The introduction of complementary feeding and, in general, introducing children to adult food is a rather lengthy and extremely responsible process. Products that come after breast milk should not lead to negative reactions - intestinal upset, allergic conditions and poor digestion.

Porridge for - one of the best options for good nutrition for kids.

However, it is not easy to understand their diversity: gluten and gluten-free, dairy and dairy-free, corn and buckwheat - which ones are better to cook, when to introduce and give the mixture, with which one, which manufacturers to give preference to. All these nuances should be considered in more detail.

Introducing cereals into complementary foods usually begins from the second half of the year of life, subject to breastfeeding and normal weight gain. Artificers receive the mixture in 4.5 months.

Also, cereals are indicated for persistent rotavirus infections, accompanied by diarrhea. For such babies, high-calorie nutrition is necessary, which is what porridge is considered to be.

At optimal, the vegetable mixture should be introduced first, and only then it is time for the second feeding. Groats begin to give about a month after the introduction of vegetable puree.

There are 5 main “symptoms” by which parents will be able to understand that it is time to cook porridge for the baby:

• the child begins to erupt teeth;
• he is already confidently sitting in a high chair;
• he or a mixture;
• he shows interest in adult nutrition;
• he is able to lick liquid food off a spoon and swallow it.

If these signs are combined, then the baby is potentially ready for the introduction of porridge as the first complementary food. It remains to determine which products are the best for babies.

The best cereals for initial feeding are gluten-free cereals - buckwheat, corn or rice. Dishes from hercules, wheat or semolina are best left for later, since these cereals contain a likely allergen - the cereal protein gluten.

This food component is poorly absorbed by children in infancy, they have gaziki and pain in the tummy. A similar problem is associated with a lack of special enzymes that perform the function of breaking down gluten in the body.

Porridges for the first complementary foods are divided for a variety of reasons, so parents can choose the best and most suitable products for the child:

Porridges can conditionally include such products as:

• welling - cereal-milk mixture, resembling a very liquid porridge, you can give a baby who does not perceive thick food well;
• instant biscuits- hard slices dissolve easily in milk, and the resulting mixture resembles a thin porridge in consistency;
• porridge-muesli- the product contains fruit additives, biscuit pieces that will help a 9-month-old child to quickly master the ability to chew food.

What should be the best porridge for initial feeding? Dairy-free, gluten-free, mono-component porridge without additives, cooked from buckwheat, corn or rice, is best suited for dating.

The composition of each cereal is unique, so baby nutrition experts have developed their own recommendations that take into account the order of introduction of cereals, serving sizes and other important nuances.

Having chosen one cereal, you should cook it for the child for 2 weeks. When children's tummies get used to the new food product, the next type of cereal can be introduced.

Many mothers are not sure what is best for the baby: give porridge purchased at the pharmacy or cook it yourself.

For example, WHO notes that industrial porridge should be used for initial feeding, as it has several advantages:

• quick cooking (it only takes a few minutes);
• easy digestibility;
• balanced composition, also enriched with useful microelements;
• homogeneous consistency, after cooling they do not thicken;
• the absence of salts, harmful dyes and additional components (of course, this is typical for the best manufacturers);
• multilateral quality control;
• a special manufacturing technique, thanks to which the product is easier to swallow and digest.

The advantages of home-cooked baby cereals include:

• great naturalness of products;
• cost savings, since baby dairy products are quite expensive;
• homemade cereals make it easier to switch to an adult diet.

In the matter of complementary foods, you should focus on the child. Childhood impressions when feeding, the baby's appetite will tell parents which porridge is the best - homemade or purchased.

How to cook?

If industrially made cereals are used, then the question of how to cook porridge practically does not arise, since the technique for creating a dish is indicated directly on the packages.

