Great Grains in Just 90 Seconds

Pouches with precooked whole grains make eating healthy a whole lot easier

By Trisha Calvo

July 8, 2024

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Seeds of Change Organic Seven Whole Grains shown in a grain bowl. — To turn your grain mixes into a meal, add a protein and fresh veggies for extra fiber and antioxidants.

“Whole grains, like wild or brown rice and barley, are packed with a lot of fiber and other nutrients, but they can take up to an hour to cook on the stove,” says Amy Keating, RD, a CR nutritionist. But there’s a faster way: pouches containing precooked grains that you can pop in a microwave and are typically ready in just 90 seconds. And these days, with different grain blends, flavorful seasonings, veggies, and beans mixed in, they’re far from boring.

One caveat: Some of these instant grain mixes can be high in sodium. In our nutritional evaluation of over 25 products, some had more than 500 mg of sodium in just 1 cup. For our favorite whole-grain mixes that are lower in sodium, see the picks below. (Nutrition information is for a 1-cup serving.)

BEST MULTIGRAIN BLEND

Seeds of Change Organic Seven Whole Grains $3.99

This pouch offers a nice amount of fiber and a wide mix of grains, including brown and wild rice, barley, rye, red quinoa, bulgur wheat, and millet.

Calories: 260
Sodium (mg) 310
Carbs (g): 50
Fiber (g): 5
Protein (g): 6

BEST BROWN RICE & QUINOA

Good & Gather (Target) 90 Second Brown Rice, Quinoa & Red Rice With Flaxseeds $2.39

We like this grain mix because it has a short ingredients list and is seasoned with a fairly low amount of salt.

Calories: 260
Sodium (mg) 310
Carbs (g): 43
Fiber (g): 3
Protein (g): 6

BEST GRAIN AND BEAN BLEND

Ben’s Original 10 Medley Tomato & Herbs $3.49

This medley includes barley, brown rice, chickpeas, green beans, garlic, basil, red chili, and more. It also has less than half the sodium of other bean-blend pouches from brands like Whole Foods.

Calories: 220
Sodium (mg) 200
Carbs (g): 41
Fiber (g): 7
Protein (g): 6

BEST BROWN RICE

Seeds of Change Organic Brown & Wild Rice with Tomato & Roasted Garlic $3.99

We found that this Seeds of Change mix had about half as much sodium as other seasoned brown rices, like Ben's Original.

Calories: 250
Sodium (mg) 280
Carbs (g): 49
Fiber (g): 4
Protein (g): 6

Top Microwave Ovens From CR's Tests

Editor’s Note: This article also appeared in the August 2024 issue of Consumer Reports magazine.

Trisha Calvo

Trisha Calvo has been the deputy editor for health and food at Consumer Reports since 2013, focusing on nutrition and food safety, frequently editing food safety investigations. Previously, she was an executive editor at Rodale Books and the executive editor at Shape magazine. You’ll often find her in her kitchen creating deliciously healthy dishes.