My kid doesn't really like ordinary oatmeal porridge. In daycare, he doesn't even touch it! However, oatmeal is healthy and kids should eat it at least for breakfast.
When I started to feed him porridge for the first times, it was a nightmare. He refused so badly that I couldn't make him eat even one spoonful. It was time to get creative as I had to make his porridge tasty and healthy at the same time. Believe it or not, now he loves his porridges! He ate them very well even when he was very ill (and he was ill first with influenza, then two noroviruses, flu, and other smaller things, all of those, one after another, it was awful).
So that's how those porridges are pimped up:
Example 1.
-Ordinary oatmeal porridge
-Frozen or fresh blueberries/lingonberries (frozen ones will nicely cool hot porridge)
--> remember to crunch them for a baby that can't chew
-Hazelnut powder
-Apple, pear or other purée
-Banana purée or small chunks
Example 2.
-Ordinary oatmeal porridge
-Almond powder
-Strawberry purée and small chunks
-Crushed banana
-A small amount of peach, mango or other tropical fruit purée
I know these recipes might sound very complex but trust me, it's very easy when it's a routine and you don't have to do exactly as in examples. You can always change and switch ingredients, maybe leave something out or add something new. Frozen berries are easy, ready-to-use purées and nut powders are even easier. Nut powders are just an extra, they contain good fats so I started to add some once in a while when he turned one. I usually use two different purées in a porridge, one is ready-to-use purée and other is self-made, for example, fork-crushed banana is very easy. Just use purées that don't contain any food preservatives, colorants or sweeteners. If your kid needs extra energy, add some oils or even butter.
If you want to ask for some extra details or tips, don't hesitate to write a comment!
Lindiry