Has your infant progressed form a liquid diet to a solid food diet? If so, then it’s time to slowly introduce oats to your baby. So, what are the best oatmeal brand for babies to eat?
There are very few brands of baby oatmeal, in fact the market is dominated by one manufacturer in particular, Gerber. Instead of paying a premium, use regular oats to make baby oatmeal for a much more affordable price.
Whole grain oats are a nutritious source of plant based protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. No wonder oatmeal for babies has become a staple food that is served early on child development.
Oats For Babies: Good or Bad?
The benefits of oatmeal are wide spread, not to mention the nutritional value from eating a whole grain source of healthy fats, dietary fiber and plant based protein. Oats provide essential minerals like phosphorous, iron, zinc, potassium, magnesium, sodium, and calcium, which are excellent for the bone growth and neurological development.
Can babies eat oatmeal? Babies can start to eat oatmeal around six months of age, and that is the most common time to slowly introduce solid foods.
In contrast, of course there are always a risk of side effects of oats for babies. Carefully observe your baby when introducing new foods to see if they have allergic reactions or experience choking hazards.
Allergic reactions to wheat are a common concern. Oats are naturally gluten free, it’s recommended to select gluten free certified oats if you want to reduce the risk of cross contamination.
Which Oats is best for baby?
As previously mentioned, there are specific types of oats that are designed for babies. In general, the whole grain oats go through different processing until they reach the final results that we are familiar with.
The most common oat variants consumed by adults are steel cut oats, rolled oats and quick oats. Here are the brief differences between the each one:
- Steel cut oats are the whole oat groats simply cut in half by large blades and look similar to the original shape. Because of the dense nature, the oats take around 30 minutes to fully cook.
- Rolled oats are oat groats that have been steam, then rolled by large rollers before drying. The oat flakes are thick, flat disks that have a cook time around 5 minutes.
- Quick oats are similar to rolled oats, however the flakes are smaller and more fragmented as opposed to remaining whole.
Which type of oats is good for babies
So we have introduced all of the common oatmeal types, however nothing seems to be labeled as baby oatmeal. That’s correct, the difference between baby oatmeal and regular oatmeal is quite simple.
Baby oatmeal is similar to instant oatmeal, just with a different labeling. Both are oats that have been cooked, dried and ground into a course meal that can be reconstituted with boiling hot liquid.
To make a serving of baby oatmeal, simply boil half a cup of hot water and mix it with two tablespoons of baby oatmeal. That’s it, the baby food is ready to serve.
When can babies eat regular oatmeal
Baby oatmeal is generally more expensive than regular oats, who really likes paying more for something that you can easily do with minimal effort. In fact, it’s quite easy to make baby oatmeal from regular oats.
Babies can start to eat regular oatmeal at six months of age as long as you take the extra step to grind the oats in a blender or food processor. Pulse the oats for 15 to 30 seconds to make a course oat flour that resembles store bough baby oatmeal.
The baby oatmeal can be cooked with water, milk, formula or break milk for a delicious and nutritious meal. Cool the baby food to room temperature before serving.
When can babies eat quaker oatmeal?
Quaker Oats one of the most common brands of whole grain oats. No matter which brand you select, oatmeal is generally introduced to infants at six months of age.
When properly prepared, you can even serve Quaker oats to a 1 year old! Simple pulse the regular oats in a blender or food processor for 15 seconds to grind the oats into a course flour that looks like baby oatmeal,
Cook the homemade baby oatmeal for 3 minutes in the microwave or 5 minutes on the stovetop for a nutritious meal for you little one. Allow the baby oatmeal to cool to room temperature before serving to your infant.
So, there you have it! Whether you select baby oatmeal or regular oats, the choice is yours. If you prefer to purchase regular oats, then take the extra step to quickly grind the oats before making the baby food preparation.
Best Baby Oats Brands
Here are the best brands of baby oatmeal, along with affordably priced regular oats that can easily be transformed into baby oatmeal.
This single grain oatmeal cereal is perfect for introducing infants to first solid food to check for food sensitivities. The baby oatmeal is enhanced with Vitamins C, E, Zinc and B-vitamins for healthy development, plus calcium for healthy bones & teeth.
What makes Gerber baby oats one of the best choices is that:- #1 pediatrician recommended brand
- Single grain
- Nutritional goodness
- No artificial colors or flavorings added.
Whole grain cereal that is crafted for infants to start exploring new tastes. This cereal is made with three ingredients, that’s it! Give the silky smooth texture a try with your infant!
Here are a few facts you should know about this baby oats:- 100% organic whole grain oats.
- Fortified with Vitamin C & iron.
- Gluten free cereal.
Looking for an oatmeal cereal that is iron fortified for infant growth and development? Look no further, here is a small time producer that offer a high quality product.
If you are still wondering why you should pick Earth's Best Organic Infant Cereal, here are some reasons:- Made with whole grains
- No artificial flavors, colors or preservatives
- USDA-Certified Organic
- Made with non-GMO ingredients
Gerber is a leader in infant and early childhood nutrition. As previously shared, Gerber is the #1 pediatrician recommended brand. Here is the organic version of their line of baby oatmeal.
Here is why you should choose Gerber organic baby oats:- USDA Certified Organic
- Non-GMO
- Contains iron for healthy brain development
The 100 percent whole grain oats are a nutritious baby food for your growing infant. These Quaker oats cook into a soft and tender porridge in just 60 seconds, they don’t even require grinding to turn into baby food.
Quaker Quick 1 Minutes Oats provides a neutral flavor for all baby food recipes. This product is also:- Made with 100% whole grains
- Only one ingredient
- Ready in just 60 seconds
McCann’s are well known for the hearty steel cut oats, however this is there label for regular oats. Make baby oatmeal from the regular oats by grinding in a blender or food processor, then proceed to cooking, cooling and serving as normal.
Here is what makes McCann’s instant oats so good:- Finest quality of oats.
- No added flavors
Bob's Red Mill organic quick cooking rolled oats aren’t pre-cooked like other brands of instant oats. The oats are milled from the high quality whole grain organic oats, however quick cooking oats are rolled thinner than regular oats to shorten the cooking time.
Even though, its still recommended to briefly pulse the quick oats in a blender or food processor before preparing the nutritious baby food.
Here is what makes Bob's Red Mill oats so good.- Organic
- Non-GMO
- 100% Whole Grain