Baby-Led Weaning Quesadilla: Guidelines & 6 Tasty Recipes

It’s always helpful to have a simple dinner option, especially when dealing with children of any age. Quesadillas are a great choice for not only being easy, but also a reliable meal during the early stages of feeding your kids.

Versatile, easy, and a hit with most kids, you can make quesadillas with ingredients you have on hand.

Baby-Led Weaning Quesadillas

When your baby is on their baby-led weaning journey, quesadillas are a good option. They give you a variety of choices and allow you to sneak in delicious foods full of the nutrients your child needs.

At What Age Can Babies Try Quesadillas?

It’s best to wait until your child is somewhat used to solids before introducing quesadillas.

The 9-month mark is good for most kids, and even then you want to be careful of what ingredients you introduce.

Babies don’t need a ton of sodium, and it’s also important to make sure there are no ingredients in the quesadilla that are choking hazards.

How To Make Quesadillas for Baby-Led Weaning

You can add your own spin to whatever quesadillas you make, but there are a few solid guidelines that will help.

Make sure you chop up anything going into the quesadilla so that your child will be less likely to choke.

You can cut the actual quesadilla into fairly large pieces that your child can handle, but make sure everything inside the tortilla has been pre-sliced.

Warm up the quesadilla before you add ingredients so it will be tastier and easier for your child to chew.

It’s also important to make sure the outside and the inside are cool enough for your baby to eat before you offer it. Even if the outside of the tortilla feels cool enough, check the inside.

You can simply use a skillet with a bit of olive oil to fry up your quesadilla, though some moms just put them in the oven and let them bake or broil.

If you only want to use one tortilla, put the ingredients inside, and fold it in half. Cut it in half to serve.

Precautions

When introducing any new food, it’s important to be cautious. Quesadillas present some unique challenges to be aware of before you offer them to your child. 

If you decide to use cheese in your child’s quesadilla, make sure it is cool so it doesn’t burn your baby’s mouth.

Though any ingredient you put inside a quesadilla can be hot, cheese is especially painful when a baby bites into a piece that hasn’t cooled.

You also don’t want to add too many spices. Just because you like your quesadillas with pico, hot sauce, and chili powder doesn’t mean this is a good option for your child.

Though you don’t have to make it overly bland, you should fall on the side of tame over spicy anytime you are dealing with a young child.

There are also foods you don’t want to offer your child when they are young. No honey before they turn one, and make sure that all approved foods are properly cut and cooked.

You shouldn’t use raw veggies or fruit in a quesadilla since they are hard for a little one to chew.

Quesadilla Filling Ideas

There are some really great options that are yummy and fun when you introduce quesadillas to your child. These can be used for breakfast, day meals, or even desserts.

For breakfast, you can throw avocado, cheese, and safely cooked veggies into a tortilla to make a tasty breakfast.

For lunch, you can put in safe meats, beans, cheese, and veggies for an easy lunch that is ready fast. The same can be done for dinner.

For a sweet treat, add soft fruit, Nutella, or other tasty fillings to create a dessert quesadilla.

Though your child does not need a ton of sugar, adding fruit is a healthy way to offer your child something sweet that is still full of nutrients.

BLW Quesadilla Recipes To Try

What you choose to put inside your child’s quesadilla will vary depending on their age, preferences, and dietary restrictions. However, there are quesadilla recipes for every stage of your child’s food journey. 

#1. Pesto Chicken Quesadilla

Throw in some protein and flavor with this simple recipe.

•  2 tortillas
• 1 tablespoon of pesto, preferably containing kale for a veggie boost
• ⅓ cup of cooked chicken cut in tiny pieces
• ¼ cup of shredded cheese
• Oil or butter if frying

Place pesto, chicken, and cheese on top of one of the tortillas. Cover with the other tortilla. You can either fry or bake until the tortilla is crisp. This recipe is better for kids who are at least nine months old.

#2. Cheese and Apple Quesadilla

This is a great recipe for kids who like a little sweet with their meals. Just make sure the cheese is not too hot and that your child can chew it easily so they don’t choke.

• 2 tortillas
• Half an apple, peeled and shredded until it is no longer a choking hazard
• Small amount of shredded cheese
• Oil or butter if frying

Add the apple and cheese to one of the tortillas. Add another tortilla on top, and fry or bake until the tortilla is golden and crisp.

#3. Simple Egg and Cheese Scramble

When your child is old enough to have eggs, this is an easy meal for any time of day.

• 2 tortillas
• 1-2 eggs
• Shredded cheese
• Black beans, avocados, anything you want to add that is safe for your child to try
• Oil or butter if frying

Whisk the eggs, and then scramble them by placing them in a warm skillet with oil and moving them around with a spatula.

Add eggs to a tortilla, and top it with cheese, beans, and avocado. Add the other tortilla on top. Bake or fry until the tortilla is golden and crisp.

#4. Broccoli and Cheese Quesadillas

This is a classic flavor combination and is packed with nutrition.

• 2 tortillas
• Shredded cheese
• Shredded, cooked broccoli
• Oil or butter if frying

Add cheese and desired amount of broccoli to one tortilla. Place the other tortilla on top and fry or bake until crisp.

#5. Peanut Butter Dessert Quesadilla

You should wait until your child is old enough to handle peanut or other nut butters before introducing this recipe.

You can also choose other nut butters that don’t contain peanuts if you choose.

• 2 tortillas
• Scoop of peanut butter
• Sliced banana
• Sliced strawberries
• Oil or butter if frying

Add peanut butter, sliced banana, and sliced strawberries to one tortilla. Place the other tortilla on top and bake or fry till crisp.

#6. Simple Avocado Quesadilla

• 2 tortillas
• 1 smashed avocado
• Shredded cheese
• Oil or butter for frying

If you want something simple and quick, smear some smashed avocado on a tortilla.

Place shredded cheese on top and then add the other tortilla. Bake or fry, and you will have a yummy meal that is packed with good fats.

Final Thoughts

Quesadillas are a great food to introduce to your child at the right time. You can add new fillings as your child’s taste buds evolve, and you can use them at any meal.