At what age can a baby be given porridge and how to cook it? The use of wheat groats in baby food When to introduce millet porridge to a child

Every mother who has a baby is worried about the question: what complementary foods and at what age should the baby be introduced? Porridge is considered one of the main types of food for children after six months. But are all of them allowed to use up to a year? What are the benefits and harms of a particular porridge? How much should be given to babies? More about this in the article.

Classification of cereals:

1. By type of cereal: rice, buckwheat, corn, semolina, oatmeal, millet, wheat, barley, barley.
2. Dairy and non-dairy.
3. Gluten (containing cereal protein - gluten) and gluten-free. Cereals: Buckwheat, rice, millet and corn are classified as gluten-free.
4. Homemade and purchased.

At the beginning of weaning, porridge should be dairy-free, gluten-free and consist of only one cereal. Most often, rice or buckwheat porridge is introduced first. Then corn is gradually added. Other cereals aged 6–7 months It is not recommended to use, because they contain gluten, which often causes allergies.

Approximately from 8 months you should gradually begin to introduce oatmeal and cereals from several cereals.

From 9 months you can try millet, barley, barley, wheat porridge.

Manna is usually included in the child's diet last - after 1 year.

For children aged 6-8 months, porridge is prepared with water or breast milk. Whole cow's milk is not added due to the risk of an allergic reaction. From 9–10 months, you can cook a dish in milk in half with water. It is better to start using completely milk porridges only from 1 year.

Which cereal is better to choose: homemade or purchased?

It depends on several factors: the taste preferences of the baby, the financial capabilities of the mother and whether she has time to cook the dish.

Arguments "for" purchased cereals in bags:

• most of them are hypoallergenic (do not contain gluten, sugar, preservatives, milk components);
• they are enriched with vitamins (however, many mothers do not consider this a benefit, since all vitamins are chemically produced, and therefore they choose a product without additives);
• cook them conveniently and quickly;
• the finished store product has a liquid consistency, which is suitable for children under one year old.

Arguments "for" homemade cereals:

• the composition of the dish is formed by the mother herself (there are no questionable components, you can add the necessary ingredients at your discretion);
• inexpensive in cost;
• they have a longer shelf life than purchased products;
• a thicker consistency of homemade porridge contributes to the development of the chewing muscles of the child.

Useful properties of cereals

Gluten free cereals

The safest, because they do not contain vegetable protein gluten and are suitable for complementary foods for the smallest (from 6 months).

• Rice. Rich in carbohydrates, which are well absorbed by the body.
• Buckwheat. Contains vitamins of group B, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper. Improves the functioning of the digestive system due to the large amount of fiber. Due to the rich content of iron, it reduces the risk of anemia in a child. Prevents constipation and effectively removes harmful substances from the body.
• Corn grits. It contains a large amount of vitamins B, A, E, PP, iron, starch. It improves bowel function, helps eliminate flatulence and colic.
• Millet. It has a lot of fiber, protein, vitamins of group B, PP, zinc, potassium, iron. It has a positive effect on the functioning of the circulatory system and liver, removes toxins.

As the baby matures, it's time to gradually accustom him to more "adult" and varied food. Suitable for babies from 8 months.

• Oat groats- a valuable source of phosphorus, calcium, vegetable protein, fiber, vitamins B1, B2. Helps strengthen bones and teeth, favorably affects the functioning of the nervous system.
• Barley groats (barley and pearl barley) contain vitamins of groups B, A, E, PP, potassium, calcium, iron, fiber. Porridge helps to remove harmful substances from the body, improve the functioning of the digestive system, and strengthen the immune system. Help to cope with allergies.
• Wheat groats. Stimulates metabolism, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, removes harmful substances from the body.
• Semolina. It is well absorbed, rich in vitamins of group B, PP, vegetable protein and starch, which give the body growth and energy. Porridge is very satisfying and high-calorie.

How to introduce porridge into the baby's diet?

