Raffertys Garden Organic Baby Rice Cereal Review

Raffertys Garden Organic Baby Rice Cereal Review

Congratulations! You nearly made it through the first six months of your baby’s life. From now on everything is a breeze.

Well maybe not a breeze as such, but some things do get easier.

Your body seems to permanently adjust to having no sleep so you can at least function.

And you are probably not so terrified to be left alone with your baby now. All is good.

Now it’s time to introduce solid foods, and I’m sorry to say everything will change again.

Just when you thought you had a pattern of breastfeeding or formula down pat, and you thought you knew what to expect in your baby’s nappies.

Now it’s all new questions and uncertainty again, questions such as:

  • When do I start my baby on solid foods?
  • What do I start with?
  • How do I introduce new foods?
  • How do I tell if he’s eating enough?
  • What on earth is coming out in the nappies now??

Some of these questions will need to wait to wait for another day, but some I can help with now.

Today’s review will discuss Rafferty’s Garden Rice Cereal, and when and how to use it.

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Rafferty’s Garden Rice Cereal: a great first solid food

You can start thinking about giving your baby solid food when they are around six months old.

Some parents will do so as early as four months old, usually because they have a big hungry baby, or bubs is showing particular interest in the food you eat.

I started my first baby with Rafferty’s Garden Rice Cereal when he was six months old.

I thought it was his first solid food but I found out that my mother had already given him wedges one day when she took him out for lunch.

So apparently rice cereal makes a good second first solid food as well.

This rice cereal is ground up brown rice, and is high in energy, gentle fibre and iron.

You mix the cereal with breastmilk, formula or boiled water until it’s a consistency to suit your baby.

You can also mix it with things like pureed fruit or baby yoghurt.

There are some great recipes online for ways to use rice cereal if you are looking for inspiration and a bit of variety.

Some suggestions include pancakes, muffins or even teething biscuits.

You could also try making veggie fritters or a zucchini bake using rice cereal instead of flour.

Rice cereal is recommended as a great first food because it’s so gentle on your baby’s tummy and new digestive system.

It is the food least likely to present with any allergic reaction.

That being said, some babies are allergic to rice cereal, so watch out for swelling lips or a rash around the mouth, or any other kind of reaction when you give it to your little one for the first time.

Is this one better than other brands of rice cereal?

It’s hard to tell really. Ground up rice powder is a bit hard to get wrong, so

I’ve found there’s not a lot of variety in the different rice cereals on the market.

They are all pretty bland, although this one does seem to have more flavour to it, and because it’s made from organic brown rice it certainly may be better for your baby than other more processed kinds.

Other brands you could try include Farex or Bellamy’s.

But the prices are all very much the same, around $3 to $4 for a packet, which will most likely last you months.

Does all baby food taste bad?

Sort of, yes. If you make the mistake of eating rice cereal you will notice how bland it tastes, and will wonder why your baby would put up with it.

Your palate is a bit more sophisticated than your baby’s, and you are also used to spices, salt and lots of sugar in your food.

Your baby’s first foods (and ideally for as long as you can keep it up) should have no added sugar or salt.

You could add extra natural flavour with things like fruit and vegetables to give your baby the best start you possibly can.

Our Rating

Taste

5/10

As a grown-up, you’ll find it tastes pretty crappy, but try to remember that it’s not for you.

Your baby will most likely love it, and if not, then you can add pureed apple, pear or sweet potato to it to enhance things a bit.

As Rafferty’s Garden Rice Cereal is made from brown rice, it’s got a bit more flavour and substance that those made from just white.

Nutrition

9/10

This is very healthy stuff for your baby.

It’s a great gentle first food and high in lots of good things to help your baby’s digestive system develop.

It’s not as nutritious as breastmilk, which is a genuine superfood, but by the time your baby is around six months he needs more than just breast milk.

This is the best next step.

Brand Strength

9/10

Rafferty’s Garden is an excellent name in baby and infant food.

The ingredients are as natural and healthy as possible, the products are high quality, and have great varieties which your little one will love.

Parents can trust in what they are getting with Rafferty’s Garden.

Value for Money

7/10

There are cheaper baby foods, but these are worth paying a little more for, because of the better quality and better flavours.

They are still very reasonably priced and you can rely on getting what you paid for.

The only way to really get better value for money is to make your own rice cereals and puree at home, but then what you save in money you lose in time (and sanity).

Paying a little extra for the convenience of this product will seem worth it to a lot of parents who would rather use spare time to have a coffee or a shower.

Ease of Use

9/10

Very, very easy to use.

You open the little sachet, spoon out a couple of tablespoons of rice cereal, and then mix it up with a suitable liquid or puree until your baby seems happy to eat it. It’s a bit nicer when it’s warmed up.

Verdict

8/10

This is a great first product for your baby, and you can’t really go wrong with it.

Buy a small amount to start with however, because some babies seem to despise the stuff, and you don’t want to be left with a giant packet of rice cereal and no idea what to do with it.

Practical stuff

  • Key Competitors: Nestle Celerac, Bellamy’s, Farex
  • Where to find it: Coles, Woolworths, Chemist Warehouse
  • Retail price: $2.49 for 125g

How much does it cost?

Retail price: $2.49 for 125g

Where to buy?

Get discounted price at: Amazon Australia