Homemade Cerelac Mistakes: Why Overusing It Slows Weight Gain & Causes Picky Eating

Dr. Sandip Gupta

A pediatrician shares a case that prompted this video: a mother whose 1-year-old baby, weighing only 7 kg, had not gained even 1 kg of weight in 6 months, because she was feeding homemade cerelac almost every day and giving proper home food like khichdi or rice-dal only once a week on her day off. This showed him that most parents don't know the correct way to use homemade cerelac, and misuse of it can actually harm the baby. Covered in this video: Why homemade cerelac became popular About two years ago it emerged that market cerelac products contain a lot of added sugar, more in Asian and African countries than in European countries. Parents realised market cerelac is not good for babies because of the added sugar, preservatives and additives, and started grinding cereals, nuts and makhana at home to make their own cerelac — a trend many doctors, including this one, made recipe videos about. But no one explained the correct way to actually use it. Why homemade cerelac is a complex food Made from rice, dal, nuts (almond, cashew, walnut) and makhana ground together, it becomes a complex food that is not the easiest to digest. At 6 months, when starting solids, give single-item purees first — rice separately, dal separately, sweet potato, carrot, pumpkin separately — so the baby learns the taste and experience of each food individually. Homemade cerelac should only start around 7 months, once the baby has learned to eat various single foods. Should not be given daily or even regularly His view: homemade cerelac does not need to be given on a regular basis at all. It's most useful when travelling, when cooking is difficult — the powder mixed with water and cooked is a convenient option. At home, give it at most on alternate days, and not more than one meal a day. Reason 1 — the "puree trap" Homemade cerelac powder mixed with water becomes a puree, which is appropriate for 6–9 months. After 9 months, a baby should move to pasty/mashed, lumpy food. If homemade cerelac (a puree) continues to be given regularly after 9 months, the baby gets stuck in a "puree trap" — never learning to nibble, chew or handle lumpy food, and not learning to eat everything going forward. Reason 2 — bland taste and fussy eating Homemade cerelac tastes very bland compared to natural foods like rice, dal, vegetables, spinach, carrot, apple or banana, each of which has its own distinct taste. Getting used to the bland taste of cerelac instead of varied individual tastes means the baby does not develop taste-bud familiarity with different fruits and vegetables, increasing the risk of becoming a fussy eater/picky eater later. How much and how to give it Mix with water to the quantity the baby normally eats in a meal; adding a little banana puree or other fruit puree can be a good addition. When to start and when to stop Do not give at 6 months when starting single food items. Can be given occasionally from around 7 months up to about 10–11 months. Once the baby is older than 9 months, move to pasty or mashed lumpy food and encourage self-feeding (baby picking up food with their own hands) — mashed potato, mashed carrot, sweet potato, chikoo that the baby can pick up and eat. Ideally, stop homemade cerelac completely after 9 months if possible, moving to lumpy/mashed home food. If continued, give up to 1 year at most. After 1 year, homemade cerelac should be completely stopped — even market cerelac is meant only up to 1 year. Nutrient loss Making homemade cerelac involves dry-roasting and grinding the cereals, which destroys some of the fresh vitamins and minerals — especially the heat-sensitive, fragile vitamins — compared to fresh fruit and vegetables. Fresh, home-cooked food regularly is better; homemade cerelac only occasionally, as needed. Storage No strict guideline exists, but the general understanding is up to 1 month in a clean, airtight container. His personal recommendation: make it in small batches for about 15 days at a time and make fresh again, since it isn't difficult to prepare. Final message Both market cerelac and homemade cerelac are essentially "travel foods" — not meant for everyday home use. At home, give fresh fruit and vegetable purees, mashed food, khichdi, halwa, kheer and similar home-cooked variety for proper nutrition, to avoid fussy eating, and for good growth. Questions this video answers: Why has my 1-year-old baby not gained weight? Is homemade cerelac safe to give every day? What is the correct age to start and stop giving homemade cerelac? Why is market cerelac considered unhealthy — does it have added sugar? What is the "puree trap" and how does it affect a baby's eating? Why is my baby a fussy or picky eater? How much homemade cerelac should I give per meal? Should I give single-food purees before starting cerelac? When should I move my baby from puree to mashed/lumpy food? What is self-feeding and when should I encourage it? Does homemade cerelac lose nutrients during roasting and grinding? How long can homemade cerelac be stored? Can homemade cerelac cause slow weight gain in a baby? Is homemade cerelac better than market cerelac? Relevant for: parents of babies aged 6 months to 1 year who are starting solids, especially working parents relying on homemade cerelac, and parents noticing poor weight gain or fussy eating. Disclaimer: All information and suggestions given in this video are general health information. They are not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. If your baby is not gaining weight as expected, please take your doctor's advice or consent before making any change to feeding.