Ingredients:
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 3½ cups of water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- dried cranberries (for older kids and babies older than 7 months who have already been introduced to this food)
- sliced almonds (for older kids ONLY)
Preparation:
Step 1: In a large saucepot, bring the water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, add in the vanilla.
Step 2: Add the oats to the water and stir
Step 3: Turn heat down to low and allow the oats simmer for approximately 10 minutes or until the water is absorbed.
Note: You can vary the cook time depending on the texture of oats that you enjoy. My family prefers oatmeal a bit mushy, while others enjoy more of an “al dente” texture.
Step 4: To customize the oatmeal for Baby, use a food processor or an immersion blender (as I did) to make the oatmeal the perfect texture for your baby.
Babies who are on Stage 1 foods, should eat oatmeal that has a thin and even runny texture, so blend the cooked oatmeal until the mixture is very thin, as shown in the food processor below.
If your baby has already transitioned to Stage 2 textures, simply limit the amount of time the oatmeal is being blended or pureed. In some instances, you need not even use a blender or food processor to make Stage 2 textures.
Step 5: Add even more flavor for babies who are 7 – 8 months or older and have already been introduced to dried cranberries. To do this, make a custom blend of cranberry oatmeal by adding a few cranberries to about a ½ cup of cooked oatmeal and use your immersion blender or food processor to blend the oatmeal to the desired consistency (again, depending on your baby’s stage). To get a sense of what the consistency should look like, check out the photo of cranberry oatmeal made for Stage 1 and Stage 2 babies.
Note: I use a Cuisinart® Smart Stick™ Stainless Steel Immersion Blender & Chopper to make my family’s oatmeal. This tool allows me to find the perfect consistency for the different textures for each stage. I love that it is fast and easy to use to blend up foods for little ones.
Note: This oatmeal freezes well but may thaw to a gummy or rubbery consistency, so be sure to stir well upon thawing. To change the texture, add plain whole milk yogurt if desired.
Always be sure to consult your pediatrician about feeding your baby and introducing new foods.
Find more wholesome baby food recipes from Maggie Meade in The Wholesome Baby Food Guide.
