Can Babies Eat Quiche?
Homemade from around 9 months, cut into fingers. The filling of a quiche is genuinely good baby food: set egg custard with vegetables and a little cheese. The pastry and the salt are what pull it down, which is why a crustless version is usually the better answer. Make sure the middle is fully set, not wobbling.
Quiche is a good example of a food where the answer depends on which part you focus on. As a set egg custard full of vegetables, it is close to ideal for a baby learning to feed themselves. As a slice of buttery pastry with bacon and mature cheese, rather less so. The gap between those two is entirely within your control.
What is quiche?
Quiche is a savoury tart of eggs and cream or milk baked in a pastry case, usually with cheese, vegetables or bacon. The filling is essentially a savoury custard, which sets as the egg proteins coagulate. Crustless versions, sometimes called a frittata or an egg bake, skip the pastry entirely.
Our eggs page covers introducing egg properly, which should happen before quiche appears.
Homemade against shop bought
Removing the pastry and the bacon does most of the work:
| Per 100 g | Crustless homemade | Shop bought quiche |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 145 kcal | 270 kcal |
| Protein | 11 g | 9 g |
| Fat | 10 g | 19 g |
| Salt | 0.3 g | 1.0 g |
| Calcium | 140 mg | 120 mg |
Approximate values. Shop bought quiche varies considerably, so check the label. Source: USDA FoodData Central.
When can babies eat quiche?
Later than plain egg, because of what comes with it:
Introduce egg, milk and wheat separately first, so a reaction would be traceable. Well cooked scrambled egg or omelette strips do the same job.
A crustless vegetable quiche cut into strips is excellent self feeding food and freezes well. No added salt.
A slice of proper quiche now and then is fine. Watch the salt if it is shop bought or contains bacon and mature cheese. A mushroom and spinach filling keeps it lighter.
Check the centre is fully set: a quiche is done when the middle no longer wobbles and a knife comes out clean. A soft liquid centre means undercooked egg, which carries a salmonella risk that matters more for a baby than an adult. If in doubt, give it another five minutes in the oven.
Crustless vegetable quiche fingers
All the good parts, none of the pastry, and it freezes in portions:
Crustless vegetable quiche fingers
Makes 6 baby portions, from 9 monthsIngredients
- 3 eggs
- 100 ml whole milk
- 3 tablespoons grated mild cheddar
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped cooked broccoli
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped cooked red pepper
- A pinch of dried thyme
Method
- Heat the oven to 180 C and grease a small baking dish or line it with paper.
- Beat the eggs with the milk and thyme, then stir in the cheese and vegetables.
- Pour into the dish and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until fully set with no wobble in the middle.
- Cool completely, then cut into finger width strips and serve.
Risks and safety
Quiche brings together three major allergens, egg, milk and wheat, which makes it a poor food for a first introduction to any of them. Offer each separately beforehand and quiche becomes straightforward. Quesadillas stack the same allergens in one dish.
The egg needs to be properly set, as above. Salt is the other consideration, coming from pastry, cheese and especially bacon, and our salt guide has the limits. Let quiche cool properly before cutting, since the filling holds heat well after the surface has cooled. And if you are making pastry, remember raw flour is not safe to taste, so keep a helping toddler out of the mixing bowl.
Quiche FAQ
Can babies eat quiche?
Homemade quiche from around 9 months, cut into fingers. The egg and milk filling is genuinely good food for a baby. What holds it back is that a slice combines egg, milk and wheat in one go, and shop bought versions carry a lot of salt from the pastry, cheese and bacon.
Is quiche a good source of protein for a baby?
The filling is. Egg is one of the better protein sources for babies, well absorbed and rich in choline, and the milk adds calcium. The pastry contributes mostly refined flour and fat, so a crustless quiche or a frittata gives you the good part with less of the filler.
Can babies eat shop bought quiche?
Occasionally after 12 months, and check the label first. Supermarket quiche typically contains around 0.8 to 1.2 g of salt per 100 g, mostly from the pastry, cheese and bacon. A slice can therefore carry most of a toddler's daily allowance before anything else is eaten that day.
Is the egg in quiche cooked enough for a baby?
Yes, provided it is properly set. Quiche is baked until the custard is firm with no wobble in the centre, which fully cooks the egg. If a quiche comes out with a soft, liquid middle, put it back in the oven before serving it to a baby, since undercooked egg carries a salmonella risk.
Sources
- Quiche, Wikipedia.
- Foods to avoid giving babies and young children, 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.
