Oatmeal for Babies
Ditch the box! And try this easy Oatmeal for Babies recipe instead. Made with simple nutrient-dense ingredients in less than 10 minutes, it’s perfect for your baby’s first bite or added into their favorite fruit or veggie puree. I’ll also show you how to serve oatmeal as a finger food for baby-led weaning. There is nothing this baby oatmeal won’t do, and it tastes so much better than the store-bought boxed version! Baby food for 6+ months – stage 1 baby food!
Medically reviewed by Jamie Johnson, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), and Lauren Braaten, Pediatric Occupational Therapist (OT).
Oatmeal for Babies
A smooth and creamy oat cereal for your baby doesn’t have to come from a box!
This easy oatmeal baby cereal is loaded with omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants, fiber, protein, calcium and manganese and takes only 10 minutes to make!
That’s right! In 10 minutes you can have a stash of freezer-friendly oatmeal for your baby.
Yes, it can be that easy!
First time making homemade baby food? Then, I would suggest that you start by reading my very in-depth Guide on how to Make Homemade Baby Food – which goes over all the important information such as the best cooking tools to have on hand, safe storage, how to know when baby is ready for solids, how to introduce purees, the best first foods for baby, and more! You can also check out my best-selling cookbook for even more information and recipes!
Oatmeal for Babies Video
Watch this video to see how easy this Oatmeal Cereal recipe for your baby actually is to make!
Reasons to Love this Baby Oatmeal
- baby food for 4-6 months and up
- stage 1 baby food
- can also be served for baby-led weaning
- 1 main ingredient, plus 2 easy add-ins
- budget-friendly – less than 2 cents per ounce
- easy to make – less than 10 minutes
- can serve alone or with baby’s favorite puree
- creamy and smooth
- homemade
- freezer-friendly
- healthy – full of essential nutrients for a growing baby
- easy to flavor – 6 great combos below
Ingredients
Make sure to read the recipe card below for the full ingredient list and instructions!
- Oats: are a great source of two different types of fiber, which help keep your little ones’ digestive tract going strong. Oats are also packed with antioxidants, manganese, phosphorus, copper, iron, zinc, and vitamin B1. They also help stabilize blood sugar as well as support baby’s cardiovascular health.
- Chia Seeds: are high in antioxidants, omega 3-fatty acids, fiber, and magnesium and are a good source of protein and calcium. They are great for digestive health, building healthy and strong bones as well as overall heart health. We are going to add in a big pinch to this recipe, but you can leave them out if you prefer.
- Hemp Seeds: are a good source of protein and fiber and are also high in GLAs, manganese and vitamin E. Hemp seeds are great for aiding digestive health and promoting a healthy heart. You can leave these out if you prefer or add in ground flax seeds instead.
Health Benefits of this Oatmeal Recipe
This homemade oatmeal cereal is loaded with essential vitamins and minerals for a growing baby.
- packed with two different types of fiber
- great source of omega-3 fatty acids which are essential for brain, eyes and organ development
- has antioxidants that are essential for eliminating the hazards of free-radicals
Types of Oats
The only difference between the 3 main types of oats – steel-cut, rolled and instant, is how much the oat grout is processed. The result of this process is different textures of oats with varying cooking times.
- Steel-Cut Oats: are the least processed of the oats, and they retain about the same amount of fiber as rolled or instant. Steel-cut oats are a great option if you are going to blend your oats into a smooth puree for baby. Since it is thicker and chewier oat, it is best to serve to babies 11 months and older if not blending.
- Rolled or Old-Fashioned Oats: Also known as old-fashioned or whole oats, rolled oats are flat, pre-cooked and dried. While they have a similar amount of fiber as steel-cut oats, they are more versatile and take less time to cook. Rolled oats are extremely easy to blend into a smooth puree, served cold as a finger food, and they can easily be served to toddlers.
- Instant Oats: are the more processed of the three oats and cook very quickly. While you can certainly use instant oats to make a baby cereal, since they tend to be slightly lower in fiber, I recommend the other two oat varieties first.
Gluten-Free Oats: all oats are naturally gluten-free, but they may be processed on machinery that also processes wheat. If you are looking to introduce baby to gluten-free oats, then make sure you look for a brand that is labeled as Gluten-Free. This is my favorite brand of Gluten-Free Oats.
How to Make Baby Oatmeal
There are several different ways to cook oats depending on which type of oat you are using.
