Of course, it is actually one of the best meals starting baby on solid foods and it is also very rich in nutrients needed for the early stages of life.
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Best Baby Cereal Brands to Start With (Rice & Oatmeal) in 2023
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Last Updated: 21 March 2023
It’s no secret that a proper diet is a cornerstone for healthy development, and you should waste no time when it comes to implementing the best meal plan for your child. After all, you want your kid to have a great life and you will spare no expense for making sure that’s happening. You’ve heard something about different types of baby cereal but you’re not sure what will be the best for your baby? Well, from wishing it to actually making it happen there’s quite a gap and there are many decisions to be made. The first question you’ll face, is what’s the best type of solid food to introduce your child with?
You can now breathe easily since our article does not only come with an answer to that question, but it also offers you complete info about the best baby cereal and brands you can find on market. So, if you’re exactly at this point or you’re expecting, you can gather all the info needed and know everything there is to know about how to properly feed your child when the time comes.
Best Organic Infant Cereal Brands – Top 8
Gerber Oatmeal Baby Cereal Single-Grain
Nestle Cerelac Infant Cereal
Happy Baby Organic Clearly Crafted Cereal Whole Grains Oats & Quinoa
Earth's Best Organic Infant Cereal
$23.76
$29.69
$34.90
$30.73
-
-
-
486 Reviews
Flavors
No
No
No
No
Vegetarian
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Grain Type
Oat
Wheat
Oats & Quinoa
Oatmeal
Number in a Package
6
1
1
12
Serving Per Container
15
12
14
16
Gerber Oatmeal Baby Cereal Single-Grain
$23.76
-
Flavors
No
Vegetarian
Yes
Grain Type
Oat
Number in a Package
6
Serving Per Container
15
Nestle Cerelac Infant Cereal
$29.69
-
Flavors
No
Vegetarian
Yes
Grain Type
Wheat
Number in a Package
1
Serving Per Container
12
Happy Baby Organic Clearly Crafted Cereal Whole Grains Oats & Quinoa
$34.90
-
-
Flavors
No
Vegetarian
Yes
Grain Type
Oats & Quinoa
Number in a Package
1
Serving Per Container
14
Gerber Lil' Bits Oatmeal Banana Strawberry Baby Cereal
Gerber Baby Cereal DHA and Probiotic Rice
Earth's Best Baby Cereal
Nestle Nestum 3 Cereals
$20.94
$42.96
$35.52
$19.08
226 Reviews
-
-
143 Reviews
Flavors
Yes
No
No
-
Vegetarian
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
Grain Type
Oatmeal
Grain
Rice
Wheat, Corn and Rice
Number in a Package
6
3
12
1
Serving Per Container
15
15
16
24
Gerber Lil' Bits Oatmeal Banana Strawberry Baby Cereal
$20.94
226 Reviews
Flavors
Yes
Vegetarian
Yes
Grain Type
Oatmeal
Number in a Package
6
Serving Per Container
15
Gerber Baby Cereal DHA and Probiotic Rice
$42.96
-
-
Flavors
No
Vegetarian
Yes
Grain Type
Grain
Number in a Package
3
Serving Per Container
15
Earth's Best Baby Cereal
$35.52
-
Flavors
No
Vegetarian
Yes
Grain Type
Rice
Number in a Package
12
Serving Per Container
16
Best Recommended First Cereal For Baby
First Foods for Baby - Gerber Oatmeal Baby Cereal Single-Grain Review
How can you be sure this is the best baby cereal to start with? Easy. You find out the opinions of other people that tried a certain type and find out more about their experience. And being the #1 Best Seller with thousands of positive reviews tells you everything you need to know about the Gerber Single-Grain Oatmeal Baby Cereal. Guaranteeing around 15 servings per container, iron-fortified cereals aim to end oatmeal vs rice cereal for baby’s discussion. If most people recommended rice cereals in the past, recent studies show that oatmeal cereals for babies are actually better for easiness infant tummies to digest them.
Why We Like It?