Most often, the dry mixture is poured with boiled water (you should carefully monitor the temperature regime) and mix until completely dissolved. Cooking porridge should be right before eating, observing the following recommendations:

1. Children's porridge, offered to the baby for the first time, must be five percent (from a consumption of 5 grams per 100 milliliters of water). This is the best product consistency for initial feeding. Then the porridge will be 10%.
2. You need to start with a minimum volume - a teaspoon. It is best to "arm yourself" with a silicone cutlery suitable for sensitive children's gums.
3. The best injectable porridge is pureed, gluten-free, dairy-free, made from buckwheat or rice. It is necessary to ensure that the resulting dish is free of lumps and other inclusions. After feeding the porridge, the baby is given breast milk or the usual mixture.
4. Gradually, the portion of gruel increases - by about a teaspoon per day. For a week, you should bring the volume of the dish to 150 grams (this applies to a 6-month-old baby), then a single serving will only grow:
   • seven months - 160 grams;
   • eight months - 180 grams;
   • year - 200 grams.

If you are going to cook porridge on your own, the proportions and the above rules remain in effect. Just do not forget to chop the cereal before cooking in order to avoid lumps that the baby will not approve of, and then you can add milk formulas or mother's milk to the dish.

Rating of the best cereals

Baby porridge is an extremely popular product, so you can buy products from various companies and manufacturers on the domestic market.

When choosing the best dairy-free or gluten-free cereals, you should take into account not only the reviews of other mothers, but also the opinion of the best independent "specialist" - your own child.

A curious assessment of industrial cereals was given in the popular program "Test Purchase". We must pay tribute to all manufacturers - no unsafe impurities were found in cereals, but only two companies got into the rating: Heinz and Bebi.

Cooked products from other companies, including the popular Malyutka porridge, contained unpleasant lumps.

So, we propose to consider in more detail and in the most thorough way the rating of the best baby cereals, from which you should start feeding young children, as well as the reviews of parents that will help you understand which mixtures should be discarded.

1. Heinz

Experts are sure that the best cereals are found in the product line of these manufacturers.

Parents will be able to choose baby food based on the age and needs of the child.

There are many cereals sold in pharmacies and stores:

• dairy-free with additives;
• with milk;
• low-allergenic dairy-free;
• dainty (multi-grain with fruit).

Cooking Heinz porridge is simple - just dilute it in some water.

This infant formula is non-lumpy, pleasant tasting and relatively inexpensive. However, parent reviews show that the consistency of some products does not always resemble traditional porridge.

Dairy-free Heinz porridge First oatmeal with prebiotics (from 5 months) 180 g

2. Baby

Some of the best low-sucrose cereals are produced by this company.

Manufacturers offer the widest range of different products for all age groups.

Parents will be able to please the child with cereals:

• dairy-free (both "clean" and containing fruit);
• dairy (rice with berries and nuts);
• low-allergenic dairy-free with prebiotics (belong to the premium class);
• premium dairy (mono-component and poly-component).

By the age of 1, a lot of changes occur in the child's body. The first teeth appear, digestion changes, chewing skills develop. The enzymatic component of digestion is changing, allowing it to cope with solid food, which is why the child is being rebuilt. A new 4-time meal regimen appears, new products are added, their number increases. With the advent of new menu components, food becomes more complete. An invariable component of the children's menu are cereals, and their number grows with the child. However, not only the cereals themselves are important, but also the methods of their preparation, because most likely your child has already managed to form an attitude towards certain dishes and craves new tastes. Below, we will consider what new cereals for children from 1 year old can be introduced, as well as various ways to prepare them.

What are the benefits of cereals?

Cereals are a valuable food product that is a source of complex carbohydrates. Products in this group are a source of energy, plus they give a feeling of satiety. Also, cereals contain proteins, fats and carbohydrates, along with vitamins and minerals. There are a lot of trace elements in cereals, such as calcium, magnesium or iron.

Each type of cereal has its own benefits and characteristics. So, for example, buckwheat is considered the most valuable, due to the absence of gluten and the high content of proteins, fats, iodine, iron and other trace elements. In the group of gluten-free cereals, rice and corn occupy an important place. Rice to a lesser extent contains useful components, but serves as an excellent nutritional component of the diet, is well absorbed by the intestines. More useful corn grits, contains components useful for the structure of the body, it is also easily digested, like rice, but it takes a long time to cook.

