A Wheatberry Lesson
I buy “hard red winter wheat” (I think that’s what they’re called) at Whole Foods in the bulk foods section. Check your local health foods store – and ask if you can’t find them. Mine are 150 kcal per 1/4 cup dry. Bob’s Red Mill also makes a line, which you can order online or maybe find in a store.
A long time ago I got tired of overnight soaking and long simmers, so now I just do an abbreviated method to cook wheatberries and it seems to work just fine!
I cover them in water like you would pasta
And then bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 26 minutes. They’re pretty darn chewy, so you could give them another +10 minutes if you want them more tender, but who wants to wait that long 
Drain them 90% (because they will dry out if you don’t leave a litttle water) and chomp down.
To Store:
Put in tupperware, cook and use within 7-10 days or so.
I also weighed them before and after to get an accurate nutritional profile to keep in mine for portion control.
1 tablespoon = appx. 20 kcal.
1/4 cup = appx. 60 kcal.
Enjoy stirred into oatmeal and yogurt, as a cold salad with veggies, or just to chew plain
{ 47 comments… read them below or add one }
thanks for this, i had been wondering for awhile…
p.s. i love your blog!
i just bought wheatberries for the first time after hearing your rave reviews and i’m really excited to use them! i was just wondering when you add them to your oatmeal—do you put them in at the start with the oats just stir them at the end when everything is done cooking?
Sarah ,
I stir them in towards the end of cooking just to heat through, since they are already cooked and stored in my fridge. Have fun with ‘em!
Kath
Hi Kath – I, too, just bought my first bag of wheat berries from Whole Foods the other day after being inspired by your blog! I’m excited to cook them and starting adding them to different foods.
-Rose
Rose,
Awesome!! Enjoy all the chewing!
Kath
Kath is it 60 cal’s for 1/4 cooked?
natalie ,
Yes, that’s what my calculations reported.
Kath
ohh.. I have wheatberries that I bought for a salad. Never thought to add them to oats
I’ll FINALLY get to try wheatberries tomorrow! I’m planning on boiling them tomorrow to have for the week
How long do you usually let them simmer?
Justy2003 ,
Hooray!!!!!!! 30 minutes for more chewy, 45 until less chewy. I like them more
K
I’ve been waiting to make these and they finally started selling them in the bulk foods section at my store
Thanks for keeping pages like this up for reference.
Hi Kath-
I just called Whole Foods to ask about wheatberries. I was told that cracked wheatberries are actually bulger, but that they do have whole wheatberries. Will whole wheatberries be similar to what you use? Thanks!!!
Sue,
I use the whole ones – “hard red winter wheat.” That’s what you want!
K
Thanks, that is what I bought. By the by, I made your Coconut Almond Granola last night. It is by far the best granola that I have ever had! The rest of my family likes it as well, so we will no longer be buying granola in a box.
Sue
K+M…..Wheatberry Decoded…Good Job!!
Hey kath! I’ve been a faithful silent reader for a while, thanks for all your great recipes and food ideas.
I’ve finally tried wheat berries and as expected from your posts, they have proved to be the best mix-in in about everything! One question, do you know know what 1/4 cup cooked wheat berries comes in up in grams (approx)? Thank you!
audrey
audrey ,
Sorry, I don’t know the grams. I can try to measure for you the next time I make them. The water content will probably affect that slightly, but you should be able to estimate.
Kath
Thank you for the quick response!
No worries if you don’t remember, i was just curious to know the equivalence from your above calculations.
Thanks! I have had mine in the freezer for like 6 months now not knowing how to cook them.
I didn’t want to make a lot since I will be probably the only one eating them and I just wanted to have some to put in my oatmeal.
I have ground the uncooked wheatberrie and added them to pancake batter, cookie batter, and muffin batter. I have no idea if you get any nutrtional value from it since its uncooked, but figured what the hay?
I ground up 1/4 cup and add them to any kind of batter you like.
I love using wheat berries, and any kind of whole grain really. So much more nourishing.
