How to serve salmon by age
6–8 months
Bake or poach until it flakes, check carefully for bones, then offer large soft flakes or mash into a patty baby can hold. Cooked through.
9–11 months
Pull into small, soft flakes for pincer practice, or fold into mashed potato. Run your fingers through every piece for pin bones.
12–24 months
Flaked salmon on rice, in pasta, or in fishcakes, kept moist; keep checking for bones. About 2 fish servings a week (FDA/EPA advice for ages 1–11).
Needs special prep: low
choking risk in its raw or whole form
Feel through each flake for bones and keep the fish moist.
Cooked salmon flakes apart easily; the real risk is a missed pin bone.
Allergen notes
Salmon is a fish, a common allergen. For a first taste, offer a small amount of well-cooked, boneless salmon, flaked or mashed. Once introduced, keep low-mercury fish in your baby's diet regularly; from 12 months, about 2 servings a week is a good guide.
Nutrition
- Contains DHA (omega-3), protein and vitamin D.
- A source of vitamin B12 and selenium.
Preparation tips
- Salmon is a low-mercury "best choice" fish. Skip high-mercury fish: shark, swordfish, marlin, king mackerel, orange roughy, bigeye tuna, and Gulf tilefish.
- Mash with potato, shape into small patties, and freeze; warm one at a time.
Sources
- FDA / EPA · Advice about Eating Fish
- AAAAI / ACAAI / CSACI · A Consensus Approach to the Primary Prevention of Food Allergy Through Nutrition (2021)
- American Academy of Pediatrics · HealthyChildren.org: Starting Solid Foods
- NHS Best Start in Life · Weaning
- CDC · Infant and Toddler Nutrition: Choking Hazards
This is general information, not medical advice. Read our disclaimer and methodology.
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