How to make homemade rice cereal for babies??

Homemade rice cereal for babies recipe  – This homemade rice cereal for infants is one of the greatest first foods. It comes out as wonderful, creamy, and smooth as ready-made baby cereals, and you may decide to quit purchasing them after trying this. This cereal is suitable for infants as well as toddlers up to the age of three years who are experiencing diarrhoea, fever, or teething.

This homemade rice cereal for babies is appropriate as a first food for infants 6 months of age. I recommend visiting your paediatrician for infants less than six months. You can refer to this meal chart for babies aged 6 months and this one for babies aged 7 months and beyond.

Rice is a widely suggested first grain for infants due to its ease of digestion, non-allergenic nature, and smooth texture. Precooked, dehydrated, and processed cereals Numerous nutrients are lost during this process, which is one of the reasons why ready-made infant cereals are supplemented with additional nutrients.

You may prepare brown rice cereal and white rice cereal separately using this recipe. After approximately a week, switch to white rice and then to brown rice by combining the two in equal parts.

Dal/lentils can also be made in the same manner once the infant reaches six months of age. For the first week, the ratio of rice to dal should be 3:1. If the infant is healthy and free of colic, the ratio can be increased to 2:1. If brown rice is used, the ratio of white rice to brown rice and dal might be 2:1:1. Additionally, if using dal to create the baby cereal, you may add a few drops of ghee.

For foods to avoid for babies under 1 check this reference

Step-by-step points how to prepare homemade rice cereal for babies

The Homemade Cereal Powder:

1. Separately wash brown, white, and dal rice until the water runs clear. Soak them in a large amount of water for around 6 hours. Leave the pots uncovered and in a well-ventilated area, such as near a window. Soaking rice or dal facilitates digestion by breaking down the meals’ difficult-to-digest components. This also aids in the prevention of colic. However, if you are unable to complete the full process, you may omit the soaking step. Rinse them well and wring off the excess water.
2. Completely drain in a colander. They should be spread out on a clean white fabric, preferably white or undyed. Allow 30 to 50 minutes for it to air dry or fan dry.
3. Dry roast them for 5 minutes over medium heat, then reduce to low heat. Rice tends to burst and sputter after a time. Because the grains are so light, the cereal is pleasant on the stomach. Switch off and allow to cool.

Similarly, with white rice and dal, use the same procedure. Once cooled, coarsely grind them and store them in an airtight container. If your blender is incapable of processing the flour effectively, sift it. Again, powder the coarse grains.

Preparation – How to make the rice cereal for babies??

Always use a heavy-bottomed steel pot when preparing baby food. Avoid using aluminium or nonstick frying pans. To prepare the cereal, combine 1 tbsp flour and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan and simmer over moderate heat, stirring regularly to prevent burning. Low-heat cooking produces the greatest texture and flavour in foods. A 1:6 ratio of flour to water works well for achieving the desired consistency. You may need to add additional water depending on the type of rice. Once the cereal has cooled, add formula milk or breast milk to boost the nutritional value. Moong dal may be utilised for infants older than six months. I recommend omitting the milk from the dal in favour of ghee.

You can combine them and utilise them depending on the baby’s belly condition. When the infant has more colic, prefer simply white rice cereal with milk. This powder can be used to create rice porridge or kanji during stomach distress or teething. After 7 months, this powder may be used for light dinners as well.

Any fruit puree or mashed vegetables such as potato or sweet potato can also be used for the milk in the rice cereal. Because fruits and milk do not mix well, I recommend avoiding serving both at the same meal.

There are several applications for this dry infant rice cereal. I will add further thoughts to this post in the near future.

Advantages of this homemade rice cereal for babies:

• It takes little time to prepare a baby’s supper. Once this powder is prepared, it’s a snap to prepare baby food. Because the ingredients have previously been soaked and roasted, they cook quickly. Simply whisk it into the water and cook. Planning is not required in great detail.
• The texture of the cereal is similar to that of ready-made infant cereal – smooth, delectable, flavorful, affordable, and more nutritious than ready-made cereals.
• Create a single base cereal but add a variety of tastes. Additionally, fruit purees, mashed vegetables, milk, or leafy greens can be added.