Whenever parents are faced with decisions related to feeding their children, there are always many question marks. The same is with the choice of cereals. Although these are popular products that can be easily purchased at any grocery store, making a choice is not easy. What kind of baby porridge to choose and what to look for when buying it? You will find some hints in today’s guide. Since what time children’s porridge
Expansion of a diet of the baby usually begins aged from 17 up to 26 weeks. Before, he is fed with exclusively breast milk or dairy mixes. As for the first porridge for babies, their presence at the menu can begin from 5th month of life. However, if the child is on exclusively breastfeeding, it is better to wait with this decision until he to him is full six months. According to WHO recommendations (World Health Organization), it is the rightest moment for gradual enrichment of daily food of the child with the first feedings up (including vegetables, fruit, porridge, low-fat meat, eggs).
Remember, however, that your kid has to show sufficient readiness to consume other products, except milk. If you ask a question when children’s jars or porridge are appropriate in your case, it is worth consulting with the pediatrician, who will define as far as the kid is ready to the first attempts of a feeding up. First, he has to hold independently and steadily the head and sit in basic situation (on a special chair or on a lap of parents who will support a back). Besides, the kid has to show interest in food which is shown, including, in the operated opening and closing of a smile at the sight of food. Regardless of the fact that it is written on store packing about from what month children’s porridge is the correct product, it is necessary to estimate attentively the parent on the basis of what he will make the decision on whether it is time to include it in the menu.
What porridge for the child?
At this moment, of course, there is a question what porridge for babies are recommended? Well, in the recommendations existing quite recently accurately it was said that it is necessary to begin with gluten-free porridge (for example, corn or rice). However now we have much more freedom in this question. Gluten in a diet of the child can appear since the beginning of expansion of a diet of the baby to the first year of life at any time. So, what porridge will be the best for the 5-month-old child? First neutral on taste, for example, rice porridge. Those for whom a little more saturated taste, for example, buckwheat cereal should be given in small amounts as one of meal elements, for example, in the form of additive to vegetables in the beginning. Of course, as always, in this question everything depends on parents and the child, the mimicry and gestures it accurately let’s know, it likes any given dish, or not.
Porridge for children is usually cooked on water or the modified milk. Information on that how many dairy mix or water is necessary for cooking, can be found on packing of a product. In case of deficiency of protein at babies it is necessary to check whether this porridge has the required markings, including HA and SL that means a hypoallergenic and nonmilk product respectively.
What to prepare from children’s porridge?
Homemade cereals for children should have a uniform, mushy texture. In such look they are given most often for breakfast, for example, because they are very nourishing. However, remember that from children’s porridge it is possible to prepare not only porridge. As such form of food can become unattractive over time, it is worth using interesting recipes, which can be found on the websites devoted to cookery for children. One of offers are, for example, rice or millet fritters with addition of grated apple or perfect fruit mousses. However, such option, as well as cookies on the basis of porridge, will suit first of all kids who already have teeth, and they can freely chew.
Besides, on the basis of children’s porridge, it is also possible to make fruit cocktail. One more, not less, interesting offer – to serve porridge in the baked look. To connect rather cooked and cooled down porridge to egg and to bake. His taste is diversified, of course, with various fruit mousses. Also, it is worth remembering that natural children’s porridge can supplement already ready dishes, for example vegetable cream soup, which thanks to their addition will become more nourishing.
Is baby porridge useful?
Since we already know when to serve baby porridge, let’s answer the question, is baby porridge useful? This problem occurs very often, and many parents have a lot of doubts about it. Of course, as always, the answer is this: it depends. What? Naturally, from the composition. Various types of ready-made porridge for kids are on the market, and when choosing them, it is worth reading the labels carefully. The advantage of instant foods is, of course, the speed and ease of cooking, but many of them contain quite a lot of sugar or other unnecessary additives.
In addition, cereals containing modified milk are usually very satisfying, which means that a child can refuse mother’s milk or a milk substitute during the day. Therefore, cereal porridge without the addition of mm, sugar and flavors seems to be the best choice. It is definitely worth choosing with a neutral taste, which can always be “revived” by adding fresh fruit mousse. Also note whether the product you buy contains substances such as palm oil, maltodextrin or soy lecithin.
One-component porridge, such as semolina, rice, oat, millet, buckwheat, a lot of cereal porridge, is certainly a good choice, provided that there is nothing else in their composition except cereals.
Thinking about which porridge for the child will be the best, not every parent comes up with the idea that a very good solution will be to serve porridge, which is used daily in the kitchen. However, preparing them in a suitable for babies, i.e., with the addition of milk and fruits, requires more time than using them in instant products. This does not change the fact that both methods (assuming you choose a quality product) are the most appropriate.
Of course, it should be remembered that, as in the case of the first introduction of any other product into the diet of the infant, and in the case of porridge, the child’s reaction to its consumption should be monitored in the first days. Although there is currently no specific guidance on the order in which individual ingredients should be introduced into a child’s diet, it is worth adhering to the principle of gradual expansion of the diet, and not all at once. This approach allows you to catch possible adverse reactions of the body (for example, allergies) in connection with exposure to a particular component of the diet and its elimination.
This article is extremely informative, in SovetPlus we have no right to prescribe any treatment or make any diagnosis. We invite you to see a doctor in case of any type of condition or discomfort.
If you want to read more articles similar to “Baby cereals – when to serve, which one to choose, and how to cook?” we recommend you visit our” Mom and baby” category.