Old-Fashioned Oats
- Boil: bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
- Add Oats: add in 1 cup of old-fashioned oats along with a pinch of chia seeds, hemp seeds and any spices you are using.
- Cook: turn down the heat to medium-low and cook the oats for 5 minutes or until all of the water is gone and the oats are soft. Let cool slightly.
- Blend: transfer the oats to a blender or food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes, adding water in 1/4 cup increments if needed, until completely smooth.
- Eat: serve to baby or freeze for later.
Steel-Cut Oats
- Boil: bring 3 cups of water to a boil.
- Add Oats: add in 1 cup of steel-cut oats along with a pinch of chia seeds, hemp seeds and any spices you are using.
- Cook: turn down the heat to medium-low and cook for 25-30 minutes or until all of the water is gone and the oats are soft. Let cool slightly.
- Blend: transfer the oats to a blender or food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes, adding water in 1/4 cup increments if needed, until completely smooth.
- Eat: serve to baby or freeze for later.
Instant Oats
- Boil: bring 1 cup of water to a boil.
- Add Oats: add in 1/2 cup of instant oats along with a pinch of chia seeds, hemp seeds and any spices you are using to a boil.
- Cook: turn down the heat to medium-low and cook the oats for 1-2 minutes or until all of the water is gone and the oats are soft. Let cool slightly.
- Blend: transfer the oats to a blender or food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes, adding water in 1/4 cup increments if needed, until completely smooth.
- Eat: serve to baby or freeze for later.
Other Cooking Methods
I have found that cooking the oats first and then blending them, creates the smoothest oatmeal for your baby. But there are a couple of other ways to make oatmeal for your baby.
BEABA Babycook
Love the idea of fresh oatmeal for your baby, but are short on time? Then let me introduce to you the BEABA Babycook.. aka your new best friend! With a touch of a button, the Babycook will cook the oats and puree them into whatever consistency you prefer. It’s definitely kitchen magic!
Place 1 cup of old-fashioned oats and 1 cup of water inside of the grain insert basket, and place the basket into the glass container, closing the lid. Fill the reservoir tank to a level 3, close and lock the lid. Press the steam button, and let the Babycook do all the work! Once steamed, transfer the cooked oats to the glass container, leaving the water that is already in there and adding in an additional 1/4 cup of fresh breast milk, formula or water. Close the lid, and hit the blend button for 1 minute or until the puree is smooth. You may need to add more liquid to the puree if needed in 2 tablespoon increments.
Full Review: read my full, in-depth and honest review of the BEABA Babycook Neo here, including a list of pros and cons! Make sure to grab 15% off your Babycook with code (BabyFoode15)!
Oat Powder
- Grind Oats: Place 1 cup of old-fashioned oats in a coffee grinder or blender. Grind for 1-2 minutes or until you have a very fine oat powder.
- Add Hot Water: In a microwave-safe bowl, add in roughly 1 tablespoon oat powder and 1-2 tablespoons hot or boiling water. Stir until smooth adding more water if needed. Let sit until warm enough to eat.
Helpful Tools
- Blender or Food Processor
- Storage Containers for Fridge
- Freezer Tray
- Stasher Bag
- highchair
- suction bowl or baby bowl
- baby spoon
- bib with catch pocket
- BEABA Babycook
Frequently Asked Questions
Baby can have oats as one of their first foods. When a baby can start on solids is determined by their own rate of development, which generally comes between 4-6 months of age. Some of the developmental milestones babies need to reach in order to start solids include: if your baby has solid control of their head and neck, if your baby has doubled in weight, and if your baby is reaching for or opening their mouth when you eat (see my guide here). Before you start your baby on purees, you should consult with your pediatrician to make sure your child is developmentally ready.
Oatmeal can 100% be your baby’s first food if you want it to be. It is recommended to wait to introduce the top eight allergen foods to your baby once a few other well-tolerated foods have been introduced, but otherwise, foods can be introduced in any order so choose whatever you are most excited for your baby to have.
No, oatmeal is not a common allergen, however, as with any food, start with a small portion and be aware of any signs that might be an allergic reaction after introducing it.
No, oatmeal can actually help relieve constipation in babies due to the high fiber content that makes it easier on your baby to pass stools.
n this recipe, we are adding in a pinch of chia seeds and hemp seeds, but feel free to add in a pinch of spices if you want. Some great options are: cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin spice blend, allspice, cloves or fresh ginger.
Tip on Spices: I usually add in spices to my baby food purees, but you can add or leave out spices in all of your baby food. You do you! Either way, this puree will taste amazing.
