Getting enough whole grains into your family’s diet may seem like a whole lot of work, but one trick for getting more grains throughout the day is by using an ingredient family members of all ages will love – cereal.

Starting the day off right begins with eating a breakfast rich in whole grains. Cereals such as Honey Bunches of Oats Whole Grain are packed with more than two-thirds of your day’s whole grain and a touch of sweetness for a deliciously wholesome breakfast.

You can also use cereal in recipes for other meals and snacks to give your family extra servings of the whole grains they need with flavors they can enjoy all day long. For example, meatballs made with crushed whole grain cereal make for a tasty dinner, and you can feel good about satisfying your sweet tooth with easy to make whole grain sweet and salty clusters.

Whole Grain Porcupine Meatballs

Makes eight servings

1 cup Honey Bunches of Oats Whole Grain Honey Crunch cereal

1 egg

2/3 cup milk

1 cup uncooked long grain white rice

3.8-ounce can sliced ripe olives, drained

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1/8 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 pound ground round beef, 90 percent lean

14.5-ounce can petite-diced tomatoes, undrained

2 cups water

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 beef bouillon cube

1 teaspoon dried marjoram

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In food processor, grind cereal into fine powder.

In large bowl, whisk together egg and milk. Stir in ground cereal, rice, olives, salt, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper; stir to combine.

Crumble ground round into rice mixture. Stir or use hands to combine ingredients; mix well.

Form beef mixture into 8 large equal-sized meatballs. Place meatballs in 2-quart baking dish; set aside.

In medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stir together tomatoes, water, cornstarch, bouillon cube and marjoram. Bring to boil and stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat and pour over meatballs in pan.

Cover baking dish with lid or aluminum foil and bake for 1-1/2 hours.

Sweet & Salty No-Bake Clusters

Makes 24 clusters

1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cocoa

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup milk

1-1/2 cups Honey Bunches of Oats Whole Grain Vanilla Bunches cereal

1/2 cup reduced-fat peanut butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup peanuts

1 cup pretzels

In heavy saucepan bring sugar, cocoa, butter and milk to a boil.

Let boil for 1 minute then add cereal, peanut butter, vanilla, peanuts and pretzels.

Scoop 2 tablespoons of mixture at a time and drop on baking sheet coated with waxed paper. Place sheet in refrigerator until clusters are cooled and hardened.

When ready, gently pull clusters off waxed paper. Store clusters in refrigerator.

All materials courtesy of Family Features. For more creative recipes and ideas to help your family fit in more whole grains, visit www.postfoods.com