Fish babies food

Can Babies Eat Fish? Safety, Benefits, and More

Nutrition

By Ellen Landes, MS, RDN, CPT on August 27, 2021 — Medically reviewed by Sade Meeks, MS, RD, Nutrition

Introducing your little one to solid foods is an exciting — sometimes overwhelming — time. It can be tricky to figure out which foods are safe and which should be avoided for babies under a certain age.

Infant cereal, fruits, and vegetables are popular choices for baby’s first foods, but you may wonder whether other foods, such as fish, are safe for your baby.

This article discusses how to introduce your baby to fish, as well as the related benefits, safety considerations, and precautions.

Parents often begin introducing solid foods to their babies around 4–6 months of age. Breast milk or formula is the main source of nutrition for babies under 1 year, and any solid foods offered to babies are considered complementary (1).

Babies get almost all of the nutrition they need through breastmilk and formula. However, vitamin D and iron are two nutrients that breastfed babies may not get enough of, so it’s beneficial when the foods they eat contain them.

Vitamin D is crucial for healthy bones and brain development, and iron is an essential mineral that’s important for many bodily functions, including transporting oxygen (2, 3, 4, 5).

Formula is fortified with these nutrients, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends iron and vitamin D supplement drops for breastfed babies (6).

Many parents start solids by offering infant cereals, which are typically fortified with iron. Fish is another great food for your baby, as it’s a source of iron (7).

Some types of fish, such as salmon, are also a great source of vitamin D, which breastmilk lacks (8).

Additionally, fish is a great source of protein, an important nutrient that builds and repairs tissues in the body, allowing for healthy growth in little ones.

Fish also offers a healthy amount of zinc, another mineral that plays a crucial role in a healthy immune system and cellular growth (9, 10).

Some types of fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential fatty acids that provide several health benefits for both babies and adults.

In babies specifically, omega-3 fatty acids are important for healthy brain, eye, and immune system function and development (11, 12, 13, 14).

Vitamin B12 and iodine are two more nutrients found in fish that are beneficial for healthy brain development and red blood cells in babies (15, 16).

It’s considered safe for babies to eat a wide variety of foods once they begin eating solids. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends waiting until your baby is 6 months before introducing any solid foods (17).

Fish is among the most common allergens, known as the “Big 8,” which is a list of foods responsible for most allergic reactions (18).

In the past, experts recommended delaying these foods. However, more recent research has shown that there’s no need to delay introducing allergens, and introducing them early, at age 4–6 months, may help prevent an allergy (19, 20).

Most experts recommend introducing fish and other potential allergens when you introduce other solid foods, but it’s best to focus on one new food at a time.

By introducing one potential allergen every few days, you can monitor your baby for a potential reaction and identify the trigger more easily (17, 21).

Not all fish are considered safe for babies, as certain types contain high levels of mercury. Here are some safe fish choices to offer babies (22):

Best choices:

salmon
trout
herring
whitefish like cod, pollock, or halibut
canned, light tuna
sardines

Good choices:

bluefish
snapper
tuna, yellowfin
grouper
halibut

Currently, there are no recommendations regarding the amount of fish to serve babies. However, the recommendation for children ages 2–3 is 1 ounce (28 grams) of fish once or twice per week (23).

While all fish contain some mercury, certain types have higher amounts than others. Too much mercury can lead to toxicity and be a severe health concern. For babies, it’s best to avoid high mercury fish, such as (22):

bigeye and bluefin tuna
mackerel
marlin
swordfish
shark
orange roughy

According to the United States Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines, babies and young children should not consume raw fish, so avoid offering sushi or sashimi to your little one (24).

There are several ways you can offer fish to your baby. If you are using a baby-led weaning approach, you can simply cook the fish to a soft texture and cut it into appropriately sized pieces.

If you’ve chosen to stick with purées, you can cook the fish and purée it yourself. Alternatively, buy it premade.

In order to prepare the fish safely for your baby, remove the skin and debone the fish (lookout for small bones, too) to reduce their risk of choking.

Next, be sure to cook the fish to an internal temperature of 145°F (62. 8 °C). A meat thermometer can help ensure the fish reaches a safe temperature (24).

Ideally, the fish will be soft so that your baby can chew it easily. Try cutting the fish into small pieces or flakes before offering it, or you can purée it if you prefer to offer the fish on a spoon.

