How To Make Infant Cereal

You may have heard that cereals are an excellent choice for starter snacks if you have a young child who will soon be ready for her first bites of real food. These quickly absorbed, vitamin-fortified cereals are just finely crushed grains that you combine with water, formula, or breastmilk. They are typically prepared from rice, oatmeal, or barley. Making your own newborn cereals is really quick and simple (we’re talking minutes), costs pennies per serving, and may appear more convenient than purchasing the boxed versions. How To Make Infant Cereal

The secret is to prepare your grains in a blender or food processor until they are finely ground before cooking. Indeed, you can purée a batch of food after it has been cooked, but that can result in an unpleasant texture, even for young children. Because they are created from raw whole grains, homemade infant cereals do require cooking. You may just combine packaged versions with fluids and call it a day because they are often produced from refined grains (to increase their shelf-stability) and have been cooked and then dehydrated. How To Make Infant Cereal

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This is a wonderful basic procedure to get your cereal-making journey started! Grinding and boiling times may vary.

Whole-grain cereal made at home for infants

Produces 2-4 servings.

Overall duration: around 11–13 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• ½ cup uncooked barley, short-grain brown rice, or old-fashioned oats
• Water
• Spice, such as cinnamon or nutmeg, is optional.

INSTRUCTIONS

1. You can grind your chosen grain to a very fine powder in a blender or food processor. For up to three months, keep the powder in a sealed container in the fridge, freezer, or in a cool, dark location.
2. In a small sauce pan, bring 1 cup of water to a boil. Add 1/4 cup of your powdered cereal, and whisk frequently until incorporated. Add a little spice, if preferred, and stir.
3. When the cereal is thick and creamy, let it simmer for 8 to 10 minutes while whisking continuously. Add some water, formula, or breastmilk to thin up the mixture if it is too thick.
4. Before serving, let the cereal cool a little. If the food is allowed to cool entirely, it may become solid and gelatinous; in this case, thin the food with liquid before serving. Once your baby has finished eating, dispose of any leftovers in his bowl because the act of eating spreads bacteria from your baby’s mouth to the food via the spoon. Any unopened, prepared cereal should be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days or frozen for up to three months; when ready to eat, defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

Before serving, let the cereal cool a little. If the food is allowed to cool entirely, it may become solid and gelatinous; in this case, thin the food with liquid before serving. Once your baby has finished eating, dispose of any leftovers in his bowl because the act of eating spreads bacteria from your baby’s mouth to the food via the spoon. Any unopened, prepared cereal should be stored in the refrigerator for up to three days or frozen for up to three months; when ready to eat, defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

In our centers, we support family-style dining since it teaches kids valuable social skills like sharing, being patient, passing items, and saying “please” and “thank you,” as well as how to recognize their own hunger cues. Encouraging the Pre-K crowd to participate in the serving process may encourage them to try different dishes. Of course, babies aren’t even ready to eat by themselves, let alone serve themselves a bowl of cereal, but by watching you and her siblings participate in the serve-yourself procedure, your newest family member will get a head start on developing positive habits. In general, having family meals together has tons of advantages for kids over time (think healthier eating habits, better vocabulary, and stronger self-esteem),

Hence, bring the high chair closer to the table and encourage communal eating! Before giving your baby cereal or any other meal, consult your doctor. She should be able to sit in a high chair and have strong head control regardless of age, as most infants begin to eat between the ages of four and six months. Start with single-ingredient purées, and then wait three days before introducing any other foods to be sure your baby isn’t having an adverse reaction like a rash, diarrhea, or vomiting. Never season your baby’s meals with salt or sugar. How To Make Infant Cereal