Oatmeal occupies the second position in terms of value for the body of a one-year-old child. At the same time, not only oatmeal itself is useful, but also other offal based on this cereal. It is worth noting the abundance of vegetable fats, coupled with phosphorus, potassium, vitamins E and B and a number of other useful components. Due to the gluten contained in pure oatmeal, porridge can be poorly digested, so it is worth buying processed oats.

Barley and pearl barley - a product of barley processing. The abundance of trace elements and satiety of the product makes it an excellent alternative for a child's lunch or morning menu. Of the shortcomings, it is worth noting the heavy digestibility, so there should not be too many such cereals in the diet.

Finally - semolina. Despite popular opinion, such cereals are less useful than the options listed above. Undoubtedly, semolina contains enough trace elements, vitamins, plus it contains a lot of protein and starch, so the child is very quickly saturated. But some advantages can also be significant disadvantages. For example, frequent use of semolina leads to rapid weight gain, and gluten can cause intestinal upset.

Still, not all cereals are equally useful. Some parents give millet to children from 1 or 1.5 years old. This cereal is not on our list. Since for the baby it can be quite harmful. First of all, millet is a rather coarse cereal, so it is difficult for a child to chew it at the age of 1 year. Also, this feature leads to problems with digestion. Finally, after heat treatment, a very modest amount of vitamins and trace elements remains.

What cereals can be introduced from the year?

Cereals are an integral part of the diet of children, but for them to be beneficial, they should be introduced only at the strictly allotted time for this. So the first porridge, at the age of about 6 months, for a child becomes buckwheat, rice or corn. This choice is due to the absence of gluten, which means that new food will be easier to digest with a weak digestive system. Next, as a complementary food, add oatmeal.

Porridges for a one-year-old child may already contain gluten, be coarser than before. At this age, the baby begins to give semolina. It is great as a satisfying meal for a fast-growing organism. Also at this age, you can start giving heavily boiled wheat porridge.

In some cases, children after a year can begin to give barley and pearl barley porridge. Total in the diet of crumbs at least 8 different cereals. Thus, almost all basic cereals are available to the child, which are easily digestible and contain many useful components. This is also a plus for the mother, who has plenty to choose from for compiling the menu.

Note. If you are giving your child porridge for the first time, then it makes sense to use a ready-made product for this. The ready-made or soluble mixture has a delicate texture, is prepared from high-quality cereals and therefore fully complies with sanitary standards, plus it is easily perceived by the baby's intestines. The exception is products with flavoring additives, it is better not to buy such products, as they can become a potential source of allergic reactions.

Baby cereal recipes

Properly cooked porridge, first of all, must be completely cooked, for this it is worth familiarizing yourself with the cooking time:

• buckwheat - 30–45 min,
• millet - 45 min,
• oatmeal 20–25 min,
• rice 30–40 min,
• semolina 15 min.

Buckwheat

For cooking, we take the standard proportions for making porridge, that is, 1 tablespoon of cereal flour and a glass of water / vegetable broth / milk. Flour should be poured with half a glass of water and let it brew for about 5 minutes. Then add the remaining liquid and put on fire (you can add a little salt). Cook the porridge on the slowest fire, until thickened. After cooking, oil is put into the porridge.

Rice porridge

As for buckwheat porridge, we will use flour, you can make it yourself by grinding the washed and sorted cereals in a coffee grinder. The proportions are the same - 5 grams of flour (1 tablespoon) per 100 grams of liquid.

If the child actively chews, then there is no point in turning porridge into flour. Therefore, we take 2 tablespoons of rice and cook in 2 glasses of water. After 40+ minutes of cooking, the rice will boil enough. In extreme cases, if such a consistency does not work, grind the finished porridge with oil with a blender.

Corn porridge

This time the proportions are slightly changed, we will need 1 cup of water for 2 tablespoons of flour. We put the flour not in cold, but in boiling water, then wait until the liquid boils and quickly mix everything until smooth. The dish is cooked for about 15 minutes, and then it should brew a little.