Feeding Tips for Purees
- Throwing spoons – is a common phase that all babies go through at one point or another. One of the best ways to handle spoon throwing is to ignore it and keep feeding baby as usual (with an extra spoon you already have at the table). If baby ends up also throwing back up spoons #2 AND #3, simply encourage your baby to eat with their hands until they appear to be finished with the meal. Give baby plenty of opportunities to practice putting items in and taking items out of containers outside of meal times.
- Follow your baby’s lead – when feeding purees from a spoon, sometimes there’s a tendency to keep offering bites past the point of your baby being full. Always follow baby’s cues for when they are done eating. Turning away from the spoon, closing her mouth, or pushing food away are all signs that baby is finished with the meal.
- Purees are great to keep in your baby’s regular rotation of foods – but if you start feeding with traditional weaning using purees, make sure to progress beyond eating ONLY purees. Once baby can safely and comfortably swallow purees (usually by 7 or 8 months) it’s time to introduce other textures, such as teething biscuits and soft cooked finger foods. Moving onto additional textures in a timely manner may help prevent feeding difficulties at a later age.
How to Store Oatmeal for Baby
REFRIGERATOR
You can store the oatmeal cereal in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 days.
FREEZER
This oatmeal puree can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- Spoon pureed oatmeal into a freezer storage container (this is my favorite freezer storage container) – do not overfill.
- Place the lid on the storage container or cover with a piece of saran wrap and label with date and recipe name.
- Place the tray into the freezer and let freeze completely – preferably overnight.
- Pop-out the baby food cubes and place in a zip-lock baggie or stasher bag – don’t forget to re-label the baggie or stager bag for future reference.
Label Tip: Don’t forget to label your purees before you place them in the fridge or freezer with the name of the puree and date you made it. Take it from me, you will completely forget when and what is in your freezer by the end of the week;).
Oatmeal Combination Purees
While Oatmeal is great by itself, it’s also super easy to mix and match with other nutrient-dense baby food purees. Give these fun flavor combos a try! Stage 2 Baby Food.
How to serve Oatmeal for Baby-Led Weaning
Oats can be hard food for your baby to pick up and feed themselves (oh the mess!). A great way to serve oats as a finger food is by simply spooning a couple of strips or round shapes of cooked oats on a plate and then letting them cool off on the counter or in the fridge. Once cold, the oats will harden enough for your baby to be able to pick them up by themselves. I’m not saying there won’t be a mess.. but it will be less of a mess and definitely easier for your baby to self-feed. Babies are usually ready for baby-led weaning around 6+ months of age.
6 Ways to Flavor Oatmeal
Once you get the basics of oatmeal down for your baby, you can have some fun and serve them some flavorful combinations. Here are some great options that baby, toddler, kids and even you will love!
- Apples + Cinnamon: add in a couple of heaping spoonfuls of grated apple and a big pinch of cinnamon to oats right before serving. Can add a touch of maple syrup or brown sugar into toddlers or kid’s bowls.
- Spinach + Pineapple: cook the oats with a handful of frozen pineapple. Add to a blender along with a handful of spinach, pulse or puree until spinach is incorporated.
- Blueberries, Cinnamon and Vanilla: add in a handful of frozen blueberries, a pinch of cinnamon and a drizzle of vanilla extract while cooking the oats. Serve whole or blend for baby.
- Banana + Peanut Butter: add in slices of a very ripe (lots of brown spots) banana to the oats while they are cooking. Mash the banana while it is cooking into small pieces. Spoon oats with banana into a bowl and add a swirl of peanut butter (or any nut or seed butter you prefer) right before serving. Serve whole or blend for baby.
- Carrots + Flax: add in a handful of grated carrots to the oats while they are cooking. Serve whole or blend for baby. Spoon the oats and carrots into a bowl and top with a sprinkle of ground flax seeds. You can also add finely chopped walnuts and raisins to toddlers and kid’s bowls.
- Mango with Coconut Milk: cook the oats in canned coconut milk (instead of the water) and then add in a handful of fresh or frozen cubed mango. While cooking, mash the mango with the back of a spoon. Serve whole or blend for baby.
Or watch a shortened version of this video here.
Get the recipe: Oatmeal for Babies (Stage One)
Ingredients
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup old fashioned oats
- 1/2 tsp hemp seeds (optional)
- 1 /2 tsp chia seeds (optional)
Instructions
- Boil: In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.
- Add Oats: add in 1 cup of old-fashioned oats along with the chia seeds, hemp seeds and any spices you are using.