Canned and frozen fish provide the same nutritional benefits and often come boneless and skinless. They can also be more affordable and easier to keep on hand.

You can prepare these for your baby similarly to how you would cook fish for yourself. Try baking, broiling, or poaching fish. Fish cakes are another popular way to serve fish to your baby.

Sodium and added sugar should be limited for babies, so avoid adding salt, as well as sugary or sweet sauces. Be sure not to add honey to the fish you prepare for your baby, as babies under 1 year should avoid honey.

While there’s no specific recommendation regarding how much fish babies should consume, the CDC recommends that adults eat 2–3 servings, or 8–12 ounces, of low mercury fish per week.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving for children 2–3 years of age, so your baby will likely eat a little less than that (23, 25).

When offering any type of food to babies, it’s important to make sure it has been handled, stored, and cooked safely to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Fish should first be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 °F (62.8 °C), and then cooled to a safe temperature for your baby (24).

Cooked fish can be stored in the refrigerator for 2–3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Raw fish should only be kept in the fridge for 1 or 2 days before cooking or freezing. Fish should not be left out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours (26).

Because fish is considered a top allergen, it’s a good idea to become familiar with the signs of an allergic reaction.

Call your pediatrician if you notice a mild reaction to fish. That may include swelling around the lips and mouth, diarrhea, or vomiting.

Call 911 if you notice a more severe reaction, such as anaphylaxis, which often presents as drooling, vomiting or diarrhea, scratching, and drowsiness in babies. Other signs might include wheezing, coughing, or hives (27).

Allergic reactions can happen either immediately or over time, so it’s recommended that you introduce one potential allergen every few days so that you can identify any triggers.

Fish can provide a good source of protein, iron, zinc, omega-3, iodine, and vitamin B12 for your baby, all of which are important nutrients for healthy growth and development.

Be sure to choose a fish that is low in mercury, and prepare it safely by cooking it to an internal temperature of 145°F (62.8 °C) and either cutting it into appropriately sized pieces or puréeing it.

Before introducing any solid food, be sure to talk with your baby’s pediatrician, especially if food allergies run in your family.

Just one thing

Try this today: To get important nutrients for you and your baby, try making poached salmon or salmon cakes for the whole family to enjoy as part of dinner.

Last medically reviewed on August 27, 2021

Uncategorized
Parenthood
Baby

How we reviewed this article:

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Aug 27, 2021

Ellen Landes, MS, RDN, CPT

Edited By

Lisa Valente, MS, RD

Medically Reviewed By

Sade Meeks, MS, RD

Copy Edited By

Christina Guzik, BA, MBA

Share this article

Evidence Based

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.

This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

By Ellen Landes, MS, RDN, CPT on August 27, 2021 — Medically reviewed by Sade Meeks, MS, RD, Nutrition

Can Babies Eat Fish? Safety, Benefits, and More

Nutrition

By Ellen Landes, MS, RDN, CPT on August 27, 2021 — Medically reviewed by Sade Meeks, MS, RD, Nutrition

Infant cereal, fruits, and vegetables are popular choices for baby’s first foods, but you may wonder whether other foods, such as fish, are safe for your baby.

This article discusses how to introduce your baby to fish, as well as the related benefits, safety considerations, and precautions.

Vitamin D is crucial for healthy bones and brain development, and iron is an essential mineral that’s important for many bodily functions, including transporting oxygen (2, 3, 4, 5).

Formula is fortified with these nutrients, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends iron and vitamin D supplement drops for breastfed babies (6).

Many parents start solids by offering infant cereals, which are typically fortified with iron. Fish is another great food for your baby, as it’s a source of iron (7).

Some types of fish, such as salmon, are also a great source of vitamin D, which breastmilk lacks (8).

Additionally, fish is a great source of protein, an important nutrient that builds and repairs tissues in the body, allowing for healthy growth in little ones.

Fish also offers a healthy amount of zinc, another mineral that plays a crucial role in a healthy immune system and cellular growth (9, 10).

Some types of fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are essential fatty acids that provide several health benefits for both babies and adults.

In babies specifically, omega-3 fatty acids are important for healthy brain, eye, and immune system function and development (11, 12, 13, 14).

Vitamin B12 and iodine are two more nutrients found in fish that are beneficial for healthy brain development and red blood cells in babies (15, 16).

