Bread and Cereals
The first bread and cereal foods advised for infants are the special baby cereals. Baby rice is recommended to be given from the age of around 6 months. These baby cereals have vitamins and minerals added to them to suit the nutritional needs of infants. As babies reach 7 to 8 months and begin to eat finger foods, homemade bread rusks (see below) and toast can be introduced. Other foods from the bread and cereals group that can be offered around this time are pasta, oatmeal and semolina.
‘Bread and cereals’ is the name given to the group of foods that are made from grains and seeds. Most grains undergo some form of processing before we eat them. For example, wheat is ground to release starchy particles before it is used in baking or other forms of cooking.
The foods in this food group provide us with carbohydrates, fibre, vitamins (mainly the B vitamins), some protein and small amounts of some minerals such as zinc, magnesium, calcium and iron.
Go easy on the fibre
Bread can be introduced from around 7 months. Start infants on white or wholemeal bread. Wholegrain breads can be offered after one year of age.
Children don’t need very high-fibre foods such as bran as they get the fibre they need from fruit, vegetables, breads and cereals. Fibre-rich foods tend to fill small children up without providing the energy and other nutrients needed for growth. A very high fibre diet can also cause frequent, loose bowel motions and can, over time affect a young child's rate of growth.
Well-cooked pasta and noodles can be offered from 7 months while other cooked grains such as polenta and oatmeal, can be offered from around 8 months of age.
By the time a child is one year old, he or she should be able to eat any of the bread and cereal products with the rest of the family apart from those that are very high in fibre.
How much?
It is recommended that adults eat at least 6 servings of breads and cereals each day. For 2-5 year olds we recommend at least 4 servings each day. Some examples of servings are:
- 1 slice of bread
- ½ cup of porridge
- ¼ cup of pasta
- 2-3 crackers
With young children a serving may be made up of a larger number of smaller portions of these foods, for example, half a slice of toast and quarter of a cup of pasta.
