Is rice cereal safe for babies?
Rice cereal is legal and has an FDA limit for arsenic, but rice baby foods tested high for arsenic again and again in a 2021 US report. The CDC suggests oat, barley or multigrain infant cereal instead of rice cereal alone. Keep rice foods small and occasional, rotate what you serve, and make first foods iron-rich.
On this page
The short answer: allowed, but not the best everyday cereal
For years, rice cereal was the classic first food. It's still sold, and the FDA has set a limit for inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal. But most parents never hear what the testing found, or that the CDC now suggests choosing oat, barley or multigrain infant cereal rather than rice cereal alone.
So the practical answer is: you don't need rice cereal at all, and if rice is part of your baby's diet, keep it a small, occasional part. If rice cereal has been on the menu so far, the fix is simple. Switch the everyday cereal and vary foods from here.
What the testing found
In February 2021, a US House subcommittee released a report on baby food from major brands, based on the companies' own test results. Some ingredients tested as high as 913 parts per billion (ppb) for arsenic and 887 ppb for lead. For comparison, the FDA allows 10 ppb of arsenic and 5 ppb of lead in bottled water.
Rice ingredients came up again and again. In one company's tests, half of its brown rice baby foods had more than 100 ppb of inorganic arsenic.
One more detail most parents miss: the report found that one maker's finished baby foods had 28% to 93% more inorganic arsenic than its ingredient tests predicted. Testing ingredients alone missed part of the problem, which is one more reason to vary what you buy instead of relying on any single product.
Free: the 60-second Prenatal Label Check
Check your prenatal vitamin against what the research says a growing brain needs, and get Part 1 of the book free.
The limits the FDA has set since
| What | FDA action level | Year finalized |
|---|---|---|
| Inorganic arsenic in infant rice cereal | 100 ppb | 2020 |
| Lead in most baby foods | 10 ppb | January 2025 |
| Lead in single-ingredient root vegetables and dry infant cereals | 20 ppb | January 2025 |
These limits help. They don't change the simple advice: a varied plate spreads out exposure from any one food. The FDA itself advises eating a variety of foods across food groups, which also limits exposure from any single source.
Why care about lead in particular? The CDC says no safe blood lead level in children has been identified, and most children with lead in their blood have no obvious symptoms. The only way to know is a blood test.
Better first cereals and foods
Iron deserves first place when solids start around 6 months, because the iron a baby is born with needs topping up from food. In long-term studies led by Betsy Lozoff, young adults who had chronic, severe iron deficiency as babies did worse at 19 on tests of planning, memory and self-control. Those studies were observational, but the message is simple. Iron is the real job of an infant cereal, and oat, barley or multigrain cereals do it without the rice. Good iron-rich starters:
| Food | How to serve it at 6 months |
|---|---|
| Iron-fortified infant cereal | Oat, barley or multigrain, mixed with breast milk or formula |
| Beef, lamb, dark-meat chicken | Slow-cooked and pureed, or minced into soft food |
| Eggs | Well cooked, mashed or in strips of soft omelet |
| Lentils, beans, tofu | Cooked very soft and mashed |
| Salmon, sardines (boneless) | Flaked fine and mixed into puree |
Serve plant iron with a vitamin C food, such as berries, tomato, broccoli or sweet potato. The CDC notes this helps your baby absorb the iron. For more, see the best first foods for a baby's brain.
Rice snacks and family rice
Cereal isn't the only rice in a baby's day. Rice puffs, rice teething wafers and rice cakes are easy to hand over, and easy to overdo. Go easy on them, and offer soft fruit, oat foods or cooked vegetables instead.
If rice is a family staple, you don't have to give it up. Cook it in plenty of water and drain it, like pasta. An FDA study found this lowers arsenic, though it also washes out some of the added vitamins in enriched rice. Then serve it as one food among many, not every day.
What does a low-rice week look like? Something like this: oat cereal with mashed pear one morning, barley cereal stirred with a little egg the next, soft lentils with sweet potato for lunch, flaked salmon mixed into mashed vegetables for dinner, and a spoonful of family rice once or twice. Nothing fancy, just variety.
Rotating also suits other first-year goals. Egg and peanut, for example, should be offered a few times a week once they're started, which naturally crowds out some rice. See when to introduce eggs and peanuts.
When to ask about a lead test
Food is one source of lead, and an older home is often a bigger one. Ask your pediatrician about a blood lead test at the 1- and 2-year visits if you live in an older home, are renovating, or aren't sure. Children on Medicaid in the US must be tested at 12 and 24 months. The CDC's reference value is 3.5 µg/dL; a result at or above that puts a child among the 2.5% of US children aged 1 to 5 with the highest levels, and your doctor will tell you what to do next.
While you're at it, review the rest of the first-year menu. Honey, cow's milk as a drink, juice and choking hazards like whole grapes belong on a separate list, covered in foods babies should not eat.
Do this
- Swap rice cereal for an iron-fortified oat, barley or multigrain infant cereal.
- Replace rice puffs and teething wafers with soft fruit, oat foods or cooked vegetables most days.
- Rotate your baby's foods across food groups through the week.
- Cook family rice in plenty of water and drain it like pasta.
- Ask about a blood lead test at the 1- and 2-year visits if your home is older or being renovated.
When to ask your doctor
Check with your doctor or midwife first if…
- Your baby has severe eczema or a known food allergy: ask your pediatrician before adding new foods.
- Your baby is breastfed: ask whether they need iron drops before 6 months.
- Your baby is younger than 4 months: solids are not recommended yet.
Call your doctor now if…
- Your baby has trouble breathing, swelling of the lips, tongue or face, or spreading hives after a new food: call 911 now.
- A rash or vomiting follows a new food: call your doctor.
- Your child may have swallowed something poisonous: call Poison Help at 1-800-222-1222, or 911 if they have trouble breathing or are hard to wake.
This page is general information, not medical advice. Every pregnancy and every child is different. Ask your doctor, midwife or pediatrician before changing supplements, diet or care.
Grow a Genius
In the book: Chapter 17: Feeding the Growing Brain
The book covers rice, arsenic and lead alongside the iron-first menu, and The Toxin-Smart Home adds a room-by-room check for lead and other household risks.
- The 7 Genius Builders, stage by stage
- 16 printable guides, including the Prenatal Label Decoder
- Built on 500+ sources from 35+ countries
- 90-day Double Guarantee
People also ask
Should I stop giving my baby rice cereal?
You don't need it. The CDC suggests oat, barley or multigrain infant cereal rather than rice cereal alone, and those still give your baby the iron that matters at 6 months. If you keep some rice, make it a small, occasional part of a varied diet.
Does cooking rice differently lower the arsenic?
It can help. An FDA study found that cooking rice in plenty of water and draining it, like pasta, lowers arsenic. It also washes out some of the added vitamins in enriched rice, so serve it as one food among many rather than every day.
Are rice teething wafers and puffs safe?
They're allowed, but rice foods tested high for arsenic in a 2021 US report, so go easy on rice puffs, teething wafers and rice cakes. Offer soft fruit, oat foods or cooked vegetables instead most of the time.
What cereal should I start my baby on?
An iron-fortified oat, barley or multigrain infant cereal, mixed with breast milk or formula. Iron is the key nutrient when solids start around 6 months. Pair plant iron with a vitamin C food like berries or sweet potato to help absorption.