For cooking, take 5 g of cereal per 100 g of water. You need to start introducing porridge with ½ teaspoon in the morning, carefully monitoring the reaction of the crumbs. If there is no allergy, then the volume of the dish is brought up to 150 g during the week. Then the concentration increases and amounts to 10 g of porridge per 100 g of water.

How to cook porridge for babies

The cereal must first be washed and dried. Before cooking, grind in a coffee grinder or blender. Then pour for cooking either into cold water (for example, rice or buckwheat), or into boiling water.

Cook the porridge on low heat, stirring constantly. Cooking time depends on the type of cereal. To give the porridge a brighter taste, you can combine it with vegetables (pumpkin, broccoli) and fruits (apples, pears, bananas).

After readiness, you can add breast milk or formula, vegetable or fruit puree. Until 1 year, salt and sugar are not added.

Note: it is better to give porridge from a spoon, as this is food close to an adult. When a child eats it from a bottle, the product does not have time to properly wet with saliva.

Porridge is a valuable product that affects the full development and gives energy and strength for the growth of the baby. Let the diet become healthier and more varied with them!

Wheat is one of the most famous cereals. It is used to make flour, pasta, bran, butter and much more. For most people, this product is familiar due to the kindergarten, where wheat porridge was often given for breakfast.

The benefits and harms of the dish

Wheat groats are the result of crushing and grinding grains. It can have different sizes, as manufacturers use different grinding methods. Very fine grinding allows you to get semolina, which is the most popular for making baby cereals.

Wheat has many useful properties, and therefore is indispensable for the human body, including children. It contains vitamins of group B, as well as vitamins A, E and PP, which improves the functioning of the nervous system and stabilizes sleep.

This product contains a large amount of fiber, due to which normalizes bowel activity. Adding wheat porridge to the diet of children helps prevent constipation.

Grains are rich in substances that allow it to absorb toxic substances from the body and remove them naturally. Regular consumption of wheat will help increase immunity and strengthen the heart and blood vessels.

In addition to internal changes, when taking wheat porridge, you can notice improvements in the skin and hair. Moreover, this product has a beneficial effect on the bones and visual organs.

Wheat groats can be added to the diet of diabetics and obese people, as it has a low glycemic index and low calorie content.

Despite a lot of positive qualities, wheat has a number of contraindications. For example, some children may experience an allergic reaction to this product, as gluten predominates in it. This protein can be broken down in the stomach when a certain age is reached. Allergy manifests itself in the form of small acne, swelling of the larynx or fever. In this regard, wheat porridge is given to children under one year of age under special control.

If a child has problems with the digestive system or suffers from flatulence, then wheat should be excluded from the children's diet. The starch, carbohydrates and phytin contained in cereals can slow down the digestibility of the dish, which also negatively affects the delicate body.

The use of wheat by a child is permissible only if he is completely healthy and already knows how to chew food on his own. Before introducing this product into the children's menu, it is necessary to consult with the local pediatrician.

At what age can a child be given?

Wheat groats can be introduced into the baby's diet only after he begins to eat other cereals: buckwheat, rice and oatmeal. Product input can be done only after the baby reaches the age of 8-10 months. If you do this earlier, you can provoke an allergic reaction in a fragile body.

Experienced pediatricians have developed a special scheme by which wheat groats can be added to the children's diet.

1. The first input of the product can be made in the amount of half a teaspoon.
2. Each meal should take place under strict parental control in order to identify the baby's reaction to the introduced dish.
3. It is best to give cereal in the morning.
4. Wheat should not be introduced at the same time as other new dishes. In order to fully check the body for the digestibility of wheat porridge, it will take at least 2 weeks, after which you can try to give your child other products.
5. Complementary foods should be introduced in pure form. Wheat should be boiled in water without adding sugar, salt, and so on.
6. The consistency of porridge at first should be close to water. You need to increase the volume of cereals gradually.

How to cook?

