13 Best Cereals for Babies

When your tiny tot is around 6 months old, has adequate head control, and can sit up on their own, the pediatrician will probably talk about introducing them to solid foods. And baby cereal is one of the very first types of food that’s introduced to infants. Since cereal, including rice organic ones, are soft and easy to swallow, pediatricians highly recommend cereal for babies age 6 months and more to start with them. Even AAP (The American Academy of Pediatrics) recommends adding baby cereal to your tot’s diet when you bring them on solid foods.

Cereals, particularly rice cereals, even the organic kind, have always been a favorite first food since they won’t cause allergic reactions either. However, their main objective was to prepare the baby’s system for solid foods since parents used to begin solids even earlier than they were ready. So, what are you waiting for? Read on to learn about the 13 best cereals for babies of all age to start with, including organic rice ones.

Gerber Baby Cereal Basic Flavor Variety Pack

13

The Gerber Baby Cereal Basic Flavor Variety Pack is the best cereal for babies of all ages to start with. It’s also one of the best rice cereals for babies, despite not being organic. Gerber is a well-known brand and a pioneer in the baby food industry, belting out consistently high-quality products. What’s more, the variety pack contains not one or two but four products – whole wheat, oatmeal, rice, and even a multigrain. Despite not being organic, this is the best baby cereal if you’re alternating different kinds of cereals to ensure variety.

Gerber Whole Wheat Baby Cereal

12

This Gerber Whole Wheat Baby Cereal is perfect for parents, and babies, who prefer single-ingredients whole wheat cereal. In fact, Gerber is one of the very few brands that make them. One great thing about a single-ingredient whole wheat cereal is that it helps establish whether or not your tot has a food allergy quite early on. Secondly, Gerber is extensively fortified with six different B vitamins, calcium, zinc, vitamins C and E, and iron. Since supplemental iron is a priority and vitamin C is an added bonus, this cereal will build your tot’s strength.

Beech-Nut Multigrain Baby Cereal

11

The Beech-Nut Multigrain Baby Cereal is the best cereal for babies age to start with. This wonderful multigrain baby cereal contains rice, wheat, and oat flour. What’s more, it’s iron-fortified, meeting 60% of the everyday value of iron per serving. One of the things unique to the brand is its twist-top canister, complete with a measuring cup in-built into the lid. This additional feature allows parents to measure on the go, especially if you can carry the canister with you. Overall, introducing this multigrain cereal into your baby’s diet is a great way to understand whether your baby can tolerate each individual grain.

Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal

10

The Quaker Old Fashioned Oatmeal is the best cereal for babies; organic, it is not. But still, oatmeal is an affordable family-favorite grain, making this perfect for your tot. One of the best things is that you can simply modify the grain’s consistency while serving it to your baby. What’s more, it’s a wonderful whole grain containing minerals such as zinc and phosphorous, fiber, and protein. So, if you’re exclusively breastfeeding, then including an oatmeal-based cereal such as this is a great idea. Since it’s not iron-fortified, you might want to supplement it with an iron-fortified option.

Earth’s Best Organic Infant Rice Cereal

9

Earth’s Best Organic Infant Rice Cereal is the best rice cereal for babies of any age to start with. This best cereal for babies organic is a trusted rice-based product. It’s made from organic rice grains and is further fortified with iron. So, it’s perfect for infants that are transitioning to solid foods. Secondly, the recipe is crafted from non-GMO ingredients and is USDA-Certified Organic, thus nourishing your little one without any artificial flavors or colors.

Happy Baby Oatmeal

8

The Happy Baby Oatmeal is another excellent simple baby cereal, as it has just three ingredients – iron, vitamin c, and oatmeal. The mineral and vitamin pairing is quite clever in this product since vitamin C enhances the absorption of iron. Since iron is important at this age, this product is ideal as a single serving provides 45% of the daily intake of iron that babies should be taking. Moreover, the gluten-free oatmeal is a great whole grain option containing protein and fiber. So, it’s ideal for your growing baby’s needs since it contains many necessary building blocks. Finally, an added bonus is that this comes with a resealable bag, great for maintaining shelf life and freshness.

Earth’s Best Organic Apple Peach Oatmeal Fruit and Grain Puree

7

The Earth’s Best Organic Apple Peach Oatmeal Fruit and Grain Puree is the best cereal for babies of all age to start with. This cereal is ideal for when your tot is ready to handle and eat blends of several ingredients, and that too with a slightly thicker texture. These baby food pouches are great for parents who’re always on the go or busy at work and home. Since they’re resealable, these pouches are hassle-free in the clean-up and no-mess department. Just note that they should be refrigerated after opening, consumed within 24 hours, or discarded. Finally, this oatmeal blend tastes great, so babies love it. Plus, the parents feel good since it’s certified organic and made from non-GMO ingredients. 

