I am glad to tell you that my home made cerelac posted last month was well received by a lot many moms. Many questions were asked about the whole grains used, shelf life period, storage mode, age group for consumption etc. Hence thought of compiling a post on the home made cerelac for babies with the frequently asked questions on it.
A to Z of Home Made Cerelac for Babies
- Which are the grains I can use for this home made cerelac or sattu maavu porridge?
Ragi, Bajra (kambu), Wheat, Orange corn, White corn, Red or brown rice, Green gram , Channa dal, Fridegram, Urad dal, Almonds, Cashew, Peanut, Pistachio, a small piece of dry ginger are the ingredients of this home made cerelac or sattu maavu porridge powder.
- Where can I buy these whole grains or ingredients from?
You can buy these whole grains from provision stores or super markets.
- So many grains are used , won’t it cause gas in babies ?
The whole grains used in this home made cerelac powder might cause gas . To curb the gas, a small piece of dry ginger is also powdered and added to the sattu maavu. It provides a nice aroma to the whole mixture.
- How to cook home made cerelac ?
Take a cup of boiled milk . Dissolve 2 tablespoons of sattu maavu or home made cerelac in it until no lumps are formed. Now place it on the stove and stir well.
Once the porridge is cooked , simmer it for 1-2 minutes and then let it cool down. Add ghee and sugar or jaggery if required.
- Which milk have you used in sattu maavu porridge?
Whole cream cow’s milk is ideal for 1 year plus baby. If your baby is less than 11 months, you can prepare sattu maavu kanji or cerelac porridge in plain water .
- Can I add formula to this home made cerelac ?
Yes formula can be added. Once the porridge is cooked , prepare formula separately. Add the prepared formula to the porridge and mix well.
- What is the shelf life of this home made cerelac powder ?
Shelf life of home made cerelac powder in summers is up to 2-3 months. In rainy season, store it upto a maximum of 1 month . Its ideal to make small fresh batches of this home made cerelac.
- How should I store this home made cerelac powder at home ?
Home made cerelac powder once prepared can be stored in an air tight container .
- How can I know whether the porridge is cooked ?
Once the porridge is cooked , it starts coming off from the edge towards the centre of the kadai in which its cooked and the consistency changes from liquid to a thicker one.
- Will home made cerelac help in weight gain ?
Definitely. You can add ghee and jaggery/ sugar to increase the nutritional value.
- How many times a day or week can I give this home made cerelac porridge ?
Everyday you can make this sattu maavu porridge a part of baby’s diet for breakfast or dinner.
- From which age group can I give this porridge to my baby ?
It can be best started from 10th or 11th month.
- Can I add sugar or jaggery to this porridge ?
Yes sugar or jaggery can be added to sweeten the sattu maavu kanji or porridge.
- Can I add honey to this saatu maavu kanji ?
Honey can be added for babies above 1 year of age. For babies less than 1 year jaggery, dates, palm sugar or sugar can be used.
Hope you liked this article about home made cerelac. Any more questions or queries , do let me know.