To cook wheat porridge for the first feeding, you only need to prepare one tablespoon of cereal. Before cooking, it is washed, then poured into a saucepan and poured with 200 ml of water. Porridge should be cooked on low heat for half an hour. At the beginning of cooking, it is important to have time to remove the foam from the surface of the water, which forms before boiling. As soon as the porridge is ready, the pan is removed from the heat and covered with a kitchen towel so that the dish is infused.

When the child is 1 year old, wheat porridge can be cooked in milk.

To prepare milk porridge you will need:

• 200 ml of water;
• 200 ml of milk;
• 150 gr of cereals;
• salt, sugar and butter.

Washed wheat is poured into a saucepan, poured with water and put on fire. After the foam is removed from the surface of the water, the pan is covered with a lid and left on fire for another quarter of an hour. It is important to constantly stir the mass so that it does not stick together and does not burn. As soon as the water in the pan boils away, you need to pour milk into it and boil the mass for a few more minutes. At the end of cooking, the porridge is seasoned with salt, sugar and butter.

You can cook this dish with the help of a slow cooker. This will greatly facilitate the process and allow you to get a well-boiled tender mass. To prepare the dish you need to take:

• 600 ml of milk;
• 100 gr of cereals.

The walls of the bowl must first be greased with butter. It takes 40 minutes to cook porridge by selecting the appropriate mode on the device. After the time has elapsed, the dish remains closed for another 10–15 minutes, after which it is seasoned with butter and sugar.

There is another recipe that includes fruit. You can add an apple, pear or banana to milk porridge. It is important that the fruits are peeled and grated on a fine grater. Thus, it will be easier for the child to chew the dish and assimilate it.

The older the child, the more ingredients can be added to the wheat garnish. For example, you can dilute it with stewed vegetables. To prepare such a dish, you will need the following products:

• wheat groats - 250 gr;
• carrots - 2 pcs.;
• cauliflower - 150 gr;
• bell pepper - 1 pc.;
• greens - 1 bunch;
• onion -100 gr;
• water - 500 ml.

Wheat is poured into the pan, poured with water, salted and put on fire. Finely chopped vegetables and herbs are stewed in a separate pan without adding sunflower oil. As soon as both dishes are ready, they are laid out in a serving dish and mixed.

For young children, it is advisable to cook food without adding oil and other foods that are difficult for the stomach. For example, mushrooms and meat can be added to wheat porridge only after the child is 3 years old. Until this time, the young body may not be able to cope with the digestion of protein foods.

To make the wheat side dish not only healthy, but also tasty, it can be supplemented with a vegetable salad.

You will learn how to cook wheat porridge in the following video.

Children's diet should be rich, nutritious, varied and balanced, so cereals should be present in it. Such dishes are a source of numerous vitamins, proteins and carbohydrates, minerals and valuable amino acids. Most cereals contain slow carbohydrates that are slowly absorbed, while being completely consumed. After that, such carbohydrates are transformed into glycogen or a special supply of glucose, which is essential for the child's body. An important advantage of cereals with slow carbohydrates is that they are not converted into body fat, as is the case with fast carbohydrates. They safely saturate the body, supply it with a lot of energy and health.

Regarding fiber, we can say that this is the best substance for normalizing the digestive process, as it stimulates the intestines, qualitatively cleanses it of toxins and harmful compounds. There is a lot of vitamin B in cereals, which is important for strengthening the immune system, as well as the nervous one. One of such useful and necessary cereals for babies is wheat.

Before you get acquainted with the step-by-step recipe for making wheat porridge, it is important to find out how it is useful for babies. In terms of benefits, popularity, wheat porridge for babies ranks third in the ranking. It has a lot of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and starch, which are extremely important for the child's body. Do not forget that wheat porridge contains phytin and gluten. As for phytin, it does not allow minerals to be absorbed correctly.

Despite the presence of gluten and phytin, wheat porridge is quite healthy for a one-year-old baby. With its help, you can replenish energy consumption. It contains a huge amount of phosphorus, iron.

Porridge must be cooked correctly. To begin with, the cereal must be washed, then dried and ground in a coffee grinder. If the child refuses to eat porridge, you do not need to force him. It is advisable to accustom the baby gradually to complementary foods, new foods.