Advice. Corn grits should be cooked immediately before eating. Cooled or cold porridge made from cornmeal is dry and tough.

oatmeal porridge

For the recipe, take a glass of milk, two glasses of water and 2 tablespoons of Hercules porridge. Like corn, this grits are placed in boiling water. Cook the oatmeal over low heat for 20 minutes, then remove and add milk. If you need to achieve a more uniform consistency, then boiled porridge is rubbed through a sieve and only then butter and milk are put into it.

Semolina porridge

Take a glass of liquid (milk or water), a tablespoon of cereal, oil 1⁄2 tsp. Bring the liquid to a boil and pour a spoonful of cereal into it. Immediately carefully mix the porridge and continue to stir until the cereal is cooked. Turn off the heat, add oil and let the dish brew for 15 minutes.

As you can see, cooking most of the cereals is very simple and does not take much time. The presented recipes are quite simple, so to diversify the taste of the dish after cooking, you can add mashed fruits, dried apricots, prunes to the porridge, you can also mix the porridge with mashed meat or vegetables. Do not forget that from the year you can add a little salt. Another way to diversify the taste of porridge is to cook it together with vegetables, for example, porridge with pieces of pumpkin or carrots can please the baby much more than usual.

Remember! All porridge additives that you use in cooking should be previously tested separately from porridge in order to eliminate the risk of allergies to unfamiliar products.

• Regardless of the type of cereal, it must be carefully sorted out before cooking.
• If pests or a pronounced foreign smell are present in the cereal, it is not suitable for cooking.
• All cereals (except crushed ones) should be thoroughly washed before cooking.
• Stainless steel cookware is best suited for cooking, as porridge burns in enameled containers, and aluminum releases toxins.
• The first cooked porridge should be very boiled and cooked in water or vegetable broth.
• Immediately before cooking, the cereal can be ground in a coffee grinder, so it will cook faster.
• Instant flakes are boiled for about 3 minutes, then insisted for up to 10 minutes under the lid. When the baby begins to actively chew for cooking, you can use the instructions on the package and simply steam the porridge.
• Boiling milk for a long time is not desirable, so it is added to the dish after cooking. You can also use diluted 1k1 milk with water, and after absorbing the liquid, cook the porridge over very low heat.
• Oil is added only at the end of cooking.

Conclusion

Now you know what kind of cereals you can start giving to a child at 1 year old and how many cereals you can cook for a baby by this moment. Do not forget that the crumbs already have a fully developed taste system, so he will be happy with new recipes. For the same reason, you should not be upset if he refuses this or that product. We have presented the main ways of preparing cereals, and further culinary delights lie on your shoulders.

Every mother who has a baby is worried about the question: what complementary foods and at what age should the baby be introduced? Porridge is considered one of the main types of food for children after six months. But are all of them allowed to use up to a year? What are the benefits and harms of a particular porridge? How much should be given to babies? More about this in the article.

Classification of cereals:

1. By type of cereal: rice, buckwheat, corn, semolina, oatmeal, millet, wheat, barley, barley.
2. Dairy and non-dairy.
3. Gluten (containing cereal protein - gluten) and gluten-free. Cereals: Buckwheat, rice, millet and corn are classified as gluten-free.
4. Homemade and purchased.

At the beginning of weaning, porridge should be dairy-free, gluten-free and consist of only one cereal. Most often, rice or buckwheat porridge is introduced first. Then corn is gradually added. Other cereals aged 6–7 months It is not recommended to use, because they contain gluten, which often causes allergies.

Approximately from 8 months you should gradually begin to introduce oatmeal and cereals from several cereals.

From 9 months you can try millet, barley, barley, wheat porridge.

Manna is usually included in the child's diet last - after 1 year.

For children aged 6-8 months, porridge is prepared with water or breast milk. Whole cow's milk is not added due to the risk of an allergic reaction. From 9–10 months, you can cook a dish in milk in half with water. It is better to start using completely milk porridges only from 1 year.