- Cook: turn down the heat to medium-low and cook the oats for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until all of the water is gone and the oats are soft. Let cool slightly.
- Blend: transfer the oats to a blender or food processor and puree for 1-2 minutes, adding water in 1/4 cup increments if needed, until completely smooth. I had to add 1/2 cup of water to my oatmeal. You will want the oat cereal to be on the thinner side so it doesn't become sticky. The oats will continue to absorb liquid as they cool, so add more water, breast milk or formula as needed.
- Eat: serve to baby or freeze for later.
Notes
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63 Comments on “Oatmeal for Babies”
Hi! Thanks for your wonderful baby recipes!
I want to add some oomph to my son’s breakfast and he’s been having the Earth’s Best oatmeal for babies so they’re the instant ‘powdery’ just add water kind. Can I use that as a sub for the oatmeal in this recipe?
Hi! Thanks for your wonderful baby recipes!
I want to add some oomph to my son’s breakfast and he’s been having the Earth’s Best oatmeal for babies so they’re the instant ‘powdery’ just add water kind. Can I use that as a sub for the oatmeal in this recipe?
How long will this last in the fridge?
How long will this last in the fridge?
Hi there! This looks great! I was curious if you personally did the 3 day trial of each item separately before mixing them together?
My babe absolutely loves this cereal! Thank you for a great recipe, and for also working seasonings into it. I love that I have “permission” to expose my child to fun seasonings! One question: after it’s frozen, how do I go about thawing and heating it up? Currently, I have servings of this in my freezer, but want to feed tonight, if possible. Any advice? Thank you!
You can gently heat it up in the microwave in 30-second increments, leave it in the fridge overnight or heat in a small skillet over medium-low heat. You may need to add in a little liquid if it is too thick.
Hi I was wondering if it was okay to substitute the Barleans Digestive Seed Blend for the chai. It has flax, chia coconut, pumpkin and quinoa in it?
Thanks!
I haven’t tried using this blend, but it sounds amazing and worth a try!
I have made this a few times for my daughter now and she loves it! But I am wondering how in the world you get the chia seeds to all blend down? I am always left with a lot of seeds still? Is it because of using your vitamix vs me using a ninja? I have tried using the blender and food processor but neither seem to be able to get all the seeds
I followed this recipe to the t and just wondering is it supposed to be thick? I find it very gummy almost like glue. Baby doesn’t seem to care for it. He makes a face it spits it out.
If it’s too thick, you can add in more liquid or another puree that baby likes.
My twin babies love this recipe. I made 120ml and they finished all of it which is first time they ate a lot. love this.
So happy to hear this!
Perfect oatmeal recipe! My baby loved it and finished it all. Thanks for sharing.
How do I thaw this once frozen? Microwave? Also, can I add ground flax seed?
You can use this guide to thaw frozen purees. Yes, you can add a 1/2-1 tsp of ground flax seeds to this recipe.
This recipe sounds great! I would love to make this for my baby, but I was wondering what brand of oats do you personally use? I’m having trouble deciding which to buy
I usually buy gluten-free old-fashioned oats from Bob’s Red Mill (because I am gluten-free) but you can use any old-fashioned oats you prefer. If you can’t find Bob’s then I would recommend the organic generic brand from any store. Hope that helps.
Can you make this with breastmilk instead of water?
Yes, you can add fresh breast milk to the oats while blending into a cereal. I would not recommend using breast milk to cook the oats as most of the nutrients would cook out with the heat.
Oh good point! Thanks for letting me know 🙂
Oh good point!! Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
How would I cook a single serving of the oatmeal in the microwave from the oat flour that’s stored in the fridge?
I would start by cooking 1/4 cup of oat flour with 1/3 cup of water and microwave in 20-second intervals until warm. Since every microwave is slightly different, this may take some tweaking to get the perfect time and quanities.
Hello!! I feed my baby gerber oatmeal thru out the day thru bottles and spoon. Bottles to make them thicker and more fulfilling. No where on the internet can I find a homemade oatmeal cereal that I can just add into his bottle and go without cooking it. Can you help? How would I make my own homemade oatmeal cereal to put into his bottle and go. I notice on gerbers oatmeal cereal box the Ingredients state “whole grain oat flour” . What is this ? Should I use rolled oats that are already precooked? Or instant oats that are precooked ? I’m trying to steer away from store bought oatmeal cereal as it has a lot of arsenic. Please help!
