Homemade baby cereal

Food manufacturers have done their jobs well when it comes to baby cereal. We've come to believe that it should be baby's first food and that we need to buy something special in order to make it.

When we first discussed introducing solids to our oldest over 4 years ago our pediatrician suggested rice cereal. I did some research and found that rice can contain small traces of arsenic which can build up and have adverse effects on babies tiny bodies (studies can be found here and here). For this reason we decided to start with oat cereal instead of rice.

A friend gave me an organic oat cereal for babies from a brand I knew. We made it following the directions on the box. The thin grey cereal was not something I even wanted to taste. But I thought that this is what we were supposed to feed our baby - the doctor had told me, my friends did it - so we gave it to him. After 3 days it just didn't seem right that I was giving him something I didn't even want to eat myself. Aren't we supposed to teach a baby what good food should taste like?

I did more research and found that in other parts of the world baby's first food is much more flavorful: in France it might be leek soup, in Thailand a banana, in Italy veggie purees or semolina pasta. It's really only in the US that we've come to believe that babies need bland food with little flavor.

That said I still wanted him to have baby cereal as part of his diet. We eat a lot of oatmeal and it felt like a good vehicle for introducing other foods.  It can easily be made more flavorful with spices and herbs and fruit and veggie purees. And it doesn't need to come from a box. It is so easy to make and significantly less expensive than buying baby cereal from the store.

Homemade baby cereal
Ingredients
 - organic old fashioned oats
 - water

Directions
Using a food processor grind up oats, pulse oats for about 15-30 seconds until finely ground. This can be stored in an airtight container for later use.
To make the oatmeal I do a 1:2 ratio for oats to liquid. Add 1 cup water and 1/2 cup oats to pot and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and stir until mixture becomes thick and creamy.

Notes:
Oatmeal can be thinned using breast milk or formula. Add to the oatmeal after it's cooked, as breast milk and formula should not be boiled. Adding breast milk or formula may help introduce a new flavor since it is a familiar taste to the baby already.
Do not add salt as you might when making oatmeal for yourself. Babies can't process excess salt and should be avoided when making them food.
Feel free to add spices like cinnamon or nutmeg to boost the flavor.
Do not add honey for babies under the age of 1 year old, or any other sweeteners like agave or syrup.
You could also use a combination of water and milk to make it creamier.
Try adding fruit and veggie purees. Oatmeal is such a simple dish it lends itself well to both savory and sweet dishes. My youngest really likes it mixed with an apple - spinach puree.

If you have older children they might love helping you grind up the oats in the food processor. Since you don't have to be precise with the measuring they can scoop out the oats and pour it into the bowl of the food processor themselves. My kids also really like seeing the cause and effect of pulsing the food processor.

Age: 4-months+
Store finely ground oats in sealed container in pantry.
Store cooked oatmeal in fridge for 3-5 days. May need to be thinned with water or milk when re-heating.