ALL my babies’ (there were four!) introduction to porridge was a Pear and Apricot Porridge that I made in bulk to freeze.

To this day, porridge is their cereal of choice. That’s good news for me because it’s cheap and nutritious.

 

Porridge is one of the best foods to start your baby on in the early days of weaning. It’s rich in protein, a good source of iron, and a great source of slow-release energy, so it is perfect for developing bodies and brains.

The great thing about porridge oats is that the recipe can be changed easily, allowing you to get a variety of flavours into your baby’s diet.

 

Bonus: As a bonus for joining my weekly newsletter, get this free cheat sheet of 7 simple baby breakfast ideas you can easily share.

 

How soon can babies have porridge?

Porridge oats can be introduced to your baby when you start them on solid foods around six months old. As it’s soft and creamy with a mild taste, making it one of the best choices for a weaning baby.

 

LEARN MORE >>>> I’m confused! When is my baby ready for solids?

 

What can I mix with porridge?

It’s important to offer your baby variety when it comes to rolled oats, as sticking to the same flavours day-in-day-out can become boring. Exploring flavours and textures helps your little one’s development as they process new tastes, textures and flavours.

There are plenty of great toppings you can add to a baby porridge that will not only add to the flavour but also boost its nutritional value too. Below are some of my recommendations.

3 of my favourite additions to porridge

 

1. Chopped berries

When cooking, chopped fresh or frozen berries are great to mix with baby porridge, as the fruit juices will ooze into the oats to make a lovely fruity porridge!

Make sure if you’re using frozen berries that they are thoroughly boiled for one minute.

 

2. Coconut Milk and Sliced Banana

As a change from cooking in regular milk, consider cooking your rolled oats in tinned coconut milk to add a new flavour. Slice some bananas to add a lovely sweetness and texture to the oats.

 

3. Greek Yoghurt and Cinnamon

Give your baby’s porridge a flavour and a beautiful creamy texture by adding Greek yoghurt and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Great for bones and teeth, Greek yoghurt is packed with calcium and also plenty of energy for your little one to grow.

 

Which milk is best with baby porridge?

You can use breast milk, your baby’s formula, or introduce your baby to whole cow’s milk or fortified soya milk.

Plant-based alternatives such as almond or oat milk are low in protein, calories and iodine. So, although they’re fine to use occasionally, they’re not the best choices for babies and young children.

You should introduce one allergen at a time, e.g. cow’s milk or soy milk, and you should continue to feed them breast milk or formula until they are at least one year old.

 

LEARN MORE >>>>> Step-by-step guide to introducing potential food allergens during weaning. 

 

How to prepare porridge oats for baby

Many companies are selling packaged baby porridge oats, but did you know that regular ground/smooth oats are perfect for your baby?

You can use branded Ready Brek or supermarket-own alternatives from Tesco, Lidl or Aldi. These ground oats are usually super smooth, easy to prepare, fortified with iron and contain no added salt or sugar.

 

What about blitzing oats?

Rolled oats can be too big and chewy for a weaning baby, but by blitzing them in a food processor, you can create fine oats, which makes them much easier for little ones to eat. You can batch-make these fine oats in any quantities you like, as they will keep in an airtight container or glass jar for several months.

Making your own milled baby oats is fine, but remember, while your baby will get the iron naturally present in oats, they won’t get the added iron from the packaged oat cereal.

Once you have blitzed your porridge oats, you can continue to make a healthy breakfast for your little one.

 

Simple baby oatmeal recipe

Ingredients

• 20g porridge oats
• 120ml breast milk, formula, cows milk or fortified alternative

Method

1. Put the porridge oats and milk into a small saucepan on the hob on medium heat.
2. Heat up, occasionally stirring, until the porridge thickens to a double cream-like consistency.
3. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for 2 minutes until the oats are cooked
4. If the porridge is too thick, add a little more milk to make it runnier
5. Allow to cool down and place in a bowl for your little one to enjoy

 

Sharing breakfast with your baby

What better way for your baby to learn to eat than to watch you do it?

You can help your baby become more accepting of new foods (and save yourself some time) by sharing a bowl of porridge with your baby.

The healthy breakfast porridge ideas below can be doubled, tripled or quadrupled for you and your baby to share.

