As a parent, we all want to give our babies the best start in life. One important way to do this is by providing them with the right nutrition during their crucial early months and years. One staple food for babies that many parents rely on is cerelac, a commercial baby cereal that is often fortified with vitamins and minerals. However, let me tell you homemade stuff is always better – preparing a homemade cereal recipe is far better and safer.
While store-bought cerelac can be convenient, many parents are now turning to homemade versions as a healthier and more natural alternative. From the quality and variety of ingredients to the absence of preservatives and additives, homemade cerelac offers a range of benefits for your little one. Whether you’re looking to control what goes into your baby’s food or simply want to provide them with the best possible nutrition, making your own cerelac can be a great choice.
I have shared some homemade cerelac recipes for babies in this blog. These mixes are the health mix powder that may require slight cooking before serving to your baby, They are super nutritious and preservative-free. Keep reading to explore a few homemade cerelac recipes in the sections below.
Homemade Cerelac Recipe
Recipe 1 – Sathu Mavu Powder for babies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup ragi (finger millet) flour
- 1 cup bajra (pearl millet) flour
- 1 cup green gram (moong dal) flour
- 1 cup chickpea (chana dal) flour
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup wheat flour
- 1/2 cup almond powder
- 1/2 cup cashew nut powder
- 1/2 cup groundnut (peanut) powder
- 1/2 cup cardamom powder
- 1/2 cup turmeric powder
Instructions:
- Dry roast the ragi flour, bajra flour, green gram flour, and chickpea flour separately in a pan until fragrant and lightly browned. Set aside to cool.
- Once cooled, mix all the flours in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the cornmeal, wheat flour, almond powder, cashew nut powder, groundnut powder, cardamom powder, and turmeric powder to the bowl and stir until everything is well combined.
- Store the sathu mavu powder for babies in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
To serve, mix 2-3 tablespoons of the sathu mavu powder with warm water or milk until it reaches the desired consistency. You can also add jaggery or mashed fruits or vegetables for added nutrition and flavor.
Recipe 2
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rice
- 1 cup yellow split peas
- 1 cup whole wheat
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 cup powdered milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Rinse the rice and yellow split peas and spread them out on a baking sheet to dry completely.
- Once dry, add them to a blender or food processor and grind them into a fine powder.
- Transfer the powdered rice and split peas to a large mixing bowl.
- Add the whole wheat flour, cornmeal, powdered milk, sugar, and salt to the bowl and stir until everything is well combined.
- Store the cerelac in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
To serve, mix 2-3 tablespoons of the cerelac with warm water or milk until it reaches the desired consistency. You can also add mashed fruits or vegetables for added nutrition and flavor.
Recipe 3
Ingredients:
- 1 cup rice
- 2 tbsp moong dal
- 2 tbsp masoor dal
- 2 tbsp black urad dal
- 2 tbsp horse gram
- 7 almond/badam
- 2 tbsp broken wheat
- water (for rinsing)
Instructions:
- In a large bowl take 1 cup of rice and rinse with enough water.
- Drain the water and spread it on a clean kitchen towel to air dry for 30 minutes. You can also sun dry to hasten the process.
- In another bowl, take 2 tbsp moong dal, 2 tbsp masoor dal, 2 tbsp black urad dal, 2 tbsp horse gram, and 7 almonds.
- Rinse with enough water to get rid of dust and other impurities.
- Drain off the water and spread it on a clean kitchen towel. Allow it to dry for 30 minutes.
- Take dried rice and roast on low flame. until the rice turns fully dry. It takes 10 minutes, to dry completely on low flame. Cool completely, and transfer to the plate.
- Once the all lentils have dried completely, transfer them to the pan and start to roast.
- Roast on low flame until it dries completely.
- Cool all the ingredients completely before the next step.
- Now take the mixture to a blender and blend to a fine powder.
- Sieve the powder using a fine mesh to prevent any grains.
- Store the homemade cerelac mixture in an airtight container and use it for up to a month.
To serve, take 1 tbsp of mixture in a clean saucepan. Add 2 cups of water and start to whisk making sure there are no lumps. Now place the pan on low flame and stir continuously. Cook for 10-12 minutes or until the mixture thickens and is cooked completely.
Recipe Credit
Bottomline
In conclusion, as a mother, I strongly recommend homemade cerelac over readymade options. It is a healthier, safer, and more nutritious option for babies and toddlers. By taking the time and effort to prepare homemade cerelac recipe, we can ensure that our children get the best start in life and grow up to be healthy and happy individuals.
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