Which cereal is better to choose: homemade or purchased?

It depends on several factors: the taste preferences of the baby, the financial capabilities of the mother and whether she has time to cook the dish.

Arguments "for" purchased cereals in bags:

• most of them are hypoallergenic (do not contain gluten, sugar, preservatives, milk components);
• they are enriched with vitamins (however, many mothers do not consider this a benefit, since all vitamins are chemically produced, and therefore they choose a product without additives);
• cook them conveniently and quickly;
• the finished store product has a liquid consistency, which is suitable for children under one year old.

Arguments "for" homemade cereals:

• the composition of the dish is formed by the mother herself (there are no questionable components, you can add the necessary ingredients at your discretion);
• inexpensive in cost;
• they have a longer shelf life than purchased products;
• a thicker consistency of homemade porridge contributes to the development of the chewing muscles of the child.

Useful properties of cereals

Gluten free cereals

The safest, because they do not contain vegetable protein gluten and are suitable for complementary foods for the smallest (from 6 months).

• Rice. Rich in carbohydrates, which are well absorbed by the body.
• Buckwheat. Contains vitamins of group B, iron, magnesium, zinc, copper. Improves the functioning of the digestive system due to the large amount of fiber. Due to the rich content of iron, it reduces the risk of anemia in a child. Prevents constipation and effectively removes harmful substances from the body.
• Corn grits. It contains a large amount of vitamins B, A, E, PP, iron, starch. It improves bowel function, helps eliminate flatulence and colic.
• Millet. It has a lot of fiber, protein, vitamins of group B, PP, zinc, potassium, iron. It has a positive effect on the functioning of the circulatory system and liver, removes toxins.

As the baby matures, it's time to gradually accustom him to more "adult" and varied food. Suitable for babies from 8 months.

• Oat groats- a valuable source of phosphorus, calcium, vegetable protein, fiber, vitamins B1, B2. Helps strengthen bones and teeth, favorably affects the functioning of the nervous system.
• Barley groats (barley and pearl barley) contain vitamins of groups B, A, E, PP, potassium, calcium, iron, fiber. Porridge helps to remove harmful substances from the body, improve the functioning of the digestive system, and strengthen the immune system. Help to cope with allergies.
• Wheat groats. Stimulates metabolism, improves the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, removes harmful substances from the body.
• Semolina. It is well absorbed, rich in vitamins of group B, PP, vegetable protein and starch, which give the body growth and energy. Porridge is very satisfying and high-calorie.

How to introduce porridge into the baby's diet?

For cooking, take 5 g of cereal per 100 g of water. You need to start introducing porridge with ½ teaspoon in the morning, carefully monitoring the reaction of the crumbs. If there is no allergy, then the volume of the dish is brought up to 150 g during the week. Then the concentration increases and amounts to 10 g of porridge per 100 g of water.

How to cook porridge for babies

The cereal must first be washed and dried. Before cooking, grind in a coffee grinder or blender. Then pour for cooking either into cold water (for example, rice or buckwheat), or into boiling water.

Cook the porridge on low heat, stirring constantly. Cooking time depends on the type of cereal. To give the porridge a brighter taste, you can combine it with vegetables (pumpkin, broccoli) and fruits (apples, pears, bananas).

After readiness, you can add breast milk or formula, vegetable or fruit puree. Until 1 year, salt and sugar are not added.

Note: it is better to give porridge from a spoon, as this is food close to an adult. When a child eats it from a bottle, the product does not have time to properly wet with saliva.

Porridge is a valuable product that affects the full development and gives energy and strength for the growth of the baby. Let the diet become healthier and more varied with them!

Porridge for children is an indispensable source of valuable nutrients, and therefore energy. What kind of cereals do babies need, and when to start complementary foods? You need to know that the stomachs of small children are very tender. Therefore, it is worth introducing the child to cereals gradually, introducing them one by one and according to the most favorable periods of stomach receptivity. Not all cereals are good for children. Let's figure out what cereals a child can have.

