Healthy Spinach Fritters For Baby-led Weaning (4-ingredients)

These simple spinach fritters for baby-led weaning are easy to make and require only 4 ingredients.

It’s also perfect to feed your toddler and pack in their lunchbox.

If you love cooking with your kids, you’ll also love the visual recipe I’ve included below.

Visual recipes help kids and non-readers feel confident in the kitchen as they cook with their parents.

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Why I Love Making Spinach Fritters For Baby & Toddlers

Spinach fritters are easy to make

These spinach fritters take 30 minutes to prep and cook. You can make them even faster by baking them in the oven.

Requires little ingredients 

I also love making spinach fritters for my baby and toddler because you don’t need a lot of ingredients.

It’s something you can quickly throw together with the items you already have in your cabinets.

It’s a great way to use up spinach before it goes bad 

You can make spinach fritters to use old spinach that’s about to get soggy.

There’s nothing I hate more than throwing away food. So before my spinach gets soggy and goes bad, I make fritters, muffins, and spinach pancakes with them.

They’re great for baby-led weaning

I used to make these fritters often when my kids started baby-led weaning because It was easy for them to hold and gnaw on with their gums. 

Great for lunch box meals 

I still feed my toddler these spinach fritters in their lunch box or for picnic outings. 

They don’t get soggy easily when baked or fried. They will last until lunchtime so kids can enjoy them.

Spinach fritters make a great visual recipe

Because of the simple ingredients and ease of cooking, these spinach fritters make a great visual recipe.

You and your toddler can cook together using my simple step-by-step visuals.

It’s easy to follow along, so toddlers will feel empowered as they “read” the directions.

Spinach Fritters Visual Recipe For Kids

Important Recipe Notes on BLW Spinach Fritters

Use freshly grated Parmesan cheese for the best flavor 

I used dried Parmesan cheese for this recipe but I’ve also used freshly grated Parmesan in the past.

The one with freshly grated Parmesan cheese always comes out better than the one with dried Parmesan.

You can make the fritters on the stove

Baking is the healthier way to go when making spinach fritters for a baby or toddler.

But if you don’t want to bake them, you can crisp them in the pan instead.

Just follow the steps in the recipe card for cooking instructions.

You can bake them in the oven

Drizzle a baking sheet with a little canola oil to cover the surface.

Place the fritters on the baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes on each side until they’re crisp.

Allergy Considerations For Baby-friendly Spinach Fritters

This recipe uses eggs 

Eggs are a common allergen in babies and toddlers. Make sure that you watch out for signs of an allergy after feeding these fritters to your kids.

This recipe uses cheese

Some babies are allergic to cheese, while some are sensitive to it.

Always watch your baby for signs of sensitivity or allergy to the cheese during and after feeding these spinach fritters.

You can make this gluten-free

You may want to use a different flour alternative if your baby or toddler has gluten sensitivity. 

All-purpose flour is NOT gluten-free. 

If you want to make this gluten-free, consider using a gluten-free all-purpose flour like this one on Amazon.

Ingredients For Baby-led Weaning Spinach Fritters

Spinach – chop them into small pieces to make it easy for your baby to eat.

Cheese – use any cheese of your choice. I prefer Parmesan cheese because it gives the fritters a rich flavor. You can also use cheddar cheese or other varieties.

Flour – all-purpose flour works better than whole wheat flour for making fritters. 

Egg – egg acts as the binding agent for this recipe. You can use an egg substitute instead. 

Flax eggs or chia seed eggs would work as an egg substitute for this recipe. See the table below for measurements.

Check the table below for some egg substitutes. DO NOT use the sweet alternatives on the table. They won’t work with these spinach fritters. 