- Iron rich cereals
- Non-GMO
- Easily digested
- Can be used to help to digest other solids like fruits
Best Cereal For Newborns
100% Vegetarian - Nestle Cerelac Infant Cereal Review
You are looking at what could be the best organic cereal on the market? Nestle Cerelac surely deserves your attention. Boosted with 18 vitamins and minerals, it provides 15g of protein per 100g and has very high overall nutrition value. Preparing is very simple. This cereal is recommended for 8-24 months babies.
Why We Like It?
- Packed with copper, calcium and vitamin D
- Excellent for constipation
- Great apple-cherry taste
Best Organic Baby Cereal
Happy Baby Organic Clearly Crafted Cereal Whole Grains Oats & Quinoa
If you’re still not sure which one of the best baby cereal to start with, why not take a look at what Happy Baby offers through their baby whole foods with quinoa. This cereal excellent when combined with both water or breast milk. Made with organic oats, quinoa, Vitamin C & iron, this product supports brain development of your little one and is overall great for exploring new tastes and food textures. So, if you’re looking for the best cereal for babies that is based on baby oat cereal and is fully organic, this is the one for you!
Why We Like It?
- Great taste and texture due to quinoa addition
- Mixes perfectly with different milk types or water
- Healthy and tasty at the same time
- Supports baby brain development
One Of Top Rated Organic Baby Cereal
Sale
Earth's Best Organic Infant Cereal Review
If you think that the best baby cereal comes from a company that has over 34 years of experience in the industry, you’re totally right. Earth’s best product comes with a perfect mix of multigrain to fit any textures and flavors. Simply put, it may not be the best baby cereal for kids to start with, but it’s perfect for 6-month old infants. With lots of grains to make infant happy, you can be sure that the Zinc, Iron and the 6 B vitamins in this organic baby cereal are more than enough to provide your kid with everything needed. Add 2 grams of protein to mix and you get the perfect diet on your almost-toddler road to fully baby solid foods.
Pros
- Plenty of B vitamins for a balanced growth
- Extended experience in the market
- Ability to find the perfect recipe through trial and error
Cons
- The product may contain traces of soy. So, if your child is allergic you should take that into consideration
Best Tasting Oatmeal Banana Strawberry Baby Cereal
Gerber Lil' Bits Oatmeal Banana Strawberry Baby Cereal
Gerber is, without doubt, the best baby cereal brand. And we’re not the only ones who say it. All the mommies and daddies commenting on sites place these single grain cereals as the best on the market. So, now that you found the answer to the ever-present what is the best cereal for babies question, let’s check out some of the benefits this baby oatmeal assortment from Gerber brings. Added iron is excellent for developing learning ability for your child and cereal is free of any GMO whatsoever. Thanks to a great packaging system, you only twist it off to Gerber oatmeal cereals and then twist it back on. And what they did with Dotti, the AI chat robot with tons of expert advice is another awesome example that they’re all about providing what’s best for your child.
Pros
- The Gerber quality seal
- Iron and multi-vitamins for proper brain development
- No allergens whatsoever
Cons
- It’s more expensive than other options on the list, however, the list of added benefits is also greater
Best Rice Cereal Organic for Babies Review
Gerber Baby Cereal DHA and Probiotic Rice Review
After establishing that Gerber produces the best organic baby cereal, it’s time to look at the best rice cereal for babies. Despite some warnings from various organizations< claiming that rice cereals may contain arsenic, a product offered by Gerber is not just completely safe but also has added Probiotic Bifidus BL that supports digestion and improves the absorption of nutrients. The DHA is excellent for support eye and brain development while the texture of the Gerber rice cereal become very similar to that of breast milk.
Pros
- Tuna oil for extra DHA
- Easy to mix with water or milk
- Long validity period
Cons
- Rice cereal for infants got some bad publicity recently, however, you will see that there’s no reason for that when you use Gerber
Best Whole Grain Baby Cereal
Earth's Best Baby Cereal
No matter if you’re looking for the best baby cereal for 4-month-old or older babies, the whole grain baby cereals are a very good solution. Once again, Earth’s Best whole baby food proves that they truly know what’s best for your infant as well as the planet. Made with USDA-certified whole grain rice, two meals per day are enough for your child to get the necessary dose of iron, vitamins, and calcium for a healthy life.