Here’s another fun and wholesome way to use wheat berries:
Whole Wheat Blender Pancakes:
1.5 c. milk
1 c. dry wheat berries
1 egg
1 T. honey
2 T. canola oil
.25 t. salt
1 t. baking soda
2 t. baking soda
1. Pour milk and wheat berries into blender, and blend on high for 4-5 minutes. (Warning: This is *really* loud, so don’t count using this for a surprise breakfast in bed…)
2. Add remaining ingredients and pulse to combine.
3. Cook on hot, lightly oiled griddle/pan. Serve hot!
oops, the last two ingredients should be:
1 t. baking soda
2 t. baking powder
great blog and GREAT PHOTOG skills on this wheatberry posting, BTW.
interesting perspective, sharp, great color, tone (i think)…I’m a newbie, but know a nice photo when I see one. Of course, this is all subjective, but your oatmeal photos were quite breathtaking, as well.
Just curious, what type of camera do you use?
thanks.
I am a newbie (1 year) making my own breads, canning beans, stews, tomatoes, jams, jellies, etc, and having a ball. Now, I want to start grinding my own wheat flour so that I can store the grains, and grind the flour when needed. I am surfing the net trying to find the best prices I can on bulk quantities of hard red wheat berries, but the shipping costs are sky high. Right now I buy wheat flour at Walmart, 5 pounds, 4.86, and I can’t seem to even meet that price ordering bulk grains. Not many places in Southern California to buy bulk wheat. Any ideas? I want to become self-reliant and ready for the BIG ONE when it hits.
Ken ,
Have you tried asking some of the natural foods stores in your area if you can purchase wheatberries in bulk through them? I know some stores in Charlotte will do that if you order a large enough amount.
Kath
So, I’ve seen on several different websites that 1/4 cup of cooked wheatberries are 160 calories! Did you mean to put a 1 in front of this?? I’m thinking this isn’t going to be good at all for my weight loss…
Aelmy,
Are you sure you don’t mean 1/4 cup uncooked? I got my above estimations using weight and a food scale, but they could be off. But 60 per 1/4 cup cooked does fit more in with rice and other grains.
Kath
*LOVE* wheatberries. They go great with baby spinach and crumbled goat cheese for a salad.
Do you have any recipes for a wheatberry salad? Thanks!!!
Here are some:
http://www.katheats.com/stress-test/
http://www.katheats.com/moose-malt/
http://www.katheats.com/missing-goat-cheese/
http://www.katheats.com/musical-munching/
I just got gifted a big vacuum-sealed bag of wheatberries from my mom’s boyfriend. His friends own a wheat farm and they included them with the two roaster chickens I got (only 71 miles away!). So happy that you have instructions on what to do with them
Hi there,
Love your recipe ideas. I see you don’t recommend soaking the wheat berries in an acid medium such as whey or buttermilk to help people with grain allergies. I have been using Nourishing Traditions’ philosophy for preparing my grains and can eat any grains now without symptoms. What do you know about this and what is your experience? Thanks!
I’ve never had a digestion problem, so I haven’t found the need to soak them.
I have a question about portion sizes here. I know that a 1/4 cup dry is what the nutrition information is for on the label. But what does 1/4 cup dry equate to when cooked?
I’m honestly not quite sure. I’d just cook 1/4 a cup and measure when you’re done?
Have you ever tried cooking them in a rice cooker. Just wonder if that would work at all and what proportions.
I don’t have a rice cooker, so I am not sure, but I’m sure it can be done!
Holy crap! That was the fastest response to a blog post EVER! Thank you. I just bought a massive bag of wheatberries and have never cooked them before. I’m catering a soup-salad-bread lunch in June and thought it would be nice to have a wheatberry salad. I’ll experiment with the rice cooker in the meanwhile. Anything to lesson the prep when catering
You should definitely invest in a rice cooker!! Thanks so much and I’ll let you know if it works!
does anyone use salt in the water? I usually make them with chick peas and olive oil. you can make it soupy or kind of dry. i will try them in oat meal though. thanks for everything.
It’s so fun & refreshing to read so many people interested in healthy food..way to go Americans. Baby steps toward a healthy next generation…we can do it!
Could you let me know where I can buy wheat berries in bulk (25-50 lbs)? Thanks.
In Charlotte? I forgot to add that.
I don’t really know – either EarthFare or perhaps the Great Harvest there
Just for clarification,according to eatingwell.com 1/2 cup of cooked wheatberries is 150kcal. Made a big pot last night to add to chili!
Thanks!
Thank you for this! I have been wondering what “wheat berries” were for so long! I will have to try them : )
Thank you
I have been looking for this information EVERYWHERE!
And another thanks that you had this information still on your website. I searched everywhere for accurate nutritional information about cooked versus dry wheatberries. I only found your blog recently, and am enjoying it greatly.