When did you stop giving your child baby cereal?

Question

My son will be 2 in October, and is going through a fit of not eating so well. He still loves to eat his baby whole wheat oatmeal, so we're still letting him eat it. It has lots of iron and other nutrients he needs, and I can mix all sorts of healthy things in there for him. Mashed up meats, or sometimes I mix it with veggie juice so it has a different color and its sweeter.

Obviously, we're still working on him eating new foods, and he does eat lots of other things, but is there any rule when you should stop letting your child eat this?

Part of me says it should always be a good fall back meal if he won't eat anything else... What do you think?

Answer 1

All 6 of my children stopped eating baby cereal at 6 months, because they were old enough to eat regular cereals and I could be bothered paying extra for the baby stuff. I don't think there is an upper age limit.

Answer 2

There is no rule about weaning children off the cereal.  It's just another breakfast food and it has many healthy nutrients.  As long as he has a varied diet of other meats, fruits and vegetables, he can eat the cereal as long as he wants.  It's perfectly fine.  As a matter of fact, I liked it so much that my mother would prepare it for me when I asked well through my preschool years!

Answer 3

Trust your instincts and do not worry about some random rule.  

It is an excellent way to get in added vitamins and nutrients.  I used to mix it in with my kids applesauce when they were as old as 5 years old.  They finally caught on when they went to school and the applesauce at school tasted "different"

Guess which one they wanted more?  The less nutritious one of course! LOL

Answer 4

i dont see an issue with it... i stopped cereal at around 11 months or something... but she was on table food by then and off forumla already.

If its healthy and he is eating it, its fine, but he should be eating regular foods by now, by itself aswell.  

Answer 5

I eat oatmeal daily and I'm almost 32, I have for years!    : )

If you want to switch from a baby oatmeal to regular, he's more than ready for that by age 2.  I think as long as he's eating a variety of other healthy foods, it's fine.

(That is my son's favorite too, BTW.)

Answer 6

Well, I'm not a parent but I remember that I stopped eating it by about 4. Then, I was eating vegetables, soup, and enormous turkey leg! Haha anyways, yeah. Give your son about 2 more years.

Answer 7

Well, my kids are all two and i still feed them baby cereal and mashed carrots and peas.

Answer 8

as long as you are giving him other food too I don't see why he can't still eat oatmeal.  It is good for you.  2 is a little old but it won't hurt.

Answer 9

I stopped using baby cereal before my kids were 1. I switched to regular oatmeal. I do not see any harm in what you are doing though.  

Answer 10

There is no rule.

As long as the child is joining in the family supper, baby food is not necessary but can still be used.

Answer 11

Keep him on it as long as he likes it!  All 3 of my kids stopped eating cereal about 20 months old....