My first son’s breakfast was 5 star. By my fourth baby, I’d wised up! 

Why would I spend hours making fancy breakfasts while the rest of my kids munched on Weetabix? 

Hold on, I thought. If I want her to eat Weetabix later, why don’t I serve it now? And you know what? She’s the best eater of all.

What does that tell you? Keeping things simple is the way to go! And what’s more straightforward than a bowl of Weetabix?

You can feed your baby well without giving them 5-star treatment!

Does Weetabix bring back memories of childhood breakfasts?

If you’re Irish, British, or Australian, Weetabix was likely a staple in your childhood home. Weetabix is a wholegrain biscuit breakfast cereal produced in the United Kingdom since 1932, a version of the original Australian Weet-Bix. Backpacking in Oz in the early noughties kept us alive!

10 reasons to love Weetabix for babies

1. High in fibre
2. Fortified with iron (about 12mg per 100g)
3. Cheap and easy to buy
4. Simple to prepare
5. Versatile-you can pimp Weetabix in so many ways.
6. Great store-cupboard staple
7. Handy for travelling and holidays
8. Good texture for babies
9. Easy introduction gluten to your baby
10. It’s probably in your cupboard already!

When can babies eat Weetabix?

Babies are generally ready for weaning at about six months. You can introduce Weetabix after the first taste of vegetables or fruit. Typically most babies are introduced to breakfast at about 6.5 months.

How to introduce your baby to Weetabix-it couldn’t be easier!

Weetabix is a gluten-containing food for babies. And while you can introduce gluten at any time during weaning (ideally before your baby’s first birthday), you should do this gradually. You don’t want to stress; start with a little and build up over time.

As the name suggests, Weetabix is wheat-based, and wheat is a potential allergen, although not a common allergy in young babies. Introduce potential allergens early in weaning and again start with a little.

Introducing one allergen at a time is essential, so don’t offer cows’ milk and Weetabix for the first time on the same day!

Introduce your baby to one potential allergen at a time.

RELATED: Step-by-step guide to introducing potential food allergens during weaning

How to prepare Weetabix for babies-it’s super simple

Cover the biscuit with milk and mash it into a porridge-like consistency. Flavour as you like (see below) or serve it plain.

How to make warm Weetabix for babies

Warm the milk gently in a saucepan or microwave. If you use a microwave to heat your baby’s food, stir it  well and test the temperature in case of hot spots. Pour the warm milk over the Weetabix.

You can serve Weetabix to your baby with cold or warm milk

What’s the best milk to use for Weetabix for babies?

You can use the following milk to make up your baby’s breakfast.

• Expressed breastmilk
• Your baby’s usual formula
• Whole cows milk
• Fortified soya milk
• Fortified oat milk (although soya is preferable as plant-based milk due to its higher protein content)

Is it OK to offer Weetabix with water for babies with a milk allergy?

Mixing Weetabix with water for your baby might be tempting if you’re weaning your baby milk-free either because of milk allergy or by choice. However, making solids up with water isn’t good. Babies have small tummies but high calorie and nutrient requirements. We don’t want to bulk their food with water. If you don’t want to give your baby cows milk, choose a suitable alternative, such as breastmilk or well-fortified plant-based milk. 

LEARN MORE: The best guide to introducing babies to cows milk ever

Sugar, honey, maple syrup or fruit? How to safely add sweetness to Weetabix (if needed!)

You might think eating Weetabix isn’t possible without a liberal sprinkling of sugar (or is that just me?!), but your baby doesn’t expect their breakfast to be sweet.

You can add homemade fruit purée or, better still, well-mashed or finely chopped or grated fruit for some natural sweetness. Shop-bought purées can be high in ‘free sugars’; even so-called ‘healthy sweeteners such as honey and maple syrup are not recommended for babies under 12 months.

Your baby doesn’t ‘expect’ Weetabix to be sweet!

Serving Weetabix is ONE way to help prevent and treat constipation in babies.

Weetabix is high in fibre and will keep things moving through your baby’s gut. Foods that are high in fibre are essential in correcting constipation. Fibre promotes wave-like contractions that move food through your bowel. As fibre passes through the gut, it absorbs large amounts of water, resulting in softer stool.

YOU MIGHT ALSO WANT TO READ: Worried about constipation and weaning? Six easy ways to keep things moving! 

