Baby Rice Cereal
I love to start solids with a range of flavors, textures, and nutrients, and whole grains are a great option to include as a first food. With my first two kids, I didn’t even think of making rice cereal at home, but once I learned how easy it is—and how well it stores and how much less it can cost—I became a big fan! This easy recipe is for a single-grain infant cereal that’s rich in B vitamins and zinc and is naturally gluten-free. It’s easy to make, and it’s a wonderfully creamy consistency. The AAP recommends we offer a range of foods from the start, including a variety of food groups, for healthy growth in babies.
Ingredients You Need
Here’s a look at how to make this infant rice cereal so you know what to look for at the store. Sign up for our email updates to get tips and ideas sent to your inbox. Short-grain brown rice: This grain is my preference over white rice or long-grain brown rice because I like the end texture and flavor. It also tends to be less starchy, which makes for a better final texture in the baby cereal. It will work with any style of brown rice, though, if you can only find long grain. You can then add in flavors from other Baby Food Purees to make easy baby food combinations as baby grows and explores new foods.
How to Lower Arsenic Levels in Rice
There is a concern with the heavy metals, particularly arsenic, in baby food. Arsenic is often also present in rice. There are two ways to lower the potential amounts.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at how to make this recipe. Scroll down to the bottom of this post for the full information. TIP: Soaking the rice may make it a little easier to digest, and it can cut down on the cooking time a bit. You can skip it if you don’t have the time, though!
How to Freeze Homemade Baby Cereal
You can cook the rice and freeze it, then blend it whenever you’d like. Or, you can cook the rice, blend the cereal, and freeze that into baby-size portions. Then you can thaw a portion or two at a time based on your needs. It’s very versatile!
Baby Food Combinations to Try
You can use water, breastmilk, or formula as your liquid in this recipe, or even unsweetened plain nondairy milk. Then, if you want to add flavor and nutrients once baby is used to eating either Stage 1 or Stage 2 baby foods, you can add in:
Apple PureeBanana PureePeanut Butter PureePear PureePlain Whole Milk YogurtSpinach PureeSweet Potato Puree
How to Store
Store cereal in the fridge in airtight containers for up to 2 days. Store leftover cereal in the freezer by filling an ice cube tray. Freeze overnight, then transfer to a zip top freezer bag to store for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, and add additional warm water, breastmilk, or formula to serve. Take a shortcut on busy mornings with the yummy Breakfast Variety Pack It includes two flavors—Oats n’ Berries and Ancient Grain Cereal—that are made with organic whole grains and freeze dried fruit. And all you need to do is stir in liquid and breakfast is ready! (sponsored)
Best Tips for Success
Use short-grain brown rice for the least starchiness. I prefer Lundberg short-grain brown rice, as it’s regularly tested for levels of arsenic.If your rice isn’t very soft at the end of the cooking time, add ½ cup additional water and cook until soft. Different brands and types of rice take a different amount of time to cook, so there will be some variation in the liquid and time if you make this with a different kind of rice, which is fine!If you skip soaking the rice, you may need additional water and cooking time.When blending, wait to decide if you need additional liquid until the mixture is as smooth as possible. It thickens up a lot once the rice is very well blended.Incorporate iron-fortified cereals, too, and try my other single-grain cereals including Quinoa Baby Food and Baby Oatmeal.You may also like my multigrain Baby Porridge.Add any baby food puree for additional flavor. I like Butternut Squash Puree, Sweet Potato Puree, Banana Puree, and Apple Puree.
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe if you try it for your little one, so please comment below!
Easiest Baby Oatmeal
Favorite Baby Porridge
Quinoa for Babies (Quinoa Baby Food)
Ultimate Guide to Baby Led Weaning (and Best First Foods)
This post was first published January 2020.