Fish is among the most common allergens, known as the “Big 8,” which is a list of foods responsible for most allergic reactions (18).

Most experts recommend introducing fish and other potential allergens when you introduce other solid foods, but it’s best to focus on one new food at a time.

By introducing one potential allergen every few days, you can monitor your baby for a potential reaction and identify the trigger more easily (17, 21).

Not all fish are considered safe for babies, as certain types contain high levels of mercury. Here are some safe fish choices to offer babies (22):

Best choices:

salmon
trout
herring
whitefish like cod, pollock, or halibut
canned, light tuna
sardines

Good choices:

bluefish
snapper
tuna, yellowfin
grouper
halibut

Currently, there are no recommendations regarding the amount of fish to serve babies. However, the recommendation for children ages 2–3 is 1 ounce (28 grams) of fish once or twice per week (23).

bigeye and bluefin tuna
mackerel
marlin
swordfish
shark
orange roughy

According to the United States Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines, babies and young children should not consume raw fish, so avoid offering sushi or sashimi to your little one (24).

There are several ways you can offer fish to your baby. If you are using a baby-led weaning approach, you can simply cook the fish to a soft texture and cut it into appropriately sized pieces.

If you’ve chosen to stick with purées, you can cook the fish and purée it yourself. Alternatively, buy it premade.

In order to prepare the fish safely for your baby, remove the skin and debone the fish (lookout for small bones, too) to reduce their risk of choking.

Next, be sure to cook the fish to an internal temperature of 145°F (62.8 °C). A meat thermometer can help ensure the fish reaches a safe temperature (24).

Canned and frozen fish provide the same nutritional benefits and often come boneless and skinless. They can also be more affordable and easier to keep on hand.

You can prepare these for your baby similarly to how you would cook fish for yourself. Try baking, broiling, or poaching fish. Fish cakes are another popular way to serve fish to your baby.

While there’s no specific recommendation regarding how much fish babies should consume, the CDC recommends that adults eat 2–3 servings, or 8–12 ounces, of low mercury fish per week.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a 1-ounce (28-gram) serving for children 2–3 years of age, so your baby will likely eat a little less than that (23, 25).

When offering any type of food to babies, it’s important to make sure it has been handled, stored, and cooked safely to reduce the risk of foodborne illness.

Fish should first be cooked to an internal temperature of 145 °F (62.8 °C), and then cooled to a safe temperature for your baby (24).

Cooked fish can be stored in the refrigerator for 2–3 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Raw fish should only be kept in the fridge for 1 or 2 days before cooking or freezing. Fish should not be left out at room temperature for longer than 2 hours (26).

Because fish is considered a top allergen, it’s a good idea to become familiar with the signs of an allergic reaction.

Call your pediatrician if you notice a mild reaction to fish. That may include swelling around the lips and mouth, diarrhea, or vomiting.

Allergic reactions can happen either immediately or over time, so it’s recommended that you introduce one potential allergen every few days so that you can identify any triggers.

Fish can provide a good source of protein, iron, zinc, omega-3, iodine, and vitamin B12 for your baby, all of which are important nutrients for healthy growth and development.

Before introducing any solid food, be sure to talk with your baby’s pediatrician, especially if food allergies run in your family.

Just one thing

Try this today: To get important nutrients for you and your baby, try making poached salmon or salmon cakes for the whole family to enjoy as part of dinner.

Last medically reviewed on August 27, 2021

Uncategorized
Parenthood
Baby

How we reviewed this article:

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles when new information becomes available.

Current Version

Aug 27, 2021

Ellen Landes, MS, RDN, CPT

Edited By

Lisa Valente, MS, RD

Medically Reviewed By

Sade Meeks, MS, RD

Copy Edited By

Christina Guzik, BA, MBA

Share this article

Evidence Based

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.

This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

By Ellen Landes, MS, RDN, CPT on August 27, 2021 — Medically reviewed by Sade Meeks, MS, RD, Nutrition

Fish dishes for children aged 1-1.5 years. Fish recipes for children 12-18 months

Fish is a very useful product for a child. So it contains such an easily digestible protein necessary for the baby, amino acids, vitamins A and D in large quantities (they prevent the development of rickets and strengthen bones). Also, by consuming fish, the child will receive a set of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, sodium - they are very necessary for the child's body. And with the fish, the children's body will receive ten times more fluorine, iodine and bromine than from meat. Fish is not only healthy, but also tasty, you can make a variety of dishes from it that your baby will like.