Worried about the salt content of Weetabix for babies? There’s no need.

Weetabix contains 0.28mg of salt per 100g. 

The Irish Heart Foundation food labelling guide suggests that foods that contain 0.3mg salt per 100g food are considered low in salt. We regard Weetabix as a low-salt food.

Which is better, Ready brek or Weetabix, for baby’s everyday breakfast?

Weetabix is made from wheat, while ready brek is blended porridge oats. Both are fortified with iron and some vitamins. However, Ready Brek is also fortified with calcium. Both are excellent options; you don’t have to limit yourself to one choice. Shake things up over the week and offer both. You can even mix them if you like. 

Branded or own brands-what’s the best Weetabix for babies?

Weetabix is a trade-marked brand, but I’m sure you’ve seen own brand versions in your local supermarket. When I last checked (Feb 23), the options were available in my local supermarkets. They all contain similar salt contents and are all fortified with iron.

• Aldi Wheat Bisks
• Tesco Wheat Biscuits
• Dunnes Wheat Biscuits 
• Supervalu Wheat Biscuits (these were a little lower in salt and higher in iron)

10 super quick Weetabix flavourings and toppings for babies

Mix the following into your baby’s Weetabix for flavour and nutrition.

• Smooth nut butter like peanut, almond or cashew
• Small seeds like poppy seeds, milled chia or small amounts of flaxseed
• Frozen fruits (you will need to cook first for safety)
• Soft ripe fruits like bananas or pear
• Grated fruits like apples or pear
• Tinned fruits in juice like mashed tinned mandarins
• Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg or mixed spice
• Chia Jam
• Ground nuts like ground walnuts or ground almonds
• Plain yoghurt

READ MORE: 7 days of simple baby breakfast ideas that you can easily share

Is Weetabix a good breakfast option for toddlers too?

Absolutely!

It’s still a staple in our house through the toddler, preschool and school years. You might find that your toddler is fickle when enjoying cereals like this.

While Weetabix is an excellent choice for toddlers, you don’t want to pressure your toddler into eating something. So, offer as part of a rotation of other breakfast options. 

YOU MIGHT LIKE THIS: 6 Easy Toddler Breakfast Ideas for when you’re short of inspiration

Toddlers are fickle! They might go off Weetabix in a bowl but eat a Weetabix muffin.

Two easy Weetabix recipes for your baby (or now Weetabix-hating toddler!)

Spicy banana Weetabix muffins for babies

These are great for baby-led weaning, on-the-go breakfast or for toddlers who suddenly ‘hate’ Weetabix and you need to use up your supply.

Here’s a simple version:

1. Crumble four Weetabix into a bowl
2. Add a well-mashed banana, pinch of cinnamon, two beaten eggs and a cup of natural yoghurt (not low fat!)
3. Mix well
4. Spray a muffin tray with oil and spoon in the mixture (or spoon into paper cases if you prefer)
5. Bake in a preheated oven at 180C for 30 minutes
6. Allow to cool and serve

Or try these lemon blueberry ones from My Fussy Eater. 

Cheeky Monkey Overnight Weetabix for babies

Move over overnight oats! Overnight Weetabix is a TikTok food trend that involves soaking Weetbix in milk and topping up with various layers, chilling and eating the following day.

Can it work for babies? Sure, but you’ll have to pick the right layers. Remember, added free sugar like table sugar, honey, and maple syrup aren’t suitable for babies under 12 months. 

Here’s a simple recipe:

1. Crumble a Weetabix into a bowl or jar and mix with milk
2. Add a layer of mashed banana
3. Mix some thick Greek unflavoured yoghurt (cow’s milk or soya versions) with a teaspoon of smooth peanut butter.
4. Layer this yoghurt on top of the banana.
5. Cover and keep in the fridge overnight
6. In the morning, serving this straight from the fridge is a breeze!

Weetabix or Oatbix-does it matter which one I choose?

Oatibix is a first cousin of regular Weetabix that’s been around since 2006. It is similar to Weetabix but is based on whole-grain oats instead of wheat. Unfortunately, while it’s fortified with some B vitamins, it’s not fortified with iron like regular Weetabix. But it’s also suitable to offer babies. But I think regular Weetabix is superior because it’s richer in iron.

Get Your Free 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.