I like that it contains more fibre as well as more vitamins and minerals. Many families eat rice with dinner, or throughout the day, so by offering brown rice to your baby as one of the earlier grains it helps baby be included in what the family is eating. Eating what the family eats and eating together is something that is very important. Read more about family meals here.
There is some controversy over when you should introduce grains, but if you have been following along with the starting solid series you would know that by the time most people get around to feeding their baby a grain they are typically a bit older. If you are interested in reading more about the timing of introducing grains- and the reasoning behind it- you might want to read my blog post on Quinoa.
Our little guy really seemed to enjoy rice when we introduced it. For him, it was really part of the adventure side of starting solid food. Picking up grains of rice was a challenge, and it came with the satisfaction of putting it into his mouth and tasting and then swallowing it.
Stirfrys are a nice meal the family can enjoy one rice has been offered. Stirfry type meals are great for little hands since everything is typically cut into bite-sized pieces already. In addition, this empowers the baby and/or child to pick and choose the foods that are appealing to them. I recommend being mindful of the sauce that you are using if you are offering stirfry to your little one, as many sauces contain lots of salt and sugar.
Allow your baby to eat the rice in whichever way works best for them. If your baby is anything like this one, you will wonder if any rice even went into their mouths when the meal is over and you start on the clean up. Remember, eating solid food is a big learning process!
*There have been a lot of questions about arsenic in rice. Read more about arsenic in rice here.
Do you have questions that you would like to get answered about your baby’s adventure with solid foods? Contact Jill, Nurture The Future’s Registered Dietitian at [email protected]