First food

In order for the child to develop correctly, for the first time, complementary foods begin with vegetable puree when they reach 4-6 months. And, approaching the period of 5-7 months, introduce a second complementary food porridge. Porridge is boiled in water, followed by mixing the mixture or breast milk, salt and sugar. Porridge for children, if cooked correctly, will seem unsweetened and undersalted to an adult. As for the oil, 2-3g per serving is enough. The first days, the porridge should be quite liquid. To do this, adhere to the proportion - a teaspoon of cereal per 100 ml of milk. Later, in the absence of undesirable reactions, the porridge is thickened. Initially, the child is given only one teaspoon, and then the portion is adjusted to 100-150g, adding one or two more spoons day by day. Pediatricians advise to feed the child with porridge only in the morning. Do not feed your baby porridge before bedtime, otherwise.

You should know that not all cereals are suitable for 5-6 month old children, but only buckwheat, rice, corn. Semolina and oatmeal are very allergenic due to gluten, and are not allowed at this time. Barley and millet are also contraindicated for the unsettled digestive system of the baby. They are too rough.

Buckwheat

Contains the most important amino acids for the functioning of the body, proteins, fats, iron, vitamins gr.B and E, starch, potassium, sodium, lecithin. It is best to start the second complementary foods (the first is vegetable puree) with buckwheat porridge. For a child's stomach, the good thing is that porridge is easily digestible and quite low-calorie. Therefore, it does not cause constipation. Buckwheat will contribute to the rapid growth and development of children, strengthen immunity. Porridge is especially useful for the formation of the nervous and skeletal systems. For children after 12 months, buckwheat is supplemented with cottage cheese, vegetables, and meat.

Rice porridge for children

It is a keeper of protein, amino acids, starch, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sodium, B-group vitamins. Rice porridge is nutritious and well digestible. Rice is a significant "helper" if the child has insufficient weight gain, and also has a problem with loose stools. Porridge promotes mental development, bone growth. For older children, jam, fresh fruits, berries, dried fruits are introduced into the porridge. After a year, you can give rice and fish.

Corn porridge for children

Valuable for its nutritional value and content of vitamins PP and B, iron, carotene, chromium, silicon, protein and fiber. Porridge is considered non-allergenic, low-calorie and easily digestible. It has a beneficial effect on the intestines, cleansing and soothing its mucous membrane. Corn porridge is especially good and healthy for a child in combination with cream cheese and vegetables.

Oatmeal

In children after eight months, oatmeal is allowed in the diet. Oatmeal is rich in fiber, magnesium, lecithin, protein, linoleic acid, phosphorus, sodium, potassium, and calcium. Porridge stimulates growth and muscle development, contributes to the stable functioning of the stomach and intestines.

Semolina porridge for children

Children older than a year can also eat semolina porridge. Semolina contains too much starch (70%) and not enough vitamins, which is why it should not become a frequent "guest" on the child's menu. Pediatricians say that you should limit the amount of semolina to 1-2 single servings per week, up to three years. But fiber and protein, nevertheless, save the situation. Thanks to this, porridge is not “heavy”, it is quickly absorbed and is useful for diseases that require dietary nutrition.

Good health to your baby!

Pediatricians strongly recommend that the first complementary foods begin with cereals, as they are rich in vitamins, trace elements and are well absorbed by the baby's body. This product should be constantly in the diet of the baby, starting from 6 months. Porridges can be made independently or bought in packages. From the article, parents will find out which cereals are better to buy for the first feeding and nutrition of the baby. And a table with an overview of the best manufacturers of cereals for baby food will help you navigate the variety of these products.

Which cereals for baby food and complementary foods are better - a comparison of different types of cereals

If a mother decides to feed her child with purchased cereals, then she needs to understand their huge assortment, which is offered by baby food manufacturers. The tables below will help you with this.

