recipes. You won’t find anything as decadent as an Oreo or a Chips Ahoy, but if you’re willing to sacrifice some fat, sugar, and the familiar pleasure that goes along with them, these are worth a try.

I sampled Oatmeal Raisin, Cranberry, Apple Cinnamon, and Multigrain. They all contain a blend of several flours and grains, including whole wheat, whole oats, oat bran, quinoa, buckwheat, millet, and barley. They’re mostly sweetened with evaporated cane juice, and have around half the fat of popular cookie brands.

For our purposes, let’s say that Multigrain = Plain, and Plain = Too Bland. The fruit in the other varieties makes them more flavorful and adds needed moisture. More fruit would be even better; these cookies are drier than most and needed a glass of soymilk for me to enjoy them. But even though they’re not teeming with fruit, the flavor is genuine, simple, and good.

These World of Grains cookies might not do too well in a blind taste test, but I think they’re counting on customers that don’t eat blindly but rather take a few minutes to read the label.