The benefits of wheat porridge for children 1 year old:

• a source of vitamins, minerals, fiber, nutrients;
• cleanses the body of toxins and toxins;
• has a low glycemic index.

Disadvantages of wheat porridge:

• contains a lot of starch, carbohydrates;
• it is forbidden to give to children under one year old, as it contains gluten;
• the presence of phytin - complicates the absorption of nutrients;
• contraindications for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, as it is long and difficult to digest.

Before introducing wheat porridge into the diet of a one-year-old baby, it is important to weigh all the pros and cons, if necessary, consult a pediatrician.

Cooking technology

If you decide to introduce a new baby food in the form of wheat porridge, then you will need a good recipe. The approximate cooking time is about ten minutes, which will allow you not to spend a lot of time cooking.

Ingredients

Cooking

1. All ingredients must be fresh, of high quality. Try not to cook a large amount of porridge for several meals. It is preferable to cook one serving so that the porridge is fresh and warm. First of all, you need to measure the water and pour it into a small saucepan, and then send it to the stove.

2. Use low-fat milk, warm it up, but do not boil it.

3. When the water boils, wheat flakes are added to it. It is advisable to use flakes, as they are already peeled. They are prepared very quickly, you will need no more than five minutes.

4. Cook on minimum heat for two minutes, then pour in hot milk and stir.

5. At the next stage, you can add a little sugar, cook for another two to three minutes.

6. When the dish is cooked, remove the pan from the stove. Using a blender, bring the porridge to a homogeneous state.

7. After cooling down, you can feed the baby.

Video recipe

Like any porridge, wheat is extremely useful for a child's growing body. Thanks to its chemical composition, the baby receives all the necessary nutrients, trace elements.

Every parent is faced with the question: what kind of porridge is better to feed your baby? If the baby is not yet a year old, then it is best to give oatmeal, buckwheat, rice and corn porridge. Oatmeal can be given if the child does not have an allergic reaction to gluten. Porridges are introduced gradually into the diet of a child from the age of four months. It is better to start with buckwheat.

When the baby adapts to such delicacies, you can prepare a multi-cereal version. However, it should be remembered that porridge is cooked on a mixture or on breast milk. In some cases, it is allowed to add a small amount of good cow's milk, but only from the age of six months. For babies, you need to make liquid, boiled food. As for children older than one year, you can start using semolina and wheat porridge.

Millet can be started to be given to a child over the age of 1.5 years. Not earlier than two years of age, barley, barley porridge are introduced into the diet. You can cook dishes even with cow's milk, adding a little butter. If you add vegetables and fruits, the delicacy will become more saturated, nutritious.

Any porridge is good for the baby. Wheat is no exception. It is very important to cook it correctly, then the baby will feast on it with great pleasure and enjoyment.

In the morning for breakfast for a child of one year and older, it is customary to cook porridge. So that the baby does not refuse cooked food, porridge must be prepared tasty and correctly. With the help of simple recipes, you can learn how to properly cook milk porridges with various cereals.

Porridges are necessary in the diet of a one-year-old baby every morning. At this age, you can cook porridge using milk, alternating different cereals. But how to cook porridge for a child at 1 year old so that he does not turn away and refuse to eat it? And what kind of cereals can a one-year-old baby have for a not quite formed digestive system? There are several simple and quick recipes for morning tomorrow in the form of cereals.

Semolina porridge recipe

The recipe for semolina porridge is the simplest and easiest. And if you follow this recipe, then the porridge will turn out without lumps. To cook semolina porridge in milk, you will need:

• 200 ml. milk
• 1 tbsp semolina
• 5 g butter
• ½ tsp Sahara

Pour milk into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Gradually add semolina, stirring all the time. Stir for about 2-3 minutes until the porridge thickens. Then turn off the heat and cover the pot with a lid. After 10 minutes, the porridge will reach the desired consistency. You can add butter and sugar. You can cook porridge from semolina with milk and water.

rice porridge recipe

Do not give rice porridge often to children who have constipation. But once a week, its use will only benefit the child's body. To cook rice porridge, take:

• 200 ml. milk
• 1 tbsp rice
• 5 g butter
• ½ tsp Sahara.