Table number 1. Varieties of baby food cereals

Types of cereals	Composition features	Recommendations for use	Advantages and disadvantages
Dry	Dry cereals can be different in composition: gluten, dairy, dairy-free. Depending on the age of the crumbs, the optimal product is selected. Dry porridge is crushed to the state of flour and diluted with boiled water before use.	It is good to give such cereals to children for the first feeding and are recommended as the main food until the baby masters real adult food.	Pros: Easy to use, affordable, kids love it. Minuses: Personal intolerance to one or another porridge may occur.
Finished	Such cereals can be prepared from any cereal. Canned cereals in jars can be with the addition of fruits, cottage cheese or yogurt.	Usually these cereals are used by mothers in case of lack of time. They are easy to open and feed the baby.	Pros: Quick and easy to use porridge. Minuses: Porridge has a limited shelf life. After opening, you need to use the porridge within 6 hours, provided that the rest of the product is stored in the refrigerator.
Dairy	Milk porridge is introduced after dairy-free. They contain cow's milk or they are made on a partially adapted milk formula.	You can consume such cereals from 7-8 months. In principle, if you add milk mixture to dairy-free porridge, you get milk porridge. Sometimes mothers do not introduce this type of cereal into the diet of children, but immediately switch to adult food.	Pros: Porridges are tasty and fragrant, like children. Minus: Almost any milk porridge contains sugar.
Dairy-free	These cereals are cheaper than dairy ones, they do not contain sugar, but they are not as tasty and fragrant as dairy ones.	Dairy-free cereals are recommended for allergic children who cannot tolerate cow's milk. And also for those babies who suffer from lactose deficiency. They are used for feeding children from 6-7 months.	Pros: Well digestible, good for health. Minuses: Often, children refuse dairy-free porridge because of its neutral taste.
Gluten Free	Gluten-free cereals are buckwheat, corn, rice, etc. They do not contain vegetable protein, which is why they got their name.	Porridges are recommended for babies in the first complementary foods, since gluten (vegetable protein) is hard to digest by the "inexperienced" stomach of the crumbs. Buckwheat porridge is rich in iron and calcium. Rice porridge is recommended if the crumbs have bad stools.	Pros: Does not cause allergies, contains vitamins, nutritious. There are no cons.
Gluten	Gluten cereals contain wheat protein, which is difficult for the baby to digest. Therefore, such a product is introduced from 11 months.	Gluten from English language translates as "glue". These cereals can cause allergies and celiac disease in a child (damage to the mucous membrane of the small intestine).	Pros: Manufacturers make fragrant and tasty gluten cereals. They are cheap. Minuses: Allergies, celiac disease may occur.
With 1 cereal	The basis of porridge is 1 cereal (buckwheat, rice or corn).	This kind of porridge can be given at the age of 8 months.	Pros: Useful, well absorbed by the body. Minus: May contain sugar.
With 2 cereals	Any two nutritious cereals are added to porridge, which makes it nutritious and rich.	If the child is well tolerated feeding porridge with 1 cereal, you can give him porridge with 2 cereals.	Pros: Nutritious, satisfies hunger for a long time. Minus: Contains gluten or sugar.
Multicereals	The composition of such cereals includes several types of cereals. Vitamins and minerals are also added for the development of the child.	Such cereals are recommended to be consumed after a year. They are rich and can be the main lunch or breakfast.	Pros: Crushed cereals are prepared with high quality. Mixing cereals on your own, it is very difficult to ensure that the porridge is completely boiled. The porridge is delicious and nutritious. Minus: There is sugar.
With pieces of fruit	Dried fruits, crushed to a state of flour, are added to the porridge base, which enhance the taste and make the porridge more pleasant.	It is recommended to try such cereals no earlier than 7 months.	Pros: Fruits make porridge more nutritious and increase its value. Minus: Some manufacturers add sugar to porridge.

