When you and your pediatrician decide that it's the right time to introduce solid foods to your baby, tried-and-true baby cereal might be your first choice.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breast milk or formula as the sole source of your baby's diet for the first 6 months of their life. After that, there are a few guidelines that parents should follow before deciding if their baby is ready for solids: The baby must be able to hold their head up properly with no assistance, open their mouth automatically when food comes their way, and finally, be able to move food from their mouth to their throat. And while many parents choose to introduce bland veggies like avocado or sweet potato as their baby's first food, whole-grain or barley cereal can be an excellent aid if your baby is suffering from constipation, according to Longwood Pediatrics. It's also a really convenient diaper bag food.
However, we should note that if your baby has only had formula or breast milk up until now, you need to make sure that they can swallow foods of thicker consistency. This is another reason why baby cereal is a great transitional meal — it can be made with breast milk or formula, so you can adjust the thickness as you please.
You might be leery of cereal if you've read the news lately, though: You've probably heard that there is some concern over heavy metals in baby foods, specifically rice cereal. For this reason, our list contains only rice-free cereals to calm any concerns that parents might have.
We also spoke with two nutritionists about the cereals that they'd recommend for parents to buy. Nutritionist Heather Hanks says that she likes to “buy oatmeal baby cereal instead of rice cereal to reduce exposure to arsenic and boost baby’s fiber content.” She also says that “oatmeal is a good source of a type of soluble fiber called beta-glucans that have been shown to boost immunity.” Dietitian Summer Yule adds that fortified barley cereal is another great option, as it may not absorb arsenic as readily as rice crops do.
How We Chose
For this baby cereal guide, we used our experts' recommendations and paired them with parental reviews, taking taste and texture into consideration. Learn more about the best baby cereals that are both parent- and baby-approved. We're sure you’ll find one here that your little one will absolutely love.
When your tot is starting to venture out into whole foods, it's important that they jump-start their journey with options that are not overly complex.
Gerber's Organic Oatmeal Baby Cereal is plain oatmeal that is fortified with iron for your developing tot. Because it's made without extra flavors or additives, you don't have to fret about the possibility of an allergic reaction.
We hear you: You want a baby cereal that's healthy, packed with fiber and protein, along with a sneaky source of veggies. Look no further. This blend from Gerber has carrots, lentils, and peas — and kids just love it. Add a bit of water, formula, or breast milk, and you're good to go.
This baby cereal is the tastiest breakfast for little ones learning to feed themselves. Sure, it makes a bit of a mess, but knowing that it's a healthy, safe, delicious food that they love really makes the mess worth it. (Each parent needs at least three pictures of their baby with oatmeal in their hair.)
4
Best Probiotic Option
Probiotic Oatmeal & Peach Apple Baby Cereal (Pack of 6)
Fortified with iron and probiotics to promote healthy brain and gut development, this trusted baby cereal from Gerber helps to ease hesitant parents into the world of solids. The natural banana flakes give this oatmeal a light, fruity flavor that tastes a little yummier than the plain one.
5
Building Flavors
Bananas, Dragon Fruit, Coconut Milk & Oats + Super Chia
Building an adventurous palate begins when they're little. This combination of bananas, dragon fruit, and coconut milk makes for an appealing and fun combination. The addition of the oats and chia makes this baby cereal more filling and better for your little one's digestive system. It's a bonus that you can stash these in your diaper bag or backpack, too.
With only oats fortified with vitamin C and iron, your baby will get started on solids in the right way. HappyBaby's oatmeal baby cereal can be blended with water, formula, or breast milk to create a tasty and smooth meal for your sweetie.
Since there are only three ingredients in this cereal, your baby is in the clear when it comes to common food allergens.
Grown and harvested without pesticides or herbicides, Earth's Best Organic Whole Grain Oatmeal Cereal is a solid choice for your babe's first solid food.
Without any added sugar or salt, this baby cereal is fortified with the necessary vitamins and iron that your baby needs to grow healthy and strong.
Vitamin-rich and packed with bone-supporting calcium, this tasty cereal adds a boost of health to your tot's daily menu. This non-GMO oatmeal cereal by Gerber has sweet and nutritious banana and strawberry folded into the mix.
Perfect for the baby who is old enough to crawl, this cereal's bigger bits help your little one ease into chewing, mashing, and tasting more complex textures. It also smells really good, which seems to lure babies to this blend.
A blend of sweet organic apples, warm cinnamon, creamy yogurt, whole-grain oats, and omega-3-packed chia seeds, this baby cereal pouch tastes good enough for adults to eat.
Designed to match your kid’s physical development as they get older, this Stage 4 Super Morning pouch is perfect for the little one who’s able to hold and squeeze on their own.
Since they're chock-full of the health-boosting nutrition your growing baby needs, you'll love having these travel-friendly packs from WutsupBaby on hand. Created in order to retain the most nutrients possible in a baby food, you can rest assured knowing that your baby is getting a healthy bite with every spoonful.
As it's packed with prebiotics, this carrot-flavored baby cereal will ensure your little one's tummy will be happy and full ... instead of rumbling with painful gas.
While you might not be familiar with this brand, Amara's baby cereal is wildly popular with babies who have tried it. The fiber-packed blend contains good-for-you fruits and grains like amaranth, giving babies fun textures and tastes to explore.
If you're looking for a fortified option that's full of iron and vitamin C, look no further than this baby cereal from Happy Baby. The quinoa-and-oat blend has a smooth texture, and you'll love knowing that your baby is getting vital nutrients for their growing body.
As with other cereals, you can mix this with any liquid that your pediatrician recommends. It can be served at different temperatures to get your child used to eating foods that are colder or warmer, which can be quite jarring at first. We also love that the resealable pouch packaging is recyclable.
Cat BowenParenting EditorCat Bowen is the parenting editor at BestProducts.com where she researches all of the best products for families from pre-conception through their teen years, focusing on matching scientific evidence with real-life needs.
Latifah MilesParenting EditorLatifah is the former parenting editor at BestProducts.com where she spent her time researching and testing the latest, greatest, and coolest products created to make parenting a breeze; her work has been featured on Cosmopolitan, Romper, and Elite Daily.
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