If you want to cook rice porridge with milk, add milk to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Rinse the rice thoroughly and place in a saucepan with milk. The fire should be medium, and the porridge is cooked for 25 minutes, you do not need to stir it. The readiness of porridge can be seen by its consistency. At the end of cooking, add sugar and butter. You can add pieces of fruit or a little jam.

Recipe for wheat and millet porridge for a 1 year old child

Wheat and millet porridge are only similar in name, but they are prepared from different cereals and in different ways. Millet porridge is made from millet, and wheat porridge is made from wheat. The process of preparing milk porridges using these cereals differs in duration and method of cooking. To prepare these cereals you will need:

• 200 ml. milk
• 1 tbsp cereals
• 5 g butter
• 5 g sugar or a little jam

The cooking process is very simple. Add washed cereals to boiling milk and continue to cook for a certain time. Millet porridge is cooked for a long time - about 30 minutes. And after cooking, it should still stand for 10-15 minutes. Also during cooking, millet porridge must be stirred occasionally. Wheat porridge is prepared a little differently. When the milk boils, add the wheat, reduce the heat to a minimum. So the porridge will languish for about 40 minutes. It is not necessary to interfere with it, but it is important to close the pan with a lid. After cooking, add oil to the porridge, mix and leave for 10 minutes.

Oatmeal for a one year old

To make this porridge you will need:

• 200 ml. milk
• 2 tbsp oatmeal
• 5 g sugar
• 5 g butter

Pour milk into a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Add oatmeal and reduce heat to low. Porridge is cooked for 5-7 minutes, but you do not forget to stir it occasionally. When the porridge is cooked, turn off the heat, cover the pan with a lid and leave for 5 minutes. At the end, you can add sugar and butter. This recipe for oatmeal is perfect for a one year old baby.

Until the baby is 6 months old, his diet includes only mother's milk or an adapted formula. Next, the crumbs begin to be introduced to new products, one of which is porridge. This dish is prepared from different cereals. All of them are useful for the body of growing babies, but the introduction of some cereals has its limitations, so parents should know in advance when to start giving this or that cereal dish.

And if cereals such as buckwheat or rice do not raise questions and are among the first to be cooked for babies, then doubts arise regarding other cereals. Is it possible for children to cook millet and from how many months is it permissible to cook millet porridge for a toddler? What are the beneficial properties and contraindications of this cereal? Let's figure it out.

Benefit

Millet is millet grains that have had their shells removed. Usually they are simply ground, but sometimes they are also crushed. The resulting grain is rich in amino acids, starch and fiber.

Millet also has the following useful qualities:

• Such cereals contain beta-carotene, B vitamins, as well as vitamins E and A.
• From millet porridge, the child will receive a lot of calcium, potassium, zinc, chromium, sulfur, copper and other trace elements.
• Since there is no gluten in millet, porridge from it is allowed for feeding children with intolerance to this protein.
• Millet has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart, hematopoiesis and liver function.
• In millet porridge, the ability to accelerate the excretion of toxic substances from the body is noted. For this reason, millet porridge is advised to eat after a course of antibiotics.
• This dish improves digestive function and helps to normalize the composition of the intestinal microflora. As for whether this porridge strengthens or weakens the stool, it all depends on the recipe, for example, porridge with the addition of an apple or prunes will weaken.

Minuses

• Some babies may be allergic to millet porridge, although it is extremely rare, since millet is called a hypoallergenic product.
• It is necessary to spend time preparing millet for cooking. The cereal should be washed in hot water several times until the drained liquid is clear. Further, millet before cooking is recommended to soak for 1 hour in water at room temperature.
• If you cook porridge from "old" millet, such a dish will be bitter.

