Can Babies Eat Quesadillas?
Yes, from around 9 months, cut into strips. Quesadillas are quietly one of the more useful things you can make for a baby: quick, warm, easy to hold, and a good vehicle for beans and vegetables. Two things need attention, both easily managed. Cheese is salty, so use a little. And melted cheese holds heat far longer than the tortilla around it.
A quesadilla is a good answer to the question of what to give a baby who wants to feed themselves but is bored of toast. It holds together in a fist, it hides beans and vegetables inside, and it takes four minutes. The main thing people get wrong is filling it as generously as they would their own, which makes it both saltier and messier than it needs to be.
What is a quesadilla?
A quesadilla is a tortilla filled with cheese and sometimes other ingredients, folded and cooked on a griddle until the cheese melts. In Mexico it is traditionally made with corn tortillas; the flour tortilla version is more common elsewhere. The name comes from queso, meaning cheese.
Our cheese page covers which cheeses suit babies, and guacamole makes a good side that is not salty.
Watching the cheese
Cheese is where nearly all the salt in a quesadilla comes from:
| Cheese, per 20 g | Salt | Suits a baby |
|---|---|---|
| Mozzarella | 0.13 g | Good choice |
| Mild cheddar | 0.36 g | Fine in small amounts |
| Mature cheddar | 0.36 g | Strong, use less |
| Processed cheese slices | 0.5 g | Better avoided |
| Feta | 0.6 g | Too salty under 12 months |
Typical values. A baby under 12 months is limited to under 1 g of salt for the whole day. Source: USDA FoodData Central.
Serving by age
Mostly a question of how you cut it:
Strips rather than wedges, since a triangle has a point that is awkward to bite. Keep the filling thin so it does not squeeze out when gripped.
Bite sized squares as the pincer grip develops, and a slightly more generous filling. Beans, chicken and vegetables all work well now.
Add salsa and guacamole on the side. Keep an eye on total salt if the cheese is generous and there is bread elsewhere in the day.
Melted cheese stays hot for a surprisingly long time: the tortilla cools within a minute while the cheese inside can still burn a mouth several minutes later. Let a quesadilla sit for at least five minutes, then open a strip and test the middle rather than the outside before handing it over.
Bean and cheese baby quesadilla
Mashing the beans is the key step, since whole beans slip out and are harder to manage:
Bean and cheese baby quesadilla
Makes 2 baby portions, from 9 monthsIngredients
- 1 small soft flour tortilla
- 2 tablespoons cooked black beans, no added salt
- 1 tablespoon grated mild cheddar
- A pinch of ground cumin
- A little olive oil for the pan
Method
- Mash the beans roughly with the cumin so there are no whole beans left.
- Spread over half the tortilla, scatter the cheese on top and fold it over.
- Cook in a dry or lightly oiled pan for 2 minutes a side, until the cheese melts and the outside is soft, not crisp.
- Let it cool for several minutes, then cut into finger width strips and check the centre is not hot.
Risks and safety
Quesadillas bring together milk and wheat, two of the major allergens, so introduce each separately before combining them. Corn tortillas avoid the wheat if that is a concern.
Salt is the ongoing consideration, and it comes almost entirely from the cheese. Our salt guide has the daily limits. On texture, cook the tortilla until soft and pliable rather than crisp, since a browned crunchy edge can break into sharp fragments. Whole beans and large chunks of filling are worth mashing or chopping. And do not serve tortilla chips alongside for a baby, since they are both salty and a recognised choking hazard under four.
Quesadillas FAQ
Can babies eat quesadillas?
Yes, from around 9 months, cut into finger sized strips. A quesadilla is essentially a cheese toastie in tortilla form, and it makes very good self feeding food. Use a mild low salt cheese, go light on the amount, and let it cool properly before cutting.
Is the cheese in a quesadilla too salty for a baby?
It can be, depending on the cheese and the quantity. Hard cheeses are among the saltier everyday foods, and a generously filled quesadilla can use a large share of a young child's daily allowance. Use mild cheddar or mozzarella, a thin layer rather than a thick one, and count it against the rest of the day.
What can I put in a baby's quesadilla?
Mashed beans, soft cooked sweet potato, mashed avocado, finely chopped cooked chicken or a little mild cheese all work. Keep fillings soft and finely chopped, and avoid whole beans or large chunks, which can slip out and are harder to manage than the tortilla itself.
Corn or flour tortillas for babies?
Flour tortillas are softer and more pliable, which makes them easier for a young baby. Corn tortillas are firmer and can crack into sharp edges, though they are gluten free if that matters. Whichever you use, warm it first so it stays soft rather than brittle.
Sources
- Quesadilla, Wikipedia.
- Salt in your diet, NHS.
- FoodData Central, U.S. Department of Agriculture.
This article is general information, not medical advice. Every baby is different. Talk to your doctor, health visitor or paediatrician about your own baby, and about starting solids or any allergy concerns.
