You’ve always thought that rice is one of those foods that is a must-have for every kitchen cupboard. Not only does it taste good, but it goes well with nearly all of your favourite foods. Whether you fancy sweet and sour chicken, massaman curry, or a lemon chicken salad, you can count on rice to fill you up!

However, now that you’ve had a baby, you might wonder when you can start to add rice to their diet, whether it’s safe for them to eat, what the benefits of rice are to their health, and when and how to introduce it.

So, let's firstly break down what rice is made up of.

What is rice made up of?

Whether it’s long-grain, medium-grain, or short-grain, rice is a seed of a type of grass called Oryza sativa. It’s a fantastic source of manganese, magnesium, fibre, selenium, phosphorus, and Vitamins B1 and B6.

Now that we know what rice is made up of let’s find out whether it’s safe for your baby.

Is rice safe for my baby?

If your baby is at least six months old, then rice is perfectly safe for them to eat. However, it should be made into a puree, so it has an easy-to-swallow consistency. Paediatricians often recommend that parents start their babies on rice cereal, as it can be liquified with formula or breast milk and is easy to consume. While some babies will start eating rice cereal earlier than six months, most will start when they are around 6 to 8 months old.

So, now that we know what rice is made up of, and whether it’s safe for your baby, let’s explore the benefits of giving your baby rice.

What are the benefits of giving my baby rice?

Although rice cereal doesn’t have much nutritional value for a baby, it is very easy to digest, and it’s fortified with iron. However, by mixing pureed rice with breastmilk, your baby might gain some of the nutritional benefits of rice.

It’s also a good pathway to introducing your baby to new foods and textures!

So, how should I introduce rice to my baby?

The best way to introduce rice is like you would any other food, spaced apart a few days from other new foods you might be bringing into your baby’s diet. This is to help identify any potential food allergies they may have. Also, ensure that you’re feeding them rice cereal or rice pureed with milk with a well-balanced diet of other grains, fruit and vegetables.

Giving your baby rice crackers and wafers to try is also a great way for them to practice eating finger foods, as they will easily melt in their mouths.

When can my baby eat rice?

From around six months, and it needn't be special baby rice. Unii has the answer in full.