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    Home » Breakfast

    How To Make Baby Oatmeal

    Published: Jan 31, 2022 by Katelyn | With Sweet Honey · This post may contain affiliate links Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    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 to customize to meed your baby's needs and stage of eating. Keep reading for some of our favorite baby oatmeal recipes and tips!

    strawberry oatmeal

    Oatmeal for baby

    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 eating blueberry oatmeal with a small spoon

    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.

    rolled oats in a small brown bowl with a napkin on the side
    Jump to:
    • Oatmeal for baby
    • Adults can enjoy oatmeal too!
    • The Three Types of Oats
    • Basic Oatmeal Recipe for Baby (Stage 1)
    • 3 Oatmeal Recipes for Baby, Kids, or Adults
    • Tips for Making Oatmeal for Babies
    • More Baby Food Recipes
    • Did you enjoy this post, let me know!
    • Baby Oatmeal

    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)

    basic baby oatmeal with small baby spoon

    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:

    Step 1: Bring the water to a boil in a pot.

    Step 2: 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.

    oats and water cooking in a small pot

    Step 3: 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. 

    plain oatmeal in a small blender

    Step 4: Serve: Once the oatmeal is completely cooled, serve to baby or store in the fridge for up to 2 days.

    plain blended baby oatmeal in a small bowl with a plastic purple baby spoon

    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)
    • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

    Directions:

    1. Boil: Bring the water to a boil in a pot. 
    2. 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.
    3. Remove from Heat: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the almond butter and vanilla extract. 
    4. 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.
    oats, water, and chopped blueberries in a small pot
    blueberry oatmeal in a small pot
    blueberry oatmeal with almond butter drizzled on top with a small plastic spoon
    blueberry oatmeal in a small silicone bowl with almond butter drizzled on top

    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:

    1. Boil: Bring the water to a boil in a pot. 
    2. 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.
    3. Remove from Heat: Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the sliced banana and peanut butter. 
    4. 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 oatmeal in a small silicone bowl with banana slices and peanut butter drizzled on top

    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:

    1. Boil: Bring the water to a boil in a pot. 
    2. 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.
    3. Remove from Heat: Remove the pot from the heat and add maple syrup (optional). Stir to make sure all ingredients are combined.
    4. 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.
    ingredients for pumpkin spice oatmeal in a small metal pot
    pumpkin spice oatmeal in a small bowl with a purple spoon

    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!

    • Kale Baby Food Puree (Stage 2)
    • Sweet Potato Baby Food Combinations (Stage 2)
    • 6 Homemade Baby Food Combinations (Stage 2)
    • Applesauce Baby Pancakes
    • Healthy Oatmeal Toddler Breakfast Cookies

    Did you enjoy this post, let me know!

    I love to hear from readers like you! Please feel free to drop a comment or rating below and let me know which oatmeal recipe your little one liked the best. Also feel free to follow @withsweethoney on Instagram, where I share more recipes and food photography tips. Enjoy!

    This post contains affiliate links. Thank you for supporting With Sweet Honey!

    strawberry oatmeal in a small silicone bowl with banana slices and peanut butter drizzled on top

    Baby Oatmeal

    Oatmeal can be a healthy and delicious option for babies, toddlers and adults. It's also easy to customize to match your baby's needs and stage.
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Baby Food, Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: oatmeal for babies, oatmeal recipes
    Prep Time: 5 minutes
    Cook Time: 5 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 1 serving
    Katelyn | With Sweet Honey

    Equipment

    • Blender
    • Saucepan

    Ingredients

    Blueberry Vanilla Oatmeal

    • ¾ cup water or milk
    • ¼ cup rolled oats
    • ¼ cup blueberries, chopped in half
    • 1-2 tsp almond butter (or any nut butter or SunButter)
    • ¼ tsp vanilla extract

    Strawberry Banana Oatmeal

    • ¾ cup water or milk
    • ¼ cup rolled oats
    • 2 strawberries, chopped in small pieces
    • ¼ banana, sliced
    • 1-2 tsp peanut butter (or any nut butter or SunButter)

    Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal

    • ¾ cup water or milk
    • ¼ cup rolled oats
    • 2 tbsp pumpkin puree
    • 2 tsp chia seeds
    • ¼ 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

    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.
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    Hi, I'm Katelyn! I create gluten-free, dairy-free, and paleo recipes that are easy and delicious. Food should make you feel good, and I hope my recipes inspire you to try something new. Happy cooking!

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