Today we featured wheat on our Who Knew Wednesday? foodie chat…so here are some of our fun facts gathered about it from the National Association of Wheat Growers:

–          Wheat has been a principal cereal crop since the 1700’s as it is used for bread, pastries, pasta and pizza crusts

–          About 75% of all American grain products are made from wheat flour

–          About 50% of wheat grown in the U.S. is used here

–          Kansas alone produces enough wheat each year to bake 36 billion loaves of bread

–          An acre of wheat can feed about 9,000 people in one day

–          Never refrigerate bagels or any bread product. Bread products go stale up to 6 times faster in the refrigerator. Leave these products at room temperature or freeze them.

–          The first bagel rolled into the world in 1683 when a baker from Vienna, Austria was thankful to the King of Poland for saving Austria from Turkish invaders. The baker reshaped the local bread so that it resembled the King’s stirrup!

–          One bushel of wheat weighs approximately 60 pounds and makes 42 pounds of white flour or 60 pounds of whole wheat flour

–          A bushel of wheat makes about 42 pounds of pasta or 210 servings of spaghetti.

–          Wheat is also prominent in flour tortillas and crackers

Wheat allergies are rare, but can still impact up to 6% of the population who are gluten-sensitive. So you can find plenty of tasty alternatives if you need to avoid wheat.

Here is a picture of Lexie’s ‘snaigels’!

Who Am I?

–          I was born on this date in 1936 in St. Simons, Georgia

–          I attended Syracuse University in New York

–          I was the 6th overall pick in the 1957 NFL Draft and was Rookie of the Year

–          I shared the same last name as my head coach

–          I led my team to the NFL Championship in 1964

–          I was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1971

–          I appeared in more than 30 films, including The Dirty Dozen

–          WHO AM I?

Former Cleveland Browns running back, Jim Brown! Congratulations to Judy from Mount Vernon who wins the $5 gift card to Everlasting Cup.

Thanks for listening!
– Joe and Lexie