When my daughter Jordan turned 4 months old I started her on the most trusted name of baby foods-Gerber, Gerber Baby Cereals to be exact. It's recommended when you start your baby on solids for the first time you to feed them rice cereal. I choose to use Gerber because its a well know trusted name and babies tummies can handle Gerber foods.

Dry Cereals include:

Rice
Barley
Oatmeal
Mixed Cereal
Rice with apples
Rice with bananas
Oatmeal with bananas
Rice with mixed fruits
Rice with Apple Bits & Cereal Crisps
Oatmeal with Mixed Fruit & Cereal Crisps

Gerber cereals are fortified with iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin E. They provide 45% of your child's daily value per serving for iron. Gerber Cereals are also packed with protein, vitamin A, vitamin B6, vitamin C and Potassium.

Cereals made with the ingredients of formula include:

Mixed with Mixed Fruit
Wheat with Bananas, Yogurt & Strawberries
Rice with Apples & Bananas

Cereals made with the ingredients of formula are good sources of protein, Vitamins A and C, iron, calcium and zinc.

Cereals mixed with fruits include

Rice with Apples
Rice with Bananas
Rice with Mixed Fruit
Oatmeal with Bananas
Rice with Apple Bits and Cereal Crisps
Oatmeal with Mixed Fruit & Cereal Crisps

Gerber Cereals come in a convenient 8-oz. box. There is a no spill spout on the side that closes back up tightly, to keep the cereal fresh.

Signs baby is ready to start on cereal

* Watches you eat and seems interested in your food.
* Can sit up on his/her own in a high chair or without support.
* Eats at least 32 ounces of breast milk or formula a day.
* Has control of their head and can move food to back of throat.

Gerber cereals are easy to prepare. Pour desired amount of dry cereal into a bowl; add formula, breast milk or water until you get the consistency you want, adding more if needed. Gerber cereals, when mixed have a smooth, creamy texture. Heat cereal in the microwave for 20 seconds, and stir to make sure there aren’t any hot spots before feeding your baby. Gerber cereal also tastes great cold. I also add rice cereal to Jordan’s jar food to make them thicker if they were too thin.

Start out by introducing rice cereal (at 4 to 6 months, depending on what your doctor says and when baby is ready) first for 1 week, when your baby can handle that go on to oatmeal, then on to barley. Space them 1 week apart to check for allergies and to be sure they can handle it. Mix the cereal with breast milk, juice or formula, it should be thin for the first couple of feedings until baby can move it to back of their throat more easily. Then make it thicker if you want.

If baby doesn't seem interested, don't force it. Try again in a few days. Remember to enjoy your feedings together. Baby may just not be ready for solids. If they don't like the taste too much mix it with their fruits. I've mixed Jordan's rice with bananas, applesauce, pears and peaches and she loves it.

I remember the first time I feed Jordan rice cereal she ended up with more all over her face and highchair then in her mouth. Jordan loved the rice cereal, oatmeal, mixed fruits and rice with bananas the most, she didn’t care for the barley too much. Feeding your child is a great bonding experience for the both of you; it’s something you will cherish forever.

Gerber has a mailing you can get on, go to www.gerber.com to sign up and get coupons sent in the mail. They send coupons monthly and the savings really start to add up. I can buy one box of rice cereal for $1.69 and with a coupon at .50 cents off, a lot of grocery stores double them I can save $1.00. Paying only .69 cents a box. Jordan didn’t eat a lot of cereal so one box lasted me about a month.

I recommend Gerber Cereals to anyone with a baby in the family. Gerber cereals are an inexpensive meal full of nutrients, they can be found at just about any store, are a trusted name when it comes to giving baby want they need to keep them strong and healthy, taste great and are highly tolerable by most babies.

Recommended: Yes