Rice Cereal and Puffs vs. Sauerkraut, Liver and Bone Broth: What Should We Really Be Feeding Our Kids?

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​Karen Switkowski, MS, MPH, PhD

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If you ask American parents what their baby’s first complementary (“solid”) foods were or should be, many first think of cereals, rice puffs and mild fruits and vegetables such as sweet potato, peas, avocado and banana. Current recommendations also encourage introduction of common allergens such as peanuts, dairy, eggs and soy along with other complementary foods at 4-6 months of age. Many parents feed these foods to their baby as purees, though “baby-led weaning”, or self-feeding of family foods, is gaining more popularity among modern parents (discussed in more detail here and here). Whether babies are fed purees, self-fed family foods, or a combination of the two, introduction to the typical American diet often leaves babies missing out on key nutrients and other whole food components beneficial to their developing bodies, as well as exposure to the rich flavor profile of a varied whole-food diet.

Iron and zinc are two trace minerals essential for healthy infant growth, neurodevelopment, and healthy blood cell formation. Breast milk provides adequate iron up to about 6 months of age, and then breastfed infants require additional dietary sources of iron (infant formula is generally fortified with iron). Meat is an excellent source of both iron and zinc as well as high-quality protein, and one study found that infants accepted pureed beef just as readily as infant cereal. The American Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics encourages inclusion of some pureed meat and poultry for breastfed babies, while the AAP recommends that iron-containing foods be among a baby’s first complementary foods, but suggests either meat or iron-fortified baby cereals. Data from NHANES 2005–2012 suggest that many parents choose the latter - infant cereal contributed 39% of U.S. infants’ iron intake vs. <2% for meat. While meat is an excellent source of the more absorbable form of iron, as well as other nutrients, baby cereal is highly processed and contains little other than the synthetic nutrients, including iron, that are added during the fortification process. There are also concerns about intake of arsenic by babies who regularly consume rice cereal. The popular “puffs”, commonly used as a first finger food and convenient snack, are similarly low in naturally occurring nutrients and high in processed grains, potentially contain arsenic, and frequently have added sugar.

For parents willing to think outside the cereal box, other less mainstream choices include bone broth and liver. Bone broth is a nutrient-rich, easily digestible food that is easy to prepare and serve to babies on its own or as a cooking liquid for other vegetables. Liver is a rich source of preformed vitamin A (good for babies, who do not efficiently convert beta-carotene to vitamin A), which is required for growth and development, immune function, and vision, as well as B vitamins, calcium, iron, folate, and other important nutrients.

Many parents (me included) would not think of introducing their baby to fermented foods, which contain live, beneficial bacteria known as probiotics. Fermented foods include sauerkraut, pickled vegetables, yogurt, kefir, and miso, all of which are commonly consumed in many cultures, but do not appear regularly in the American diet. Research indicates that consuming probiotics (in fermented foods or supplements) can help beneficial bacteria thrive in the gut and has been associated with a variety of health benefits including prevention and treatment of digestive distress and reduction of eczema and allergies. Young children may benefit most from a probiotic-rich diet, as their gut microbiome is not yet established. Another potential benefit is that early introduction of these foods can help babies become accustomed to sour and tangy tastes, reducing their natural preference for sweet foods.

​Of course, before writing this post I tested this somewhat unconventional diet out on my own convenience sample (N=2). My baby went crazy for her lacto-fermented carrots and was equally enthusiastic about finely chopped sauerkraut. My 3-year-old rejected these offerings after tasting, but they both loved the chicken liver and bone broth. As a bonus, I have expanded my own palate (and gut microflora?) in my efforts to boost the nutritional richness of my kids’ diets, though liver is a taste that I have not yet acquired!