It's fun, easy and satisfying to cook healthy options for baby.  The addition of ground grains is a great way to introduce new textures, flavours, and nutrition to your baby’s diet.

Why Baby’s Grains Must be Ground
Whole grains are difficult to digest so the grinding/cooking with extra water aids baby’s digestion. It is recommended to only start feeding baby ground, cooked whole grains from age 6 months. Organic Oats and Millet are easiest on baby's tummy.  At 7 months, you can grind Quinoa; 8 months, Organic Brown Rice, as well as other healthy extras such as lentils, beans, flax seeds, etc.

Isn’t Instant Easier?
The nutritional value from instant cereals is slim to none. During the processing, the vitamins & nutrition are stripped completely. Baby is unable to absorb the marketed “Added Vitamins” so they simply pass through.  Realistically, it’s better to skip cereal altogether and add more fruits and veggies than to rely on instant cereals. BEWARE to especially stay away from flavoured cereals, as they’re full of harmful chemicals and sweeteners.

Getting Started
“Being prepared is half the battle won.” Especially if you’re a parent holding a screaming, hungry 7-month-old! Luckily for home cooked ground grains, all you need is a coffee grinder* (not used for coffee please), ¼ cup measuring cup, pot, & whisk.

1. First select the grain you’d like to introduce into baby’s diet. If you can afford it, buy organic; but if you’re on a budget, any non-GMO quality sourced grain is fine. 

2. Measure ¼ cup of whole grains and put in the grinder.

3. Pulse the grinder until near flour-like powder. As baby gets older, pulse for less time to make grains a bit chunkier.

4. To cook, measure 1 cup water and put in a saucepan. Bring it to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk the ¼ cup of grains into the water. Return to LOWEST heat setting (for electric cook-tops, whisk constantly at first as the burner doesn’t immediately cool to LOW). Cook for 10 minutes. To avoid scorching, whisk every few minutes. 

5. Add more water, if needed, to get the desired consistency OR if grains are scorching. Millet is very dense, so they need a bit more water; oats are light, so they need less.  Use the basic 1:4 ratio of grains to water for ALL ground grains & legumes, and adjust from there. 

6. Allow grains to cool in the saucepan. Divide cooled grains into 4 portions. Feed baby 1 portion that day and save the other 3 in small tubs in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

TIPS:
TIME SAVING:  You can grind bulk grains in the grinder and keep in a sealed glass jar in the refrigerator for up to 30 days.  You can also freeze uncooked ground grains for long life, but like all things: the fresher, the better. 

FOR VARIETY: try mixing different grains. Put ¼ cup brown rice and ¼ lentils in the grinder and grind together.  Or put a tbsp of 4 grains and some flax seeds in the grinder to make a Super Porridge! It’s fun & tasty—and oh so good for baby.

After Baby Food
Grinding grains can be part of your cooking experience long after baby is done with pureed foods.  "Healthy Extras" can be added (or hidden) in many different ways. I add freshly ground flax seeds to almost all of my flours; I’ve even breaded chicken in it!  You can grind pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, oats & flax to add to any muffin or flapjack batter for added nutrition. The options are endless. 

*The best coffee grinder for grains is the cheapest one you can find, I promise.

For more in depth information about grains and nutrition, visit www.NurtureNaturally.co.za and see the Ground Grains page.