it took us a while to decide what cereal we would start k with. we couldn’t start her with barley or buckwheat due to her wheat allergy. we wanted to hold off on rice because of the arsenic issue *read note 1. so we decided on oatmeal.

after some research, i was able to find wheat free and gluten free oat bran, which is the outer husk of the oat. it is rich in dietary fiber, protein and iron.

i chose Bob’s Red Mill Oat Bran because it is gluten free and wheat free, i have used other products by Bob’s Red Mill before, and it is easily accessible. it is also quick cooking so it takes just a few minutes to make which is really helpful to prep k’s meal in time!

cooking tools

• small saucepan
• small food storage container

ingredients

• 1/3 cup dry oat bran
• 2/3 cup boiling water

preparation

1. in the small saucepan, boil 2/3 cup water. when boiled, add 1/3 cup dry oat bran. cook per package instructions.
2. serve 1/2 of cooked oat bran after it has cooled.
3. save remainder 1/2 of cooked oat bran in the small food storage container.

k ate all of the oat bran! i’ve read that oatmeal is a good food to have on a daily basis so i’m glad k is off to a good start on a healthy grain that she enjoys!

resources

1. nutrition information from:
– Wholesome Baby Food Guide by Margaret Meade
– World’s Healthiest Foods: Oats

2. resource US FDA: Arsenic in Rice and Rice Products