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Baby porridge
If you're wondering how to make baby porridge that your little one will love, we've got the best baby porridge recipe on the internet. Why is it so good, you ask? It contains just 3-4 ingredients, it's super simple to make and great for weaning!
- Difficulty: Easy
- Serves 2
- Vegetarian
- Freezable
Preparation
- Total time
- 10 Mins
- Preparation time
- 10 Mins
50g porridge oats
100ml milk
50ml water
Pinch of ground nutmeg or cinnamon (optional)
Add the oats to your food processor or mini chopper. Blitz until the oats are broken up into very small pieces.
Add the oats to a saucepan along with the milk (you can also use baby's usual milk if preferred) and water. Stir in the cinnamon or nutmeg, if using.
Bring to a gentle boil, then turn the heat down and simmer for 5-10 minutes until you have a creamy porridge.
Serve to baby as is or with banana slices (for baby-led weaning) or a favourite fruit puree, such as apple, peach, plum or blueberry.
Leave leftover porridge to cool down, then divide into portions in an ice cube tray and freeze for up to 3 months.
You will need
Large saucepan
Food processor or mini chopper
Tips
A baby can have porridge oats from 6 months (for more info, read our article 'Can babies eat porridge?'), unless your GP or health visitor has recommended that you wean your child earlier.
If you're wondering 'Is baby porridge different to normal porridge?' (like a lot of parents do!), there's one main difference. Baby porridge is made from ground oats so it has a smoother consistency than regular porridge. But it's fine to use regular porridge from 6 months.
Try to use whole cow's milk as it contains more fat – which a growing baby needs – rather than skimmed or semi-skimmed.
Variations
If your baby is 12 months or older, you can make this dairy-free baby porridge recipe using plant milk. The NHS recommends that 'from the age of 1, you can give your baby unsweetened, calcium-fortified, plant-based drinks (such as soya, oat and almond drinks)'. Before this age, the NHS recommends only giving your baby breast milk, or infant formula based cow's milk or goat's milk. Soya-based formula is available, but check with your GP or health visitor before using. If you're raising your child as vegan, ask a dietitian about using plant milk earlier.
To monitor allergic reactions, always introduce a small amount of plant milk at a time. The same goes for spices such as cinnamon.
You can also use baby formula or even breast milk in this baby porridge recipe. Don't heat these in the microwave, however. Instead, slowly bring them up to heat when making the porridge.
Reviews
Poppy Y
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 stars.This is such a great idea - much better than bought baby porridge which has loads of ingredients in it!
Reviewed on 30/07/20