Rating of the best 12 cereals in the nutrition of children up to a year

Table number 2. Overview of cereals from popular manufacturers

Brand of baby porridge / price	Advantages	Flaws
Agusha (manufacturer "Wimm-Bill-Dann") 95-100 rub.	Agusha porridge dissolves well and has a pleasant taste.	Reasonable price, but small packages. Also, cereals quickly deteriorate after unpacking.
Baby (Slovenia, Droga Kolinska company) 75-115 rubles.	Natural composition, budget price, a large assortment of cereals, pleasant taste.	Baby cereals are consumed faster than other brands. There is a lot of powder for making porridge.
Winnie (Russia, ZAO Infaprim) Up to 95 rubles.	Contains vitamin B, prebiotics. Easily absorbed by the child's body. Delicious.	Some cereals contain sugar.
Karapuz (Ukraine) 70-90 rub.	It dissolves quickly, less powder consumption than in other brands of cereals. The grain grinding technology is no worse than in foreign cereals. Budget price.	Some cereals are useful, but have a repulsive smell. The child refuses to eat them sometimes.
Baby (Holland "Nutricia") 71-120 rub.	Affordable price. Nice flavor, quick to prepare.	Porridge sometimes forms lumps.
Nestle (Switzerland) 85-132 rub.	Porridges are prepared according to a special technology, carefully splitting cereals. There are supplements, vitamins, bifidobacteria, probiotics. Large assortment of cereals. They are tasty and healthy.	There is lecithin, which can cause allergies in the crumbs.
Samper (Switzerland) 50-150 rub.	The technology for preparing cereals includes a special processing of grain and the process of enriching the product with vitamins and minerals. The porridge is tasty and healthy.	The price is too high.
Spelenok (Russia) 60-100 rub.	The porridge is cheap and has a wide range of flavors. Prepares without lumps, dissolves well. Allowed from 4 months.	Some types of cereals contain sugar, but these products already have enough carbohydrates.
Frutonyanya (Russia, OJSC Progress) 35-96 rub.	Affordable price. The cheapest baby porridge. The porridge is delicious. The packaging is convenient.	Some varieties of cereals are high in gluten.
Heinz (Heinz baby Company) 95-133 rub.	Porridge is prepared quickly, without lumps. Heinz has a pleasant taste and aroma. Like children.	Some varieties have a lot of extra additives. Read the composition of the porridge on the package.
Hipp (Austria) 66-150 rub.	Porridges have a natural composition without impurities, have a pleasant smell and taste. Some cereals include a wide range of useful components: vitamins, probiotics, minerals.	Some types of cereals have a neutral or even bland taste.
Humana (Germany) 85-135 rub.	Humana porridges contain useful vitamins and minerals. Dissolve well. There is a wide selection of cereals for all ages.	There are no cons, except for the high price.

1. Hunts and Malyutka.
2. Nestle.
3. Agusha.
4. Humana.
5. Frutonyanya.
6. Samper and Baby.
7. Winnie.

What should be considered when choosing porridge for the first feeding?

1. For babies 4-6 months old, it is not recommended to introduce gluten or milk porridge into the menu. Better stop your choice on dairy-free porridge.
2. Dry cereals are more convenient to give in the first days of complementary foods , since you yourself can regulate which dose to dissolve for your baby. This will save the budget and product consumption. Also, these porridges are quickly prepared. They can be done before the start of feeding, and not for the future.
3. The first complementary food should be porridge made from rice, buckwheat or corn . These cereals are better and easier absorbed by the baby's body and do not overload the stomach.
4. If the baby is allergic to cow's milk or suffers from lactose deficiency, buy him dairy-free porridge and dilute with adapted for babies or boiled water.
5. The first porridge should not contain salt or sugar . The manufacturer always indicates the full composition of the product on the packaging.
6. Choose cereals with prebiotics . They create an optimal microflora in the intestines, overcoming constipation and stool disorders. When entering, you need to take care of the well-being of the crumbs in advance.
7. Porridge should be introduced gradually, even if the baby eats them willingly. Sometimes mothers, rejoicing at how the baby eats deliciously, overfeed the crumbs and give more than they should.

Many mothers are wondering which cereals are better: bought or cooked on their own. To date, purchased cereals fully comply with all quality standards. They are useful and can be used for feeding children. If a mother wants to cook herself, this is her right, but if she prefers ready-made or dry cereals, then there is nothing terrible and shameful here. It all depends on personal preference and circumstances.