Fish meatballs (in the oven)

Ingredients:

100 g fish fillet
1 piece wheat bread
1/2 cup water
1/4 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon butter
salt

We clean the fish fillet from the skin and bones, wash it, pass it through a meat grinder (preferably twice). We soak a piece of bread in cold water in advance and also pass it through a meat grinder. Add egg yolk, oil and mix all ingredients well. Then we form small balls from the resulting mass, put in a baking dish, fill with water about half. Cooking in the oven for 20-30 minutes. You can also cook in a slow cooker.

Fish broth with meatballs

Ingredients:

60 g fish fillet
1 slice white bread
1 st. milk spoon
1/2 teaspoon butter
1.5 cups fish broth
dill

We clean the fish fillet from the skin and bones, wash it, pass it through a meat grinder (preferably twice). We also pass a piece of bread soaked in milk through a meat grinder, add butter. From this mass we form meatballs. Bring the broth to a boil, lower the meatballs, cook over low heat for 10-15 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with very finely chopped dill.

Steamed fish soufflé

Ingredients:

200 g fish fillet
1 teaspoon butter
1 egg
1 tbsp vegetable oil
4 tablespoons sour cream

We clean the fish fillet from the skin and bones, wash it, pass it through a meat grinder (preferably twice), add sour cream, yolk, vegetable oil. We mix everything well. And beat the protein and pour into our mass. Mix again. We spread the mass in a form, the bottom of which is greased with butter. Steam for 35-40 minutes.

Fish steam cutlets

Ingredients:

160 g fish fillet
2 slices of white bread,
3 tbsp. milk spoons
1 teaspoon butter
1 egg
salt

We clean the fish fillet from the skin and bones, wash it, pass it through a meat grinder (preferably twice). Soak slices of bread in milk in advance and also pass through a meat grinder. Beat the egg, add a little salt. We form cutlets and steam for about 30 minutes. Drizzle finished cutlets with melted butter.

Fish dishes for baby. Our child.

At what age should fish dishes be offered to a child and how to prepare them correctly?

Content:

Pyrey Pyre (up to the year)
Fish souffle (from 1 year)
Fish cutlets (from 2 years)
Soup with fish meatballs (from 1 year)

by one of the valuable one of the valuable baby food is fish. It contains a lot of useful substances, including amino acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, B vitamins, vitamins A and D, mineral salts and trace elements such as iodine, iron, fluorine, magnesium, zinc, copper. These beneficial substances contribute to the formation of the bone skeleton and teeth of the child, stimulate the brain, and also contribute to the proper functioning of the thyroid gland. In addition, compared to meat, fish proteins are digested easier and faster. However, compared to meat, fish is not rich in iron.

The structure of ordinary fish is loose and tender, without films and fibers, which are often found in meat. Therefore, this product does not cause any difficulties for the child when using it.

They begin to feed the baby with fish dishes from 9-10 months, and use low-fat fish varieties - hake, pollock, pollock, sea bass, cod. Fatty fish (mackerel, pink salmon, sturgeon) are allowed for children after 3 years. According to the advice of many experts, it is preferable to give kids sea fish - it has a minimum number of bones, it is considered the least allergenic and contains the maximum amount of nutrients, vitamins and trace elements. Of the river species, pike perch, trout, and silver carp are best suited. They have very tender meat and an insignificant amount of bones.

Since fish is quite an allergenic product, it is introduced quite late (allergic children - only after 1 year), the recommended initial dose is 1/2 teaspoon. Gradually, the amount of fish is brought to 50 g - and this is if there are no allergic reactions to it. Otherwise, the fish is excluded for some time from the child's diet and introduced only after the doctor's permission, with special care. The most allergenic are river fish species. If an allergic reaction occurs in a child, it is safe to say that such a reaction will occur when eating any seafood.

New varieties of fish are again introduced with extreme caution, starting with the minimum dose. Then the volume is adjusted to the age norm. The daily portion of fish for a one-year-old child is 60-70 g, older than a year - 80-90 g. It is not recommended to take fish products more than twice a week.