LEARN MORE>>>>> Simple baby breakfast ideas that you can share

 

Healthy breakfast porridge recipes for babies

There are so many possibilities for baby porridge – you can jazz it up with fruit, flavour with gentle spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or ginger and even add to the texture with ground nuts or small seeds like chia seeds. Below I’ve listed five of my favourite baby-friendly oatmeal recipes you can try at home.

 

Five of my favourite baby-friendly oatmeal recipes you can try at home

 

1. Porridge with fruit

If you’re looking for a deliciously creamy and warm breakfast full of nutrients, this porridge with fruit recipe is for you!

Ingredients

• 15g porridge oats
• 150ml baby’s usual milk
• 50g frozen berries (I recommend blueberries or raspberries)

Method

1. Place the milk, baby porridge oats and berries into a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
2. Reduce heat to low once boiling and let simmer for 2-4 minutes until the oats have thickened.
3. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow it to cool slightly
4. If the porridge is too thick, add more milk
5. Serve warm

 

2. Mashed Banana and Cinnamon porridge

Whether you’re a baby, child or adult, this mashed banana and cinnamon porridge is a treat for the tastebuds. It has a beautiful creamy texture, is light and naturally sweet and is filled with plenty of healthy ingredients for growth and development.

Ingredients

• 20g baby porridge oats (like Ready Brek)
• 120ml baby’s usual milk, whole cows milk or fortified alternative
• 1/2 a small ripe banana
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method

1. Add all ingredients to a small microwavable bowl to make this baby porridge.
2. Cook for 1 minute and then stir well to get rid of any hot spots
3. Allow to cool slightly
4. Add to baby’s bowl and serve warm

 

3. Grated apple porridge with milled chia seeds

This grated apple porridge is a simple, tasty way to start the day for babies (and their parents!).

Ingredients

• 20g porridge oats
• 120ml baby’s usual milk, whole cows milk or fortified alternative
• 1/2 teaspoon milled chia seeds
• 1/2 an apple, grated (you can leave the skin on as long as you wash the apple well first). This also works well with pear.

Method

1. Boil the oats with milk and the grated apple in a small pan.
2. Spend a few minutes stirring until thick, and let simmer for 2 minutes.
3. Once at your desired consistency, take the pan off the hob and stir in the chia seeds.
4. Let cool and serve warm in a small bowl

 

4. Almond & Coconut porridge

Upgrade your little one’s regular bowl of porridge and let them explore different flavours with this ultra-rich and creamy almond and coconut porridge.

Ingredients

• 20g baby porridge oats
• 120ml baby’s usual milk, whole cows milk or fortified alternative
• 1/2 teaspoon smooth almond butter
• 1 teaspoon toasted coconut

Method

1. In a small microwavable bowl, combine the oats with milk
2. Microwave for 1 minute and then stir well to disperse any hot spots
3. Add in the almond butter and stir well
4. Allow it to cool
5. Top the porridge with toasted coconut and serve warm

 

5. Banana and Raspberry Porridge fingers

Porridge fingers are great for weaning babies and toddlers and offer a different take to normal porridge. Particularly good for baby-led weaning, this recipe will ensure your little one is satisfied until lunchtime.

Ingredients

• 75g porridge oats
• 100ml baby’s usual milk, whole cows milk or fortified alternative
• 1 small ripe banana, mashed
• 10 raspberries, mashed
• 200g whole unflavoured Greek Yoghurt

Method

1. Add the oats and milk to a small bowl, stir and then leave to soak for 5-7 minutes.
2. Stir through the banana and raspberries until the ingredients are combined
3. Line a microwavable dish with baking paper
4. Pour in the mixture and spread it out so it’s even
5. Microwave for 3-5 minutes until firm
6. Leave to cool and then cut into fingers
7. Serve with yoghurt on the side to dip

 

RELATED: Easy ways to serve Weetabix for babies-and why to do it!

 

Breakfast is still my kids’ favourite meal of the day! So much so that we often have ‘Brinner (aka breakfast for dinner!). And I hope with these simple suggestions; it’ll be an easy meal for you too.

 

 

 

 

Get Your Free Baby Breakfast Cheat Sheet

When you’re in the thick of a busy morning, it can be challenging to come up with varied breakfasts for you and your baby. So, here’s a week’s worth of ideas to stick on the fridge!

1. Get the free cheat sheet. You’ll get the cheatsheet, plus join my weekly newsletter! Just click here to get it and subscribe.
2. Print or download it onto your phone.
3. Hang your cheat sheet somewhere handy, like the fridge. Or save it in a folder on your phone.