Digesting whole grains of millet at an early age is difficult, so children under one year old are advised to grind millet into flour before making porridge. To do this, the cereals need to be washed, dried and ground with a coffee grinder.

At what age can you give millet porridge to a child?

Porridge from such cereals usually begins to be boiled in water for children who, from the age of 7 months, have become acquainted with rice, buckwheat and corn porridge.

For babies aged 8-10 months, millet should be ground to a state of flour, and then boiled porridge. To prepare porridge for a 10-11-month-old child, millet grinding may already be coarser. Whole grains are not cooked for children under 1-1.5 years old.

Calculate your feeding schedule

How to feed

The first millet porridge for children under one year old should be liquid and boiled in water. You can add a little women's milk or a mixture familiar to the child. First, the crumbs are offered a small portion of porridge, for example, 1 teaspoon. This is usually done for breakfast, so that by the evening it will be clear if the baby has allergies. With normal tolerance, the next time the portion is doubled until the volume of the entire dish is brought to the age limit.

To diversify the taste of porridge, instead of water, you can take a vegetable or fruit broth. If the child has already tried milk porridge, millet can be boiled in milk. Ready porridge can be mixed with fruit purees, and children over 1.5 years old can add pieces of fruit and berries. A child who is 3-4 years old can make sweet casseroles from millet.

The recipe for the first millet porridge

To prepare a liquid porridge, take 10 g of millet flour and 100-150 ml of water. Bring the water to a boil and then add flour to it. While stirring, cook the porridge for about 3-5 minutes. Before serving, add butter or fruit puree to it, which is already included in your baby's complementary foods.

How to cook porridge with milk?

For children over one year old, take 1/2 cup of millet and 200-250 ml of milk. Pour the grits into the boiled milk and cook over low heat until the millet is soft. Add sugar to your taste. If the dish is intended for a one-year-old child, fruit puree can also be added to such a porridge. For children over 1.5 years old, porridge can be served with pumpkin, pieces of fruit, steamed raisins or berries.

You can also cook milk millet porridge in a slow cooker. Depending on the volume of milk, the dish may turn out to be liquid, viscous or crumbly. When cooking in such a device, milk does not “run away”, and the finished porridge can be kept warm for the required time. Washed millet is poured into a multicooker bowl, poured with milk and salt or sugar is added to taste. Next, select the "cooking" mode and the "porridge" product. When the dish is ready, the multicooker will notify you with a sound signal.

Recipes for other dishes with millet for children

Millet soup with prunes (from 1.5 years old)

Take 500 ml of water, 40 g of millet, 120 g of prunes and a tablespoon of sugar. Sort and rinse the cereal, soaking it for 1-2 hours. Bring water to a boil and put the cereal in it, then boil until tender.

Prunes soaked for several hours are pitted and boiled in a small amount of water, where sugar should be added. Grind the finished prunes through a sieve, add to the boiled millet, pouring in the broth as well. Boil the dish for a few minutes and remove from heat. Serve such a soup is advised chilled, adding a spoonful of sour cream to it.

Millet casserole with raisins (from 3 years old)

For such a dish you will need 100 g of millet, 400 ml of milk, 20 g of raisins, one egg, 2 teaspoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of sour cream. Cook porridge from millet and milk until tender. Let it cool a little, add a raw egg, sugar and washed raisins. After mixing the ingredients, put them in a greased mold. Lubricate the future casserole with sour cream on top and put in the oven until golden brown.

How to choose millet for baby food?

When buying millet, from which porridge for a child will be cooked, you should carefully examine the grains and ask about expiration dates. It is advisable to buy millet for children in a transparent package, since cereals by weight are exposed to various external factors, which can deteriorate or lose nutrients. Choose millet with a matte finish, bright yellow color, and no debris.

It is not recommended to store millet at home for a long time, because due to the oxidation of fats, stale cereals begin to taste bitter. Store beans in an airtight container in a cool place away from sources of moisture.

For more information about the benefits of millet and millet porridge, see the following video.

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