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From the YummyYucky team, founded by Nancy Nash

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Can Babies Eat Herring? What to Know

Herring is a low-mercury oily fish rich in omega-3s. Fresh or unsalted and fully cooked, it suits babies from 6 months. Pickled and smoked are too salty.

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When to introduce
Around 6 months
Common allergen?
Yes (fish, a top-9 allergen)
Texture
Cooked through, flaked, and deboned
Key nutrients
Omega-3 (DHA), protein, vitamin D, vitamin B12

Herring is a small, silvery oily fish, and it is one of the nutritional stars of the seafood world for babies. It is low in mercury and packed with the omega-3 fat DHA, which supports brain and eye development. Fresh or unsalted herring, cooked through and carefully deboned, can join your baby's plate from around 6 months. The catch is that most herring on shop shelves is pickled or smoked, which is far too salty for a baby, so this is a food where how it is prepared matters as much as the fish itself.

⚠️ Herring is one of the lower-mercury fish, but pickled or smoked herring is very salty, so serve fresh or unsalted herring cooked through, and check it carefully for small bones.1

Why it matters: A baby's kidneys are still developing and cannot clear much sodium, which is why the very salty pickled and smoked herring is off the table even though the fish itself is excellent, and fine pin bones are a choking and injury risk, which is why every piece needs to be flaked and checked before it reaches your baby.

Prep School: how to prepare herring for baby-led weaning (BLW) and purées

🍴 Baby-led weaning

6 monthsPoach, bake, or steam fresh unsalted herring until fully cooked, then flake it and press through with your fingers to find and remove every fine bone. Offer the soft flakes loose on the tray, or press them flat onto a strip of lightly toasted bread your baby can grip and gnaw. Skip pickled and smoked versions.
9 monthsServe well-cooked, deboned herring in soft flakes your baby can pick up. Use fresh or unsalted herring, cooked fully through, and keep checking for bones as you flake it. Skip pickled and smoked versions.
12 months+Offer soft, deboned pieces of cooked fresh or unsalted herring as part of the family meal. Keep the portion unsalted and skip pickled and smoked versions.

🥄 Purées

6 monthsPoach, bake, or steam fresh or unsalted herring until fully cooked, then flake it and press through it with your fingers to find and remove every small bone. Mash it into a smooth puree, thinned with breast milk, formula, or a little unsalted cooking liquid.
9 monthsServe well-cooked, deboned herring mashed into unsalted mashed potato or vegetables. Use fresh or unsalted herring, and keep checking for bones as you flake it. Skip pickled and smoked versions.

Is herring safe? Choking & prep

The U.S. FDA lists herring among its "Best Choices" fish for its low mercury level and advises fish as part of a healthy diet for young children.1

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Nutrition

Herring is one of the richest sources of