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Oatmeal is very nutritious and it’s very good for your child. Baby porridge or oatmeal is pretty similar to the one made for adults. The only difference is breast milk or infant formula that’s added in this oatmeal version.
This meal is great for small children who’re just starting to consume solid baby-friendly foods. It’s also an effective and safe way to monitor any potential allergies or negative reactions to single-grain cereals.
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How to Make Oatmeal for Your Baby – Recipe Ideas & Tips
You can cook oatmeal by using a rice cooker, a crockpot, or simply a regular pot in which you add water. If you want to achieve a smoother texture, you’ll need to skip the crockpot as well as the rice cooker because you’ll have to puree the oatmeal after you cook it.
Still, this comes with a risk and the final result might be way too pasty. When making homemade baby cereal, make sure to add between ¼ and 1/3 cup of oat powder for each 1-2 cups of water you use.
Feel free to adjust these amounts a bit anyway you see fit. The important thing is to whisk the mixture in order to avoid clumping.
Oatmeal Baby Cereal
Ingredients
- Water – at least ¾ cup but not more than one full cup;
- Ground oats – ¼ cup; you can either use steel cut or regular oats.
Directions
- Use a blender or any other food processor to ground the oats;
- Boil the water in a saucepan. Add the ground oatmeal while also stirring the mixture constantly;
- Let it simmer for about 10 minutes or so while whisking. Now it’s time to add either breast milk or baby formula. You can also complete the texture and taste of the oatmeal with some fruits if you want. Serve it warm but try it first because small children are more sensitive to warm foods.
Oatmeal Scramble
This recipe is suitable for babies who’re at least 8 months old.
Ingredients
- One cup of oatmeal – cook it first;
- One teaspoon of olive oil – extra virgin if possible;
- 2 egg yolks;
- One banana – small or medium-sized;
- Veggies or fruits – cooked and no more than ¼ cup.
Directions
- Use a small frying pan to heat the oil;
- Peel the banana;
- In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks;
- Add the fruits or vegetables together with the oatmeal in the frying pan and then pour the whisked yolks;
- Scramble and fry the mixture until it’s completely cooked;
- Make sure to cut the oatmeal scramble is tiny pieces so that your little one will be able to chew them safely.
Baed Oatmeal Apple Cereal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup of ground oats;
- One small apple;
- ¾ cup of water.
Directions
- Prepare the fruit – remove the apple’s peel, take out the middle part that contains the seeds, and cut it into small dices;
- Place both the water and the oats in a pan and bring them to a slow boil;
- Simmer the entire thing while keeping the pan covered. Stir and mash the mixture while cooking;
- When the apple gets soft and the oatmeal looks cooked, then you can add breast milk, baby formula, or even natural juice to achieve a thinner consistency that resembles a puree.
Selecting and Storing Oats
Some say organic oats are better than regular oats but that’s also a personal choice. Whole grains can be kept in a cool and dry place for several months. If the temperature in your home becomes too warm, you should consider storing the cereal in the fridge.
Other types of grains such as rice flour, oat flour, and whole wheat flour must be kept in the fridge, in airtight containers.
This is also the case of milled grains because the oils contained by the cereals come out and can become rancid. Another way to go is by purchasing only small quantities and consuming them in a short period.
When choosing the best oats for your infant, you should opt for those that are free from sugar, added preservatives, artificial flavorings, and salt. Once you purchase them and open the container, you must store them in dry and cool places for safety reasons.
One thing you should be aware of is that fact that, like any other grain, these ones are also prone to pest infestation. So, put them in clean areas only and, when necessary, use child-friendly anti-pest measures.
Main Types of Oats
There are several different varieties of oats you’ll find on the market.
Rolled Oats
These are oat flakes sourced from whole oat grain. They’re produced from those oat grains that are without skin and the manufacturer puts them in a roller machine before drying them. There are two types of rolled oats: fast-cooking and slow-cooking ones.
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