Thread: Filler or Food? You Decide!

So I thought this was an interesting take. Kaytee mentioned in my Feeding thread that she doesn't do Cereal as it is a filler.

WHat are your thoughts?

I don't think its filler. It introduces grains, are fortified with 100% of the daily requirement of iron and B vitamins, proboitics, and high in calcium.

I don't see it as filler.....i see it as introducing food.

I agree with you for the most part Meow...although I never really used it as anything more than a training food. Once they master it we move on to fruits and veggies. You can buy some that are basically just a filler but for the most part these days the cereal is loaded with good stuff. you can also buy it with DHA now

Originally Posted by Fallon

I agree with you for the most part Meow...although I never really used it as anything more than a training food. Once they master it we move on to fruits and veggies. You can buy some that are basically just a filler but for the most part these days the cereal is loaded with good stuff. you can also buy it with DHA now

See i think i used it up until they can have cottage cheese (pureed or something liek that. But yea, its a begginner food, but is loaded with good things

I'll be honest-I tend to start the girls on green veggies- homemade. Think I'll start with avocado this time as it is Natalia's favorite so she would like to share that with Sophia.

I start with it only to see if baby is ready (mainly because it's cheap and I don't want to make a bunch of food if it isn't time) once baby is ready I use it in fruit once in a while

The reason I say its a filler (not bad for them by any means) is that there is nothing in it that they don't get from moms milk or formula. The reason they add all the extra iron, at stuff into the cereal is because babies at this age (under like 9 months, though some say under 12 months) is that the cereal coats their intestines. When it coats the intestines the body has a harder time obsorbing the "real" nutrients. That is, the nutrients in breast milk or formula. So when you give cereal (they say rice because it's the least allergenic) you are stopping the baby from obsorbing the "real" nutrients, again from the BM or formula. So they jam pack it with more then they need, so that the body can get what is needed.

That is why I say its a filler. It doesn't mean its harmful in any way. just to me its not needed. I would rather give something else. Just personal there though. Now when Nichole got older I did use oatmeal (not baby, as baby cereal itself is not as good as real oats cooked, just harder to make lol) as a thickener for her thinner foods, like peaches. When she got bigger (like 9 months) I used bananas as the thickener for the mushier foods. Veggies, I just did as is.