Rice cereal

Did you know that you can make your own rice cereal for your baby?  It is super simple, cost effective and so much better for your baby.  Steps:  (1) Buy rice.  We buy a large bag of long grain Lundberg Farms brown rice.  (2) Grind rice.  A Vita-Mix dry cup is super helpful for this step.  Otherwise if you have a mill, you can use that instead.  Make sure the rice is a powder and there are no chunks.  (3) One stovetop, bring1 cup water to a boil and mix in 1/4 c. rice powder.  Stir to evaporate water and achieve a thick consistency.  You can serve this to your baby thick or use formula/breastmilk to make it more of a liquid.  Once cooked, you can store the rice cereal in the refrigerator for 3-5 days.  This is so much easier than purchasing rice cereal at the store with all of the extra ingredients, additives or preservatives.  

Arsenic in Rice

Did you know that some rice has high levels of arsenic that can be harmful to your baby?  Arsenic is present in the ground and leaches into the rice while it is growing.  Rice from California is said to have considerably lower levels of arsenic.  One brand that I have grown fond of is Lundberg Farms. It is organic AND grown in California, so it is a win-win for my family.  Check your rice before purchasing and using it, especially if you are feeding it to little ones.