Baby's First Foods: Fish

Fish is one of the best first foods for babies starting solids with a baby led weaning approach. Learn why fish is so important for babies and how to serve it as a finger food!

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Fish is continuing to be recognized as an important food for Americans to include in our diets. It's recommended to eat 2 servings of seafood per week for both adults and kids. Luckily, if you're using a baby led weaning approach, increasing the amount of seafood in your diet will also mean increasing it in baby's diet, and vice-versa. Here's why fish is one of the most perfect first foods for babies.

Why Fish Is a Great First Food For Babies

Fish and other seafood is loaded with essential nutrients that babies need. It's also naturally a soft texture when cooked, making it easy for babies to eat without much modification, if any. And it's also a potential allergen, so it's important to expose babies early (more on that in a moment).

Essential Nutrients in Fish and Seafood

Seafood is the only food rich in the omega-3 fatty acid DHA. DHA is super important for babies' brain development, as well as for their eyes. Seafood is also a source of protein, iron, vitamins B12 and D, and minerals like selenium, zinc and iodine. Fish is really an excellent, nutrient-dense food for babies!

overhead view of a baby's high chair tray with a piece of salmon and a strawberry on it.

Allergen Exposure

While most of the research on early allergen exposure is focused on peanuts and eggs, the general consensus among health professionals is now to expose infants to all potentially allergenic foods early (around 6 months) and often. Doing so is thought to lower the risk of baby developing a food allergy to those foods. Fish and shellfish are both potential food allergens, so it's important to include them in baby's diet from the very beginning.

What About Mercury?

The benefits of consuming seafood far outweigh the risks of mercury contamination from seafood. However, for young children (and pregnant women), it's best to avoid the types of seafood that may be higher in mercury: shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish, bigeye tuna (that's not the canned kind), marlin, and orange roughy. So more common types of seafood like salmon, cod, shrimp, halibut, canned tuna, tilapia, and crab are all safe!

How To Serve Fish and Seafood to Babies

side by side images of a baby's plate with fish, sweet potatoes and pears for a younger baby and for an older baby.

Here are some ideas for safely serving seafood to babies if you're using a baby led weaning approach:

Any fish cooked for the family, cut into finger-sized strips for younger babies or bites for older babies
Large, whole shrimp (peeled) (cut into poeces once baby has the pincer grasp and/or teeth)
Canned tuna or salmon made into tuna salad or salmon salad
Canned tuna or salmon mashed with avocado
Made into patties with quinoa, beans, or breadcrumbs and cut into strips
Homemade fish sticks in finger-sized pieces