This recipe will be great to serve to your baby as a meal with other fruit or veggie purees. I would recommend only serving baby their formula in a bottle and keep the oatmeal to a meal, but you should consult your pediatrician if you have any more questions.
Help! I recently tried the blending raw oats and adding it to hot water method you describe above. I ground the oats into a fine powder but when I added to the hot water It coagulated and was very chunky and separated from the water. Any advice on how to get it smoother?
This method is definitely more chunky than the cook/puree method. It’s hard to say, but it sounds like you need maybe a little more water and to stir it a little longer. How hot was your water?
Can I used rolled oats for this recipe?
Yes, rolled oats work for this recipe.
Hi! Can’t wait to try this recipe! Question though: Are spices okay to add for Stage 1 baby food? Or should I just begin with nothing at all except the oats + chia & flax seeds for my 6 month old?
Thanks so much!
Yes, you can add spices to your baby’s food right from the start (read more here) but your baby has already been exposed to them through the food you ate. But you can always leave them out if you prefer.
Can we use formula to make oatmeal?
You can add fresh formula to the oats while blending. I wouldn’t add any formula while cooking the oats as the nutrients in the formula will diminish while cooking.
So it’s ok to freeze after blending in the formula? Formula by itself I know you shouldn’t not freeze so I was wondering if it’s blended with food.
Yes, you can freeze formula once it’s mixed with a food. Good question:)
Hello! I was just wondering how long this can be stored for before it goes bad?
You can store the oatmeal in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to 4 months. I hope that helps.
Thank you for detailed and very informative recipes. Easy to follow and make home made baby food. We are only just starting our adventures with solids, so we are still at the stage of getting to know different tastes. You mentioned that stage 1 (4-6 months) is single food stuff (taste) and stage two (6+) is combination – do spices like cinnamon and nutmeg count as the second taste or can I include them in the first stage too?
So glad you are here and you found this guide informative. Spices do not count as an ingredient but you can leave them out if you prefer.
Love how easy you make the recipe to understand and follow
I had a couple of queries
If I do not have enough breast milk to blend and prepare big big stash of food :
I know we use water to blend out oats , veggies and fruits , can we add breast milk to the puree made with water?
Yes, you can add in any amount of breastmilk along with the water for any puree while blending. Or you can leave the breastmilk out completely and just use water.
Easy and simple plus my baby enjoyed it.
So glad your little one enjoyed this!
Hi,
My baby is 8mo. I made the oatmeal powder but would really like to add hemp and chia to this… how could I add it to the pat powder? Could I blend hemp and chia into a powder to add?
Thank you! Love your recipes 🙂
You can blend the oats, hemp and chia seeds altogether and then add in the hot water to cook the oats.
Hi. Can I cook rolled oat with microwave instead in boiling water? I have grind it into powder oat.
Yes, that would work as well!
Awesome! Thanks!
Hello,
I fed my baby organic steel cut oatmeal but I purée it in the beaba. She’s 6 months now. It was her second food I introduced her too and she loved it. I was wondering if it was okay to just give her steel cut oatmeal instead of baby oatmeal. I just noticed her bowel movement was way more then usual like 4 times a day.
Yes, you can serve baby just steal cut oatmeal instead of adding cereal to her diet. Just be sure she is getting iron in other forms and you will be fine.
This recipe is a miracle worker. My daughter loves it so much, she eats it every day. It keeps her poop schedule very regular. Ever since I started feeding it to her daily, she poops anywhere from 3-5 times a day and has never been healthier. Highly recommend!!
So glad that your little one loves her oatmeal and that she is on a regular ‘bathroom’ schedule!
Love this recipe. I have to add cereal to my son’s formula since he has reflux. Do you think I could add the puree oats instead?
Since this is a medical question and I don’t know your son’s case, I would recommend you ask your pediatrician for more information.
For the oat powder can I just mix it with cold breastmilk and feed to my baby?
I would use warm breastmilk, but yes, just add in the warm liquid, stir and serve.
Perfect recipe! Oatmeal came out soft and it was easy to adjust the thickness.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe!
Great recipe! My babe absolutely loves it! Question… once I reheat the oatmeal, it’s very gooey. Is this normal? Almost like glue . He still enjoys it but what can I do to change that? If I add breast milk, it becomes too watery
Thanks for reaching out – yes the oatmeal will become very thick once reheated. I find adding in a little liquid before heating helps it thin back out. But start with just 1-2 tablespoons of liquid for 4 ounces of oatmeal. Stir and add more if needed.
Thank you very much