When choosing fish for your child, try to choose fresh rather than frozen. Buy frozen ones in reliable places - storage conditions for this product are more important than for any other. Of course, it is better to cook fish for a couple - it will retain a maximum of useful substances and turn out to be very soft and delicate in taste. Do not forget that it is not recommended to give fried, smoked, salted fish and canned fish to children. The exception is children's canned fish. As for seafood (squid, mussels, shrimp), they can be included in the children's diet only after 3-4 years.

It is very important that a child does not choke on a bone when eating fish products. This fear is experienced by any mother, and it is not unreasonable. There is not a single ENT doctor who would not tell a dozen terrible stories about foreign bodies in the larynx and pharynx. Therefore, when offering fish to a child, the mother should carefully check the fish fibers for the presence of bones. The simplest and safest solution is canned fish for children. They are made mainly with the addition of other products - cereals or vegetables. These are the so-called multi-component canned food. In addition, vegetable oils such as olive, sunflower, corn or animal fats (butter) are sometimes added to baby food.

Fish for use in baby food is sometimes ground right with the bones, which helps the child get the maximum amount of calcium needed. Introducing your child to fish dishes early will help develop the right food priorities. For example, it is known that for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases in adults, doctors advise eating fish dishes at least twice a week. Eating fish twice a week reduces the risk of cancer, myocardial infarction, lowers cholesterol levels, and also contributes to active longevity.

Fish puree (up to a year)

Fillet fish (hake, cod or perch) - 150 g
Butter - 1 tsp
Sour cream - 2 tsp
Cottage cheese - 1 tbsp.
Onion - ¼ onion
Water - 1/2 cup
Sol

Put the fish fillet in a saucepan, add the onion cut into half rings, add a little water and cook until done. Pass the boiled fish, cottage cheese and onion 2 times through a meat grinder. Add sour cream to the minced meat, salt and simmer for 4 minutes. Remove the puree from the heat and season with butter.

Fish soufflé (from 1 year old)

Fillet fish (hake, cod) — 100 g
Egg — 1 pc.
Potato — 1 pc.
Cream - 1 tbsp.
Butter - 1 tsp
Onion - half an onion
Sol

Boil potatoes and fish separately. Finely chop the onion and sauté it in vegetable oil until golden brown. At the end of frying, add cream, mix and remove from heat. Separate the egg white from the yolk and beat into foam. Mash fish and potatoes in a puree (you can use a blender), add butter, yolk, onion mixture with cream, salt and mix thoroughly. Then add the whipped protein, mix and put the mass into a greased form. Preheat oven to 190°C and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Fish cakes (from 2 years old)

Fish (hake or cod) - 0.5 kg
Egg — 1 pc.
Onion - half an onion
Semolina - 1 tbsp.
Butter - 50 g
Breadcrumbs
Pepper
Sol

Crack the eggs into the semolina, mix and let stand for 5-7 minutes. Separate the fish from bones and skin.

Fish babies food

Can Babies Eat Fish? Safety, Benefits, and More

Nutrition

Best choices:

Good choices:

Just one thing

How we reviewed this article:

Evidence Based

related stories

Read this next

Can Babies Eat Fish? Safety, Benefits, and More

Nutrition

Best choices:

Good choices:

Just one thing

How we reviewed this article:

Evidence Based

related stories

Read this next

Fish dishes for children aged 1-1.5 years. Fish recipes for children 12-18 months

Fish meatballs (in the oven)

Fish broth with meatballs

Steamed fish soufflé

Fish steam cutlets

Fish dishes for baby. Our child.

At what age should fish dishes be offered to a child and how to prepare them correctly?

Fish puree (up to a year)

Fish soufflé (from 1 year old)

Fish cakes (from 2 years old)

Learn more

Fish babies food

Can Babies Eat Fish? Safety, Benefits, and More

Nutrition

Best choices:

Good choices:

Just one thing

How we reviewed this article:

Evidence Based

related stories

Read this next

Can Babies Eat Fish? Safety, Benefits, and More

Nutrition

Best choices:

Good choices:

Just one thing

How we reviewed this article:

Evidence Based

related stories

Read this next

Fish dishes for children aged 1-1.5 years. Fish recipes for children 12-18 months

Fish meatballs (in the oven)

Fish broth with meatballs

Steamed fish soufflé

Fish steam cutlets

Fish dishes for baby. Our child.

At what age should fish dishes be offered to a child and how to prepare them correctly?

Fish puree (up to a year)

Fish soufflé (from 1 year old)

Fish cakes (from 2 years old)

Learn more

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