Feeding Rice In BLW: Answers To Your Burning Questions

Wondering how to serve rice to your baby or toddler? I’m here to help.

Rice is a staple food in many cultures and can offer a variety of tastes and textures for your baby to explore. 

When you’re doing baby-led weaning, it can be difficult to know if you’re serving food the right way. I had my fair share of doubts when I first started baby-led weaning with my kids years ago. 

In this article, we will delve into all the questions you may have about serving rice to your baby or toddlers during BLW.

Let’s jump in!

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How do I give my 6-month-old rice?

At 6 months old, you can offer your baby cooked rice in whatever form you’re eating. Just make sure that it’s soft and easy to chew and swallow. Safe rice to feed a baby is soft and easily squishable between your fingers. 

Roll rice into balls for easy grasping

One common way to feed a 6-month-old baby rice is to roll it into rice balls. This will allow them to grasp it in their small hands. 

Encourage self-feeding with a preloaded spoon

Encourage your baby to feed themselves by exploring the rice. They will often smear it around, in an attempt to pick it up. They may not be able to eat that much at that age. 

Don’t be discouraged by that.

As they get older and have more practice, they’ll start to eat more at every meal.

You can also encourage self-feeding by giving them a preloaded spoon. I loved using this baby’s first spoon sold on Amazon when my kids were 6 months old. It’s easy to hold and makes self-feeding less frustrating.

Which rice is best for a 6-month-old baby?

A 6-month-old baby can eat any type of rice the family is eating, as long as it’s cooked appropriately.

Rice should be cooked until it is soft enough for you to squish between your fingers.

In my family growing up, we only ate brown rice. While I have given my kids different types of rice, we mostly stick with brown rice as well. It has so many health benefits that are good for children.

If you’re not a fan of brown rice, you can opt for basmati rice or jasmine rice since they tend to have a softer texture.

Looking for a rice recipe for baby-led weaning? Try this brown rice and mushroom risotto

Can a 9-month-old eat rice when doing baby-led weaning?

A 9-month-old can safely enjoy rice as part of the baby-led weaning approach, as long as it is properly cooked and prepared. 

Soft and manageable varieties like basmati or jasmine rice can be introduced, allowing your little one to explore different tastes and textures. You can also give them brown rice as long as it’s cooked until soft enough. 

By this age, they may have developed the motor skills necessary to pick up rice and bring it to their mouths. So any type of rice can be given to them.

What can I mix with baby rice?

With baby-led weaning, the focus is on offering whole foods in their natural form. So you should not give baby rice cereal to your baby. 

Rice cereals usually contain heavy metals that are harmful to our bodies (source).  

Instead of mixing baby rice with other ingredients, you can offer a variety of cooked vegetables, fruits, or proteins alongside the cooked rice for your baby to explore and self-feed.

If you rent to offer cereal, then try a different grain other than rice cereal. Some examples of rice cereal alternatives are Amaranth and Quinoa.

You can mix fruits and vegetables with these grains as well. Another option is mixing fruit pouches with these grains or in cooked rice before serving it to your baby. 

Can you add water to baby rice instead of milk?

You can add water to baby rice instead of milk to loosen it up. Just note that milk (cow’s milk or breastmilk) has more nutrients in it than water so, it’s better to use milk instead of water.

If you’re giving your baby cooked rice as part of baby-led weaning, then you don’t need to add water or milk to it. Just serve your baby the rice the same way you would feed it to yourself.  

Encourage your baby to explore the natural texture and taste of the rice without additional liquids.

If you’re using pseudo-grains like amaranth or quinoa, then you can serve them with some breastmilk or formula. This ensures that your baby will get additional nutrients from the meal.

Can you blend cooked rice for a baby?

If you’re worried about your baby choking, then you can blend the cooked rice and pre-load a spoon for your baby to self-feed. 

This will still encourage their independent eating skills until you’re comfortable enough to offer them cooked rice that isn’t blended.

I blended cooked rice for my first child when doing BLW because I was not comfortable with BLW at first. I just made sure to use this baby-led weaning Gootensil from Amazon to encourage self-feeding and develop the skill of chewing food.

Once I became comfortable with BLW, I proceeded to offer rice in its natural form.

How do you make baby rice taste better?

You can make baby rice taste better by putting various spices and flavors in it. Some examples of spices you can add to rice for your baby include thyme, anise, oregano, cayenne pepper, parsley, etc. 

Remember that in baby-led weaning, pureed rice isn’t encouraged because the goal is to get your baby eating “normal” food from the beginning. So try to enhance the flavor of cooked rice instead. 

To enhance the flavor of rice, you can offer it alongside other naturally flavorful foods. For example, you can serve cooked rice with mashed avocado, steamed vegetables, or soft-cooked meats for added taste and variety.

Check out my brown rice and mushroom risotto recipe that’ll be perfect for baby-led weaning

At what ages can babies eat rice?

With baby-led weaning, babies can start eating rice once they show signs of readiness, typically around 6 months of age. However, it’s important to consider your baby’s individual development and consult with your pediatrician.

What kind of rice is best for babies?

When choosing rice for your baby, opt for varieties like basmati rice or jasmine rice due to their softer texture. However, any type of rice can be suitable as long as it is cooked until soft and easily squishable.

Should I give my baby white or brown rice?

Both white and brown rice can be introduced when doing baby-led weaning. Brown rice offers more fiber and nutrients such as B vitamins and Selenium (source), but it may be slightly harder for younger babies to chew if not cooked appropriately. 

You can start with white rice and gradually introduce brown rice as your baby develops their chewing skills.

Can a baby have normal rice?

Yes, as your baby progresses in their self-feeding journey, they can have regular cooked rice in its natural form. Ensure the rice is soft and cooked well to minimize the risk of choking.

Rice that’s appropriate to feed a baby is soft and easily squished between your fingers.

Do I need to mash rice for a baby?

With baby-led weaning, there is no need to mash rice. Instead, offer the rice in a soft and manageable form, allowing your baby to explore and self-feed.

The more exposure your baby gets to food in their natural state, the better they’ll become at eating solids. 

Studies have shown that kids who are fed using the baby-led weaning approach become less picky eaters as they grow older.

Final thoughts about serving rice to babies and toddlers

Often parents revert to purée because they’re scared of their kids choking on the food they give. 

Don’t let your fear stop you from feeding your baby or toddler the BLW way. 

There are safe ways to serve rice to babies. As long as you’re following the right guidelines for feeding, you’ll be alright.