Homemade Quinoa Porridge For Baby Led Weaning

Table of Contents

Is Porridge Ok For Weaning?

When it comes to weaning for Baby-Led Weaning (BLW) from 6 months of age, porridge can be a great option for baby food. Porridge is a soft and easy-to-swallow food that can be a great way for introducing solids to your little one. This is a great homemade baby cereal.

You can make a porridge using a variety of ingredients such as oats, rice, or organic quinoa, which can provide essential nutrients for your baby's growth and development. The best first foods for your baby and great for little hands.

Just ensure that the porridge is cooked well to a suitable texture for your baby to handle. Always monitor your baby closely during meals to prevent any choking hazards. As with any new food introduction, it's recommended to introduce porridge gradually and watch for any signs of allergies or intolerances.

What Can I Feed My 6 Month Old For Breakfast?

For a nutritious breakfast option for your 6-month-old, you can consider offering pureed fruits or a vegetable puree like bananas, beetroot, apples, or pears. These fruits are gentle on the stomach and provide essential vitamins and minerals. They are also the perfect finger food for your baby.

Another great alternative is iron-fortified baby cereals mixed with breast milk or formula to ensure your baby is getting enough iron for healthy development.

Remember to introduce new foods one at a time and watch for any signs of allergies. .

The Benefits Of Quinoa

This nutritious grain is a great option for babies starting on their great baby-led weaning journey. This versatile grain is a great source of plant-based protein, fibre, b vitamins, and various essential vitamins and minerals, making it a fantastic addition to their diet.

Introducing quinoa early on can help babies develop a taste for diverse flavours and textures while also providing them with the necessary nutrients for healthy growth and development.

Additionally, quinoa is gluten-free, easy to digest, and simple to prepare, making it a convenient choice for parents looking to offer their little ones a wholesome and balanced meal during this crucial stage of their eating habits.

Health Benefits Of Oats For Baby-Led Weaning

Oats are a nice choice for healthy meals due to their numerous benefits. They are a great source of fibre, which helps in digestion and helps regulate bowel movements for infants transitioning to solid foods.

Oats also contain essential nutrients like iron, magnesium, and zinc, which are crucial for a baby's growth and development. They are versatile and can be prepared in various ways to suit your baby's taste preferences.

Whether served as a porridge, incorporated into homemade teething biscuits, or used as a binding agent in homemade baby-friendly snacks, oats make a nutritious addition to your baby's diet during the exciting journey of baby-led weaning.

Ingredient information

Oats - I have used rolled oats, buy you can use any oats that you have, I find the rolled oats cook quicker. You could blitz the oats in a food processor if you prefer. A great food for their first time weaning.

Whole quinoa - I have used a red, white and black quinoa but you can use a white quinoa too. You could use pre cooked quinoa (great if you have any leftover quinoa) and blitz with the oats in a food processor if you prefer from 6 months old if your little one is not used to lumps., or you could use quinoa flour. You can also use Quinoa flakes, which you can buy from your local health shop. This really does have the complete protein in a meal for your baby and the whole family.

Milk - I have used whole milk from 6 months old, but you could use a fortified oat milk or almond milk if you prefer from 6 months old.

Chia seeds - I have used a teaspoon of chia seeds, you could easily leave these out or use 2 teaspoons. You could also add in flaxseed to if you wanted to. A simple way to add extra nutrients to a meal.

Serving suggestion

The porridge would be great served with banana sticks or mashed banana. Berries such as strawberries, raspberries or blueberries would be great with this recipe too!

Other breakfast recipes: Porridge, Oaty bars or Overnight oats.

Storage instructions

Once the milk is added to the quinoa and oats it can be left in the fridge for up to 2 days. Its best stored in an airtight container to keep fresh.

You can also freeze this as well for up to 2 months in the freezer in a large airtight container or portion the porridge up into smaller airtight containers.

Once you are ready to remove from the freezer, all you will ned to do is leave to thaw in the fridge in the container, once defrosted fully, heat in the same way.

Once heated you will not be able to reheat.

Equipment used to help with this recipe

Saucepan - So many pan sets out there but I particularly like to use pans with a non-stick surface for ease of cleaning and ones that are suitable for different types of hob surface.

Airtight container - I much prefer the click-shut lids on these containers compared to others. They are also dishwasher and freezer safe and BPA free, so very suitable for food use.

Recipe | Homemade Quinoa Porridge For Baby Led Weaning

Ingredients

Makes 1-2 portions

• 40g rolled oats

• 40g quinoa, I used a mixed quinoa

• 250ml whole milk

• 250ml water

• 1 teaspoon chia seeds

Instructions

• Place all ingredients into a saucepan. Or you can leave the ingredients to sit in a large bowl for 5 minutes or so, this will result in quicker cooking time.

• Bring the milk to the boil, turn down the heat and cover.

• Cook the porridge for 20 minutes on a medium heat, stirring every now and then.

• Make sure you watch the porridge so it does not boil over.

• Add in a little milk or water if the porridge seems a little too thick.

• Leave stand for a couple of minutes before you serve to your baby.

Hope you and your family enjoy!

Recipe notes

You could use a different milk such as almond milk, oat milk or hazelnut milk works nicely.

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