Gerber Rice Cereal: Not Just For Infants Anymore!
Written: Mar 01 '05
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Inexpensive, wholesome, a number of uses
Cons: May constipate, doesn't come in chocolate
The Bottom Line: Gerber Single Grain Rice Cereal is digestible, fortified, and compatible with breast milk, water or formula. It also figures into BRAT diet, rehydration drinks and convalescent applications.
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| kcfoxy's Full Review: Gerber Single Grain Cereals |
As an experienced RN working 10 hour graveyard shifts at our local Medical Center, I get plenty of calls from new Moms and Dads wanting advice about first infant foods. It may come as a surprise to learn why adults may also benefit from this easily digested and wholesome single grain cereal.
Gerber Single Grain ~Rice~ Cereal
One 15 pound infant was being breastfed, but while Mom produced plenty of milk, for this large, 3 1/2 month old to thrive, he just wasn't satisfied. She called to ask about supplementation with formula, indicating her body was getting awfully sore, and now little 'Kyle' was biting and fussing. What to do?
Gerber.com recommends infants show signs of being ready for first solid foods, single grain rice cereal being given the initial nod, when your baby meets one of these milestones, (and Pediatrician approves):
Takes 8-10 breast feedings/day and is still hungry
Consumes 32 ounces of formula/day and indicates he wants more
Is able to sit up with support and has good head control
Birth weight is doubled, and is at least 13 pounds
Smacks lips, shows interest in food you are eating
For this breastfeeding Mom, we recommended mixing a Tablespoon of infant rice cereal with 4 to 5 Tablespoons of expressed, (pumped) breast milk, mixing until smooth and spoon feeding. Gerber suggests not putting this into a bottle, due to the risk of possible choking, and placing the spoon next to the child's lips, rather than in the mouth, so she may suck/slurp the mixture, a familiar skill.
The website goes on to give a timetable of adding 1 Tablespoon extra per day, for the 2nd, 3rd and 4th days, until your child is familiar with the thicker texture of 4 Tablespoons rice cereal to 4-5 Tablespoons breast milk, water or formula.
Fruit juice, such as pasteurized apple juice may be substituted for the other fluids; our resource suggesting after 4 months, and Gerber pointing to AMA Pediatricians' preference of 6 months, (chiefly due to concerns of infant obesity).
After giving this first food 3 to 5 days, to make sure there are no food sensitivities, (diarrhea, vomiting, rash, increased fussiness), Gerber recommends Single Grain Oatmeal followed by Barley. Each of these simple, reduced fiber cereals are fortified with Vitamin B1, B2, B6, Niacin, Calcium, Phosphorus, Zinc and Iron, the last which may pose a problem if your child already consumes an iron-laced formula.
We've gotten plenty of calls-and many frantic, middle of the night ones, I can attest-due to tarry, greenish black stools, or infants straining at stool. In the majority of the cases, the infant will either be newly switched from breast milk to formula, consuming iron-enriched formula or having some new food added to the diet.
This can work to your benefit if your kidlet tends toward the runny, watery sort of dirty diapers, and leads up to a couple other uses of rice cereal.
Not Just For Breakfast Anymore
Rice cereal is a chief component of the BRAT diet, useful to control diarrhea. It also is a great food for anyone convalescing from the sort of tummy wobbles most of us refer to a intestinal 'flu, since it is so well-tolerated and absorbed.
For this 50-something gal, stricken after 5 months of continuous antibiotic use, with a potentially life-threatening and debilitating illness, Pseudomembranous Colitis, this was indeed the first food my ravaged intestinal tract could handle after 30 days of water and Gatorade.
More on that in a Public Service Article to follow. But it makes sense, given the fact that infant rice cereal is one of the main components of a highly recommended rehydration drink, Pedialyte.
Briefly, the rice cereal acts like a sponge, soaking up excess free water from the intestinal tract, firming up the stools, and giving the irritated mucosa a chance to rest and recover. Infant rehydration products contain water, rice cereal, salt, (about 1/4 teaspoon per Quart), and the flavored ones, have what most infants and toddlers indicate aren't very convincing flavors.
We recommend either making your own, using 1/4 Cup of instant rice cereal per Quart, or buying the unflavored variety and adding your own tiny bit of Jello powder-Grape flavor seems to be a big favorite.
Still More Uses?
Pulverized rice cereal, mixed in equal parts with plain cornstarch makes a passable waterless shampoo for the bed-bound. I twirl it in my food processor until it's powdered enough to be called rice flour, then make one of my most favorite Hawaiian delicacies, mochi.
Along with chicken broth, it makes a decent, gentle soup following hangovers and other adult-type indulgences, here providing the primary 3 rehydration ingredients in a more palatable Big Kid variety.
Works fine in porcupine meatballs and meatloaf, and will make an ersatz Thai Mango Sticky Rice, substituting Junior Peaches, Apples or Bananas. I know because we stocked up on a half dozen of the 16 ounce size boxes, and my spoiled animal menagerie even reaped the rewards of scratch lamb and rice casserole.
I've never tried to make actual Rice Pudding with this instant variety cereal, but imagine, Gentle Reader, that someone out there, has the equivalent of a Scout Badge in this wholesome, healthful product, and will be letting me know.
Final Thoughts And Recommendation
Gerber's Single Grain ~Rice~ Cereal is an excellent first food, well tolerated, best because there is a very low allergy rate, (compared to say, wheat products). Neutral taste won't turn off most infants, and the creamy, small grained texture is easiest for hungry, tiny mouths to slurp/suck-my term-off the tip of a long-handled feeding spoon.
Useful for young and old suffering from gastroenteritis, (e.g., vomiting and diarrhea), this bland, easily digested product also lends itself to a number of tasty recipes, especially where easy blending and thickening properties are desired.
Maybe that's even a clue to why I loved finger painting so much-the slightly gooey, soft texture equates with early Mother/Grandma love in my earliest memories. Cheerios? Well, that's another tale.
Gerber Single Grain ~Rice~ Cereal is one I recommend without reservation. It contains no additives, other than mineral supplementation, and gets 5 full stars from this true believer.
Recommended:
Yes
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kcfoxy
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Member: Casey Stewart
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