Egg Substitutes	Number of “eggs” Made
3 tbsp peanut butter	1 egg
1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water	1 egg (whisk until gelatinous)
1/2 mashed banana	1 egg
1 tbsp mashed sweet potato	1 egg
1/4 cup applesauce	1 egg
1 tbsp chia seed + 3 tbsp water	1 egg (stir & rest it for 15-30 min)
1 tbsp soy protein + 3 tbsp water	1 egg (mix & use immediately)

Step-by-Step Instructions For Spinach Fritters

Jump to Recipe

What To Serve With Spinach Fritters For Baby & Toddlers

Serve with a side of protein 

It’s a great idea to serve spinach fritters with a side of protein. That’s because spinach fritters aren’t a significant source of protein.

Some simple proteins you can serve with spinach fritters are chicken nuggets, turkey nuggets, or turkey meatballs.

You can also serve tofu meatballs or tofu nuggets to your baby or toddler. 

Serve with a side of fruits 

Fruits are an easy side dish for spinach fritters. Fruits like strawberries, bananas, and blueberries go very well with fritters.

How To Cut Spinach Fritters For Baby-led Weaning

6-9 Months old

Babies between 6 and 9 months old can enjoy spinach fritters cut into strips.

Cut them to the thickness of two adult-sized fingers pressed together. This will allow babies to easily grasp them.

9-12 months old

Babies between 9 and 12 months can enjoy spinach fritters cut into small chunks. 

This will allow them to practice using their pincer grasp to try and grab them.

12- 24 months and older

Toddlers between 12 and 24 months can enjoy spinach fritters either cut into chunks or served as is. 

Cooking Directions For Toddler-friendly Spinach Fritters

• In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, eggs, spinach, and cheese. Mix well to combine.
• Coat your hands with some flour and roll the fritter mixture into a ball.

To make fritters on a pan

• Place a pan on medium heat. Pour in some canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan.
• Place the fritters in the hot pan, and flatten each ball with the back of a spoon.
• Allow one side to cook until it’s crispy. Flip it over and cook the reverse side.
• Continue making the fritters until you’ve used up all the batter. Add more oil to the pan as you go. 
• Serve and enjoy

To make fritters in the oven 

• Set the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Drizzle some oil onto a baking sheet. Place the oil in the oven to heat up for 3 minutes.
• Remove the pan and place some spinach fritter patties on the pan. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
• Place the pan back in the oven and cook for 20 minutes or until golden brown. Flip halfway through.
• Serve and enjoy!

Spinach Fritters Storage Tips

Can I refrigerate spinach fritters?

You can refrigerate spinach fritters for up to a few days in the fridge. 

Although, they will not taste the same as the ones made fresh.

Store in a ziplock bag or Pyrex to refrigerate in order to preserve the freshness. 

Note: only store fritters when they’re completely cooled. Heat makes them soggy.

Can I freeze spinach fritters?

You can make and freeze spinach fritters for as long as you need. 

The flavor will be slightly different from the freshly made ones but it will still taste good.

To freeze, store in an airtight container.

Reheating BLW Spinach Fritters

In the oven

You can reheat these fritters in the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Heat them until the center is hot before serving.

In the microwave 

The microwave is the easiest way to heat up these spinach fritters. 

Heat them on high for a few minutes uncovered so they don’t retain their moisture. 

This will help crisp them up. 

Tips for Picky Eaters

Don’t pressure

Give your baby or toddler a chance to say no. It’s okay if they don’t like what we serve them. Keep trying. 

It takes at least 30 exposures for a baby to begin liking a food, so don’t give up.

Make it into a game

Sometimes I create games around the food I serve to get my kids interested in eating. 

A game we’ve played in the past is called “Here comes the airplane… open the garage”. This encourages them to open their mouth as I bring the food in like an airplane.

Sometimes my kids will try new foods this way.

Related recipes 

• Easy 3-Ingredient Spinach Omelet For Baby & Toddlers
• Spinach Egg Muffins For Baby-led Weaning
• Easy Spinach & Sweet Potato Fritters for BLW
• Easy Spinach Pancake for BLW + No Egg Option

Did you make this baby-led weaning lunch recipe? 

Let me know in the comments how it turned out!