How to serve corn tortilla at 6 and 9 months
Ages are approximate; go by your baby’s skills.
6+ months
Offer a soft corn tortilla cut into long strips so part of each strip sticks out of your baby’s fist. If needed, warm it slightly according to the package directions, keeping it soft, and let it cool before serving. You can spread on a thin layer of mashed avocado or bean puree. Don’t offer a dried-out, stiff tortilla, crunchy tortilla chips, or hard taco shells.
9+ months
Once your baby has a pincer grasp and manages soft pieces, offer small soft pieces of tortilla, on their own or with a thin layer of mashed avocado or bean puree. The tortilla should stay soft, without dry, stiff edges.
Choking risk
Dry, firm, crispy, or large pieces of corn tortilla can be hard for babies to swallow. Don’t give babies tortilla chips or taco shells. Offer soft tortilla in strips or pieces that suit your child’s stage.
Keep your child sitting upright and stay with them throughout the meal.
Allergies
The FDA doesn’t list corn as a major food allergen. Individual allergic reactions are possible.
Gluten-free
Corn tortillas are made from corn flour, not wheat. The NIDDK lists flour made from corn among the gluten-free foods that are safe with celiac disease. Flour tortillas are a different food: they contain gluten. Check the label, since some corn tortillas have wheat flour added.
Calcium
100 g of corn tortillas has 81 mg of calcium, almost a third of the daily amount for babies 7 to 12 months old.
That’s USDA data; babies 7 to 12 months old need 260 mg of calcium a day, according to the NIH. That’s a lot for a grain food. Your baby’s main calcium sources are still breast milk or formula.
Folic acid in corn masa flour
In 2016, the FDA approved adding folic acid to corn masa flour, the flour used to make tortillas, at up to 0.7 mg per pound of flour. Fortification is voluntary: if a manufacturer adds folic acid, it appears in the ingredient list. The FDA’s aim is to help more Latina women get folic acid, since they are more likely to have a baby with a neural tube defect.
Salt and fiber
100 g of corn tortillas has 45 mg of sodium and 6.3 g of fiber, according to USDA data. The tortilla itself is low in salt, but tortilla dishes often get salt from fillings and sauces.
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This page is based on guidance from health organizations:
- NHS — From around 6 months
- NHS — Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- USDA FoodData Central — Tortillas, ready-to-bake or -fry, corn
- NHS — Preparing food safely for babies
- NHS — Chicken fajitas recipe
- CDC — Choking Hazards
- CDC — When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods
- FDA — Food Allergies
- NHS — Food allergies in babies and young children
- NIDDK — Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Celiac Disease
- NIH ODS — Calcium
- FDA — Fortifying Corn Masa Flour Products with Folic Acid
For informational purposes only. Not medical advice. Decide on introducing foods, especially allergens, together with your pediatrician.
