Give your little one a healthy and nutritious kick-start in the mornings with this delicious Banana Porridge for Babies over 6 months
Overpriced baby food!
My toddler, Kai, turns 3 next month! I can’t believe it, time flies like crazy. Kai was only approximately 6 months when I posted my first baby recipe on my website.
I recall my meeting with Kai’s Community Nurse when he was 6 months old. It was a strange time for me. A first-time mum dealing with a baby and the world was dealing with a deadly outbreak of COVID-19. During Kai’s check-up, his nurse and I were chatting about how empty our supermarkets were. Due to panic buying, there was no rice, pasta, or flour!
This feels so long ago, but I remember it clearly because I was a nervous mum and was throwing her a million questions. Kai was going to start on solids and I need to know EVERYTHING.
Kai’s nurse advised us to get him on ‘Nestlé’s Cerelac’ for breakfast, as it was high in iron. We went through endless boxes of Cerelac and weaned him off it when he turned 1. The boxes were so small, and they were quite expensive too.
Sadly, my husband Tomi and I are one of those couples that complain about the price of everything. We would often go: ‘Do you remember that time when a can of Coke cost 50 cents from the vending machine?’
I stuck to Cerelac because they enriched their cereal with nutrients and benefits that were difficult to replicate with homemade baby food. When I weaned Kai off Cerelac, I fed him ‘Weet-Bix’ or this Banana Oatmeal Porridge. He actually still loves eating both for breakfast, but sometimes he’ll have toast instead.
One problem I faced when making Banana Porridge was his dad. Tomi kept stealing spoonfuls of porridge from Kai. When I caught him out, he said he was just testing the temperature. Yeah right! So it’s safe to say that it’s a winning breakfast for babies, toddlers and adults!
Is oatmeal good for babies?
Yes, oatmeal is very good for babies! Oatmeal is an essential food to include in a baby’s diet as the nutrients in oats assist their growth and development. Kai’s nurse advised us we could feed oatmeal to babies once they turn 6 months.
I prefer to use rolled oats (old-fashioned oats) because they’re less processed, which means they’re still nutrient-rich. Rolled oats take longer to cook than quick/instant oats, but the health payoff is definitely worth it. To make this oatmeal porridge, I just blitz the oats in the blender until it reaches breadcrumbs or powdered consistency.
What are the health benefits of eating oatmeal? Oats are rich in fibre, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. They also contain a higher amount of fat and protein compared to most grains. Oats will keep us feeling full for longer, and are known to help reduce cholesterol and blood sugar levels.
We have more baby recipes for you to check out:
Mango, Pear & banana Puree
Prune and Pear Puree
Lentils, Sweet potato & Carrot
Simple Chia Pudding
Ingredients for Banana Porridge for Baby
Rolled oats (Old-fashioned oats) are made from husked oat groats that are steamed and flattened. They’re lightly processed and highly nutritious. I ground my rolled oats using a blender.
Milk – For children under 2 years old, it’s best to offer full cream or full cream/whole milk as they’ll benefit from the nutrients in regular milk. Alternatively, if you don’t wish to use milk, you could swap it with water.
Bananas – Ripe or bananas with some brown spots are ideal, but avoid overripe bananas as they’re strong tasting and may be offputting for babies’ sensitive palates.
Cinnamon – A small dash of ground cinnamon will help introduce new flavours to babies. Also, cinnamon has wonderful health benefits too.
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How to make Banana Porridge for Baby
Step-by-step guide with photos
Place the oats in a blender or food processor and blitz on high for 10 seconds or until the oats resemble fine breadcrumbs or powder.
Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and add in the oats, then whisk the mixture together until combined. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and stir leisurely but constantly until the oatmeal thickens (approximately 5 minutes)
Add in the mashed bananas and cinnamon, then cook for another minute. If the oatmeal is too thick, loosen it with a little more milk or water until you achieve the right consistency for your baby. Keep in mind that when the porridge cools down, it will thicken a little more. Optional: drizzle a little date syrup over the top.
Leftovers – Allow the porridge to cool completely at room temperature, then transfer into a baby-safe container and store in the fridge for up to 3 days. If frozen, the porridge will be good for 2 months.
I’ve used a third-party application to calculate the calories and nutritional information, so please use this as an approximate guide only.
Cooking measurements are in Australian standard spoon and cup measurements. For specific details and conversions, visit our Australian Cooking Measurements page.
I would love your feedback and support if you made this recipe. To do this, please rate this recipe and provide a comment by scrolling down this page or by clicking that green circle on the bottom left. An email address is required (for spam), but it won’t be published. I would also love to see your dish, so don’t forget to tag me on my Instagram account ‘3catsfoodie’
Cheers – Cat T
Banana Porridge for Baby (Oatmeal)
Ingredients
- ½ cup rolled oats (old-fashioned oat) (NOTE 1)
- 1½ cup milk (full cream/whole milk, may need more) (NOTE 2)
- 2 small ripe bananas or 1 large one (mashed) (NOTE 3)
- 1 pinch ground cinnamon (NOTE 4)
Optional topping
- 100% natural date syrup (natural sweetener)
Instructions
- Place the oats in a blender or food processor and blitz on high for 10 seconds or until the oats resemble fine breadcrumbs or powder.
- Pour the milk into a medium saucepan and add in the oats, then whisk the mixture together until combined. Place the saucepan over medium-low heat and stir leisurely but constantly until the oatmeal thickens (approximately 5 minutes).
- Add in the mashed bananas and cinnamon, then cook for another minute. If the oatmeal is too thick, loosen it with a little more milk or water until you achieve the right consistency for your baby. Keep in mind that when the porridge cools down, it will thicken a little more. Optional: drizzle a little date syrup over the top.
