Do you want to add oatmeal to your baby’s diet but not sure where to start? You’re in the right place. Oatmeal can be a healthy choice and it’s easy to customize to meet your baby’s needs and stage. Keep reading for some of our favorite baby oatmeal recipes and tips!
My baby has loved oatmeal ever since she tried it. We had started off with pureed veggies and fruit at around 6 months. Gradually, we introduced new foods like oatmeal and grains. Oatmeal has been a great breakfast option. I will say though, it’s a little messy but it is also very easy to customize flavors. Keep reading for a basic oatmeal recipe and three of our go-to recipes.
Baby oatmeal is budget friendly and can usually be found at the grocery store for a few cents per ounce. It’s also easy to customize to the stage your baby or toddler is in. The basic oatmeal recipe is great for stage 1 and the other three recipes are for stage 2 and beyond.
Adults can enjoy oatmeal too!
These recipes can be enjoyed by babies and adults alike. They are great flavors for anyone but they are on the mild side. Feel free to add a sweetener of your choice if using these recipes for yourself or an older child.
The Three Types of Oats
There are three main types of oats – quick oats, rolled oats, and steel cut oats. The main difference between these three is texture and cooking time. I wanted to point this out because it can get a little confusing when looking at the oat aisle in the grocery store.
Note on gluten free oats: If looking for gluten free oats, make sure to buy oats that are labeled gluten free certified. I love using Bob’s Red Mill and Anthony’s Organic Rolled Oats.
- Quick Oats: Like the name suggests, they are the quickest to make out of the three oats. The downside to the quick oats is that they are the most processed and usually contain less fiber than the other two options.
- Rolled Oats (AKA Old-Fashioned Oats): This is the type of oats that I use most often when feeding my baby and making any of my other oatmeal recipes. Rolled oats are thinner than steel-cut oats and take less time to cook. They are also less processed than instant oats so I think of rolled oats as the happy medium between the other two types.
- Steel-Cut Oats: These are the least processed of the three types of oats but they are also the most dense and thickest. Steel-cut oats should be blended for baby into a thinned puree because they are more difficult to eat. I would suggest avoiding steel-cut oats until your child is a year or older because of this.
My takeaway: For the most part, I use gluten free rolled oats when making baby oatmeal. I find that it cooks fast enough and still has the nutrients that I want. It’s also easy to grind up for baby cereal.
Basic Oatmeal Recipe for Baby (Stage 1)
When we first introduced oatmeal to our daughter, she was about 7 months old. We served her a very basic oatmeal with no added ingredients just so she could get used to the taste and texture.
Basic Oatmeal Puree Recipe for Baby
Recipe:
- ¾ cup water
- ¼ cup rolled oats
Directions:
- Boil: Bring the water to a boil in a pot.
- Add Oats: Add the oats and cook over medium-high for about 5 minutes, until the water has absorbed and oats are soft. Stirring the oats occasionally.
- Puree: Remove the pot from the heat. Let the oats cool slightly before adding them to a blender or food processor. Puree the oats for about 1 minute until smooth. Feel free to add additional water, breast milk or formula to create desired consistency.
- Serve: Once the oatmeal is completely cooled, serve to baby or store in the fridge for up to 2 days.
3 Oatmeal Recipes for Baby, Kids, or Adults
Blueberry Vanilla Oatmeal
Recipe:
- ¾ cup water or milk
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup blueberries
- 1-2 tsp almond butter (or any nut butter or SunButter)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
- Boil: Bring the water to a boil in a pot.
- Add Oats and Blueberries: Add the oats and blueberries to the water. Cook over medium-high for about 5 minutes, until the water has absorbed and oats are soft. Stirring the oats occasionally.
- Remove from Heat: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the almond butter and vanilla extract.
- Serve: If the oats are too hot, make sure to let them cool before serving. Tip: sometimes I will place the oatmeal in the freezer for a couple minutes to speed up the cooling process. Feel free to add additional water or milk to thin the oats, if needed.
Strawberry Banana Oatmeal
Recipe:
- ¾ cup water or milk
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 2 strawberries, sliced
- ¼ banana, sliced
- 1-2 tsp peanut butter (or any nut butter or SunButter)
Directions:
- Boil: Bring the water to a boil in a pot.
- Add Oats and Strawberries: Add the oats and sliced strawberries to the water. Cook over medium-high for about 5 minutes, until the water has absorbed and oats are soft. Stirring the oats occasionally.
- Remove from Heat: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sliced banana and peanut butter.
- Serve: If the oats are too hot, make sure to let them cool before serving. Tip: sometimes I will place the oatmeal in the freezer for a couple minutes to speed up the cooling process. Feel free to add additional water or milk to thin the oats, if needed.
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal
Recipe:
- ¾ cup water or milk
- ¼ cup rolled oats
- 2 tbsp pumpkin purée
- 2 tsp chia seeds
- ¼ tsp pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp maple syrup (optional)
Directions:
- Boil: Bring the water to a boil in a pot.
- Add Ingredients: Add the oats and rest of the ingredients, besides maple syrup, to the water. Cook over medium-high for about 5 minutes, until the water has absorbed and oats are soft. Stirring the oats occasionally.
- Remove from Heat: Remove the pot from the heat and add maple syrup (optional). Stir to make sure all ingredients are combined.
- Serve: If the oats are too hot, make sure to let them cool before serving. Tip: sometimes I will place the oatmeal in the freezer for a couple minutes to speed up the cooling process. Feel free to add additional water or milk to thin the oats, if needed.
Tips for Making Oatmeal for Babies
Cool the oatmeal: I’ve noticed that oatmeal holds heat for a while after it is cooked so make sure that the oatmeal is cooled before serving it to your baby. To speed the cooling process up, I will sometimes place the bowl of oatmeal in the freezer for a couple minutes. Just make sure not to forget it’s in there!
Thin if needed: Oatmeal can easily vary in texture and consistency with the amount of milk or water that is added to it. Feel free to add additional water, milk, formula, or breastmilk to the oatmeal after the cooking process to thin it.
Add extra spice with cinnamon: One of my favorite spices to add to oatmeal is cinnamon. If you want a little extra spice, add a dash of cinnamon and see if you or your baby likes it!
More Baby Food Recipes
Check out our other recipes for babies and toddlers below!
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Baby Oatmeal
Equipment
- Blender
- Saucepan
Ingredients
Blueberry Vanilla Oatmeal
- 3/4 cup water or milk
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 1/4 cup blueberries, chopped in half
- 1-2 tsp almond butter (or any nut butter or SunButter)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Strawberry Banana Oatmeal
- 3/4 cup water or milk
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 strawberries, chopped in small pieces
- 1/4 banana, sliced
- 1-2 tsp peanut butter (or any nut butter or SunButter)
Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal
- 3/4 cup water or milk
- 1/4 cup rolled oats
- 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp chia seeds
- 1/4 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp maple syrup (optional for sweetness)
Instructions
- Boil: Bring the water to a boil in a pot.
- Add Oats: Add the oats and fruit (or pumpkin puree and chia seeds) to the water. Cook over medium-high for about 5 minutes, until the water has absorbed and oats are soft. Stirring the oats occasionally.
- Remove from Heat: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the rest of the ingredients (depending on what recipe you're making from above).
- Serve: If the oats are too hot, make sure to let them cool before serving. Tip: sometimes I will place the oatmeal in the freezer for a couple minutes to speed up the cooling process. Feel free to add additional water or milk to thin the oats, if needed.
Notes