WutsupBaby Original Quinoa Cereal

6

The WutsupBaby Original Quinoa Cereal is a natural baby food that contains the goodness of quinoa, protein, iron, and vitamins. This easily digestible water-soluble powder mixes effortlessly with everything from formula and rice to milk, juice, and water. Furthermore, it helps in physical development and growth, supports organ function and muscle growth, and aids in building a healthy immune system. This certified organic baby food is also made from non-GMO ingredients and thus has no artificial flavors or colors. Plus, it’s hypoallergenic and free from preservatives, BPA, and gluten. Finally, this best cereal for babies organic contains all essential and non-essential amino acids, providing a balanced meal.

Nestle Nestum Wheat and Honey Cereal

5

The Nestle Nestum Wheat and Honey Cereal is the best cereal for babies age to start with. This cereal, which is infused with the wholesome properties of minerals, 6 vitamins, and probiotics, promotes growth and healthy digestion. What’s more, the complex carbohydrates in the grains provide energy to your baby, keeping them cheerful for all-day fun. Thanks to the presence of non-heme iron, it requires no cooking time, and the ingredients can easily dissolve in juice, milk, or water for a healthy consistency. Finally, the preservative-free baby cereal is full of nutrients such as vitamin D and calcium for developing strong teeth and bones.

Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Rolled Oats

4

The Terrasoul Superfoods Organic Rolled Oats is one of the best cereals for babies to start with. For one, it has simple ingredients, such as organic, gluten-free rolled oats. Secondly, they come in a very convenient and resealable pouch, which means it’s easy to store and even carry around. Thirdly, the rolled outs are certified kosher, organic, and gluten-free, and they’re non-GMO verified. If that wasn’t enough, they’re easy to make in three easy steps. First, grind them into a flour-like consistency, then cook them like regular oatmeal, and finally serve them immediately or freeze it in ice cube trays.

Earth’s Best Organic Whole Grain Oatmeal Baby Cereal

3

The Earth’s Best Organic Whole Grain Oatmeal Baby Cereal is the best cereal for babies age to start with. This baby cereal is entirely gluten-free, making it perfect for babies with food allergies or a sensitive stomach. What’s more, it’s made from just organic sprouted buckwheat flakes, which are inherently rich in nutrients. Furthermore, this cereal also provides your little one with essential minerals and vitamins despite its super-simple formula. Finally, the cereal also comes in easy-access serving pouches for added convenience.

Happy Baby Organic Clearly Crafted Baby Cereal Oats & Quinoa

2

You can’t go wrong with the Happy Baby Organic Clearly Crafted Baby Cereal Oats & Quinoa. This cereal has gotten rave reviews due to its specially formulated and USDA-certified organic make that has absolutely no artificial ingredients. What’s more, the cereal is also choline and DHA-fortified to support eye and brain development. Moreover, this is the only rice cereal on this list that contains both pre-and-probiotics to help strengthen your tot’s young digestive system. Finally, it’s completely dairy and soy-free too.

Gerber Purees Organic 2nd Foods Baby Food

1

The Gerber Purees Organic 2nd Foods Baby Food is the best cereal for babies age to start with. This single-grain brown rice cereal is fortified with ten minerals and vitamins and is certified organic. What’s more, it can be easily mixed with formula or breast milk for infants, along with juice, milk, or water for older babies. Many parents rave that this cereal has helped their little ones with acid reflux. That’s not surprising, considering the formula is specifically designed for easy digestion by their small and sensitive stomachs. Finally, this affordable baby cereal comes in an easy-to-open canister.

How To Choose The Best Cereal for Babies?

Variety

Once you’re sure that your baby can tolerate various grains, don’t be afraid to mix it up! So, rotate through various product lines and whole grains, since every brand is made with different grains. Think barley, quinoa, rice, oats, etc. What’s more, every grain also has different nutrient ratios, which makes variety a very important factor in choosing cereal for babies age. It’ll not only increase your kid’s exposure to different textures and tastes, but it’ll also provide many nutrients while decreasing exposure to heavy metals.

Simplicity

It’s always good to look for cereals that have fewer ingredients since babies shouldn’t be fed added preservatives and ingredients to make the food palatable. In the end, they require whole foods in their most natural states, so here, more isn’t actually better. Ideally, most good cereals only have three ingredients – vitamin C, iron, and grains.

Key nutrients

Finally, it’s important to look for iron-fortified cereal since an infant’s iron stores begin depleting at 6 months of age. Other ingredients that would be great to have are vitamin D, iron, and vitamin C.

Is oatmeal or rice cereal better for babies?

The AAP recommends oatmeal cereal for babies that suffer from colic, gas, and acid reflux. What’s more, it’s also wheat-free, which is safer for babies who’re allergic or sensitive to gluten.

Check out the best bottles for babies with gas.

How many times should the baby eat cereal a day?

When your tiny tot is beginning solids, spoon-feed them small amounts of infant cereal only once or twice a day. Also, this should ideally be just after they’ve been breastfed or bottle-fed.

Here are the best cereal bottles for babies.

Can babies have rice cereal every day?

Since a baby’s diet has a huge impact on brain development, the idea is to mix different foods. So, while rice cereal is great, don’t make it the only food in the meal and not every day either – mix it up.