Pros
- USDA approved
- Good quantity for the price you pay
- Whole grain rice cereal Rich in calcium, iron and B vitamins
Cons
- Some buyers consider it to be better suited for older babies. However, being the best baby cereal for 5 months old isn’t a bad title at all
Best Vitamin-Rich Baby Cereal
Nestle Baby Cereal
We’re ending the list of infant cereal reviews with a product from Nestle. Although it may not be as good as one mentioned above, a unique combination of wheat, corn, and rice makes this infant cereal a very interesting choice. The three different grains each contribute to a total of 10 minerals and vitamins. Most importantly, it has the highest levels of Vitamin C, which is effective for building your infant’s natural defenses.
Pros
- Trusted brand responsible for many studies in infant nutrition
- Contains a lot of vitamins in cereal
- Three grains for a complete intake of nutrients
- Great taste, babies seem to love it
Cons
- Recently, some less well-intentioned groups have started an offense against big companies in each domain. However, Nestle proves that they back their products with research and applied data
Buyer’s Guide: All You Need to Know About Baby Cereal
It’s no secret that a proper diet is a cornerstone for healthy development, and you should waste no time when it comes to implementing the best meal plan for your child. After all, you want your kid to have a great life and you will spare no expense for making sure that’s happening. You’ve heard something about the best baby cereal but you’re not sure what that is? Well, from wishing it to actually making it happen there’s quite a gap and there are many decisions to be made. First question you’ll face, is what’s the best type of solid food to introduce your child with?
You can now breathe easily since our article does not only come with an answer to that question cereal, but it also offers you complete info about the best baby cereal you can find on the market. So, if you’re exactly at this point or you’re expecting, you can gather all the info needed and know everything there is to know about how to properly feed your child when the time comes.
What Should I Look for in a Top Baby Cereal?
There are a few essentials things to look for when shopping for the best first cereal for baby. Here are the most important ones.
Type of Grains
As you’ve seen, there are a lot of different grains used in infant food. For example, oatmeal for babies is great because cereals high in iron, wheat is rich in fibers while rice helps digestion and prevents frequent stools. Since every child has a different digestive process, you should always go for what’s best for him/her.Vitamins
All first foods for baby have vitamins, however, while some of them are specialized in Vitamin C, others come with a complex formula of B Vitamins and so on. The best approach is to go for a balance of vitamins to support development.
Ingredients
This one may seem a bit obvious, however, taking a good look at the other ingredients is a must! Always make sure there are no GMOs present among the ingredients and steer clear of any added fats, cholesterol or sodium.
Strive for Organic Foods
While some parents avoid single grain rice as a result of fears over arsenic, some parents, on the other hand, prefer grain that can be digested easily. For some kids, white rice is the ideal option. This baby cereal is organic; therefore, you won’t have to worry about arsenic. Organic foods are those grown without synthetic fertilizers. Your kid’s exposure to these harmful compounds will be limited.
Aim for a Cereal That Has Iron
Iron is a crucial nutrient which is important for your baby’s growth and development. This baby cereal, Gerber organic baby cereal, contains iron. One serving of this cereal provides your baby with 45% of his or her daily iron need.
Look Out for Signs of Allergies
Gerber cereal is the best infant cereal to start with because it’s not likely to bring about allergic reactions to your baby. White rice is gentle on babies’ stomachs (which cannot hold a lot of food at once). It’s an ideal option for your baby’s first solid food.
How to Prepare Baby's Bottle With Gerber Rice Cereal (video)
Foods to Avoid During Child’s First Year
Honey is definitely something you want to avoid during the first year of life due to the Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Also, cow’s milk should be avoided because it can set off a milk intolerance and doesn’t provide the needed vitamin E and iron values. The list also includes fruit juice, sugary treats, unpasteurized foods, smoked meats and allergenic foods like peanut butter or any other form of nuts.
Signs Your Baby is Ready for Cereal
Even though babies develop differently, there are signs your baby is ready for solids. Here’s what you should look for to know that you can start looking for the best cereal.
- He or she sits up without being supported
- No more pushing of solids out their mouths
- The infant starts chewing on toys and other object
- Shows tendency to grab objects between forefinger and thumb
First Feeding Tips
There isn’t a secret method that will make your child cooperate during first feeding. However, choosing the best first cereal for a baby can help a lot. If the first baby food tastes good, half of your job is done. Here are some tips you should apply:
- Take your time – your baby is just discovering other foods than breast milk, be patient and introduce new food slowly.
- Choose only qualitative food – you have plenty of examples of the best baby cereal 2023 offers.
- Let infant play with food first, it can help a lot during process.
- Don’t try to force him/her to eat.
- Make sure food is properly mixed so that texture is similar to breast milk.
Supplementing with Baby Bottles
We recommend that you don’t do this. Even though it has been going on for a long time, when he can’t digest solid food (cereal), he should be fed using a spoon. Furthermore, supplementing with baby bottles can result in overfeeding, constipation, lung problems
Our Recommendation for 2023
After presenting you all important information regarding the best baby cereal 2023 has to offer, it’s time to draw a conclusion. For the wide range of grains they offer and excellent nutritional values, as well as overwhelming positive reviews, Gerber Oatmeal Baby Cereal is the best recommendation we at parenthoodroutine.com could make. Gerber Organic baby cereal organic rice cereal is arguably the best cereal for baby. This cereal has been consumed in many households in the last several years. It is manufactured by American baby food maker, Gerber.
Any tips on how to make baby cereal that you’ll love to share with us? Comment below!
Contents
- 1 Best Organic Infant Cereal Brands – Top 8
- 1.1 Best Recommended First Cereal For Baby
- 1.2 Best Cereal For Newborns
- 1.3 Best Organic Baby Cereal
- 1.4 One Of Top Rated Organic Baby Cereal
- 1.5 Best Tasting Oatmeal Banana Strawberry Baby Cereal
- 1.6 Best Rice Cereal Organic for Babies Review
- 1.7 Best Whole Grain Baby Cereal
- 1.8 Best Vitamin-Rich Baby Cereal
- 2 Buyer’s Guide: All You Need to Know About Baby Cereal
- 3 Our Recommendation for 2023
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
As your infant becomes older, he will tend to consume more. Once he reaches 4 to 6 months, he may display signs of readiness to consume solids (cereal in this case). These signs include good tongue thrust plus capability to support his head.
As mentioned earlier, the Gerber rice cereal contains iron. Moreover, this cereal, the best baby cereal in the market, contains a mixture of Vitamins E, C, and 6 B, which are crucial to the healthy growth of your baby. It also has 20% of your infant's calcium need (crucial for your baby's bones and teeth) and Choline, which boosts your infant's brain.
Gerber Oatmeal Baby Cereal is the best baby food to start with because it can be very easily digested, and it makes it a lot easier for infants to process it.
Oatmeal vs rice cereal for babies - what is better? Many nutrition experts recommend oatmeal for babies over rice for added iron and nutrients. As you’ve seen in the baby cereal reviews, most of the top-rated and appreciated ones are based on oatmeal cereal for baby.
The vast majority of cereals can be mixed with both milk and water. It is a matter of taste and how the infant receives it. Also, mixing food with milk improves the nutritional values as long as it’s not cow’s milk.
Yes, this is actually recommended by the best baby food brands. Milk or formula baby food is both good for mixing.
Of course, preparing grains with water is also a good method. The taste may be less appealing to some babies but it’s really a matter of preference.
After 6 months, you can start thickening food by adding pureed vegetables or simply using less milk.
There’s a whole selection of baby oatmeal cereal or Nestle’s baby cereal 3 cereal mix with wheat, corn, and rice.
As mentioned above, it’s recommended for infants who have reached between 4 to 6 months (after exclusively breastfeeding). This is when your baby exhibits signs that he's ready to eat solid foods. Rice cereals are easily digestible.
It is recommended to start multigrain baby cereal feeding at 4 months, doing it at 3 months can be too early for baby and cause digestive problems for infant.
You can easily choose any Gerber baby cereal for feeding baby food your 6-month-old baby. As mentioned before, you can start to use thicker food to transfer your baby to solid foods.
PRODUCTS TESTED BY Parenthoodroutine.com
How We Tested
We began using Gerber Rice Cereal for our 5 months old as his first solid food. We were excited to try it with him since we were afraid of food allergies. He loved it. We love the idea that we can use it to thicken up his food. We’ll continue to purchase it. Since having this rice cereal regularly, our son has made great gains in his physical plus well abilities.
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