From the YummyYucky team, founded by Nancy Nash
Can Babies Eat Anchovies? Salt First
Anchovies are a tiny low-mercury oily fish packed with omega-3, but the jarred and canned kind are extremely salty. Rinse well and use a little as flavor.
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- When to introduce
- Around 9 months
- Common allergen?
- Yes (fish, a top-9 allergen)
- Texture
- Fresh or rinsed, mashed soft; small bones edible
- Key nutrients
- Omega-3, protein, calcium, vitamin D, selenium
Can babies eat anchovies? Yes, from around 9 months, with one big caveat: the anchovies most of us have in the cupboard, the jarred or canned ones, are cured in a lot of salt. That salt, not the fish itself, is the thing to manage. Anchovies are a tiny oily fish that is low in mercury and rich in omega-3, so they are a lovely food to share; you just treat them like a seasoning rather than a serving. Fresh anchovies, or salted ones rinsed well, mashed soft with the little bones mashed right in, are a warm and easy first fish for a curious baby.
Why it matters: Anchovies are cured in salt to preserve them, so the risk they carry is sodium load rather than the fish, which is why rinsing and portioning as a flavor matters more than the fish itself.
Prep School: how to prepare anchovies for baby-led weaning (BLW) and purées
🍴 Baby-led weaning
🥄 Purées
Are anchovies safe? Choking & prep
Anchovies are a top-9 fish allergen, so offer them on their own the first time and watch for a reaction over a few days. The main thing to manage is salt: jarred and canned anchovies are cured in salt and are far too salty to serve as a portion. The NHS advises keeping salt very low in the first year because babies' developing kidneys cannot process much of it, which is why cured fish should be rinsed well before use and used only sparingly.1 Rinse under running water, then use only a small amount as a flavoring folded into a larger dish. The small bones in anchovies are soft and edible once mashed thoroughly into the flesh, adding calcium, but mash well so no firm pieces remain. Cook fresh anchovies through until they flake.
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Nutrition
Anchovies pack a lot into a tiny fish. They are rich in omega-3 fats for brain and eye development, plus protein, calcium, vitamin D, and selenium. Because they are so small and short-lived, they are low in mercury, which makes them a gentle oily fish to offer regularly. The catch is that the salt-cured versions carry those nutrients alongside a heavy dose of sodium, so a rinsed, small amount gives you the good parts without the salt load.
Goes well with
Potato · Tomato · Pasta · Soft toast
Storage & freezing
Opened canned or jarred anchovies keep 1 to 2 days in the fridge in a covered container; use them promptly. Fresh anchovies should be cooked and eaten the day you buy them or the next day. Rinse just before serving rather than in advance.
More proteins to explore
Introducing this allergen
- How to introduce anchovies safely →
- Introducing the big 9 allergens →
- Signs of a food allergy in babies →
Related reading
- Fish for babies: mercury & safe choices →
- Best first proteins for babies →
- How to cut food to prevent choking →
- Signs your baby is ready for solids →
- Baby-led weaning vs. purées →
Common questions
Can babies eat anchovies?
Yes, from around 9 months. They are a low-mercury oily fish rich in omega-3. Because jarred and canned ones are very salty, rinse them well and use only a small amount as flavor, and introduce them as a top-9 fish allergen.
Are anchovies too salty for babies?
Jarred and canned anchovies are cured in a lot of salt and are too salty to serve as a portion. Rinse them well under running water and use only a small amount folded into a larger dish so the meal stays low in salt.
Do I need to rinse canned anchovies before giving them to my baby?
Yes. Rinsing under running water washes off much of the cured salt. After rinsing, mash a small amount into food as a flavoring rather than serving it on its own.
Are fresh anchovies better than canned for babies?
For salt, yes. Fresh anchovies have no added salt, so you can poach and mash them soft. If you only have canned or jarred, rinse well and use a tiny amount.
Are anchovies high in mercury?
No. Anchovies are a small, short-lived fish, so they are low in mercury, which makes them a good regular oily-fish choice for babies once salt is managed.
Can babies eat the bones in anchovies?
In canned anchovies, yes: the canning process softens the bones, and mashed thoroughly into the flesh they are safe and add calcium. Fresh anchovies are different, because poaching does not soften bone, so fillet them and remove the backbone first. Mash well so no firm pieces remain.
Is fish an allergen I should worry about?
Fish is one of the top-9 allergens, so offer anchovies on their own the first time and watch for a reaction over a few days before mixing them into other foods.
Are anchovies a choking risk for babies?
Whole cured anchovies are salty rather than a shape risk, but always mash them soft with the bones mashed in, and cook fresh anchovies until they flake, so the texture is smooth and easy.
How often can babies eat anchovies?
Because they are low in mercury, anchovies can be part of the weekly rotation of oily fish. Keep portions small and rinsed so salt stays low, and vary the fish you offer.
Sources
Further reading
- American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org): Starting Solid Foods
- CDC: Foods and Drinks to Encourage and Limit
- NIAID: Addendum Guidelines for the Prevention of Peanut Allergy (2017)
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Start tracking for freeLast updated September 2026. Next review December 2026. How we write these: built from current published guidance from the AAP, CDC, FDA/EPA, NIAID, WHO, and other pediatric and public-health authorities, with sources cited on the page. See our editorial and medical policy for how we research, source, and update these, and how we double-check the food advice.
This is general information, not medical advice, and is not individualized for your baby. Always talk to your pediatrician about your baby's diet, introducing allergens, and any reaction. In an emergency, contact emergency services.
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