First foods database
🍚 Wild rice for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat wild rice? Yes, from about 6 months if it is cooked very soft. Wild rice is actually the seed of a water grass, with a nutty taste and lots of fibre, but its chewy, firm grains need extra cooking and mashing for young babies.
Good source of: Protein, Fibre, Zinc, Manganese
How to serve wild rice by age
6 to 9 months
Simmer wild rice for 50 to 60 minutes, longer than the packet suggests, until the grains split open and are soft. Blend or mash with softer white rice, vegetables and a little milk. For finger food, mix into soft rice balls that hold together.
9 to 12 months
Offer soft-cooked wild rice mixed with white or brown rice in risotto, pilaf or with stews. Your baby can practise picking up clumps.
12 months and up
Serve wild rice in salads, soups and stuffings with the family, mixed with softer grains.
Choking safety
Undercooked wild rice is hard and chewy, and loose firm grains can be tricky for babies. Cook until split and soft, and mix with stickier foods so it holds together.
Gagging is common and noisy while babies learn to eat. Choking is usually silent. Always stay with your baby while they eat, sitting upright. How to help a choking baby (NHS).
Good to know
- Cool and refrigerate leftover cooked rice within an hour and reheat only once, until steaming hot.
- Wild rice blends often include seasoning sachets that are salty; use plain rice.
Easy ideas
- Wild and white rice with mashed squash
- Wild rice and chicken soup
- Soft rice balls with wild rice and peas
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat wild rice?
Can babies eat wild rice? Yes, from about 6 months if it is cooked very soft. Wild rice is actually the seed of a water grass, with a nutty taste and lots of fibre, but its chewy, firm grains need extra cooking and mashing for young babies.
Is wild rice real rice?
No, it is the seed of an aquatic grass, but it cooks and is used much like rice.
Does wild rice contain arsenic?
It is generally lower in arsenic than rice, and as part of a varied diet it is fine for babies.
Is wild rice gluten-free?
Yes, plain wild rice is naturally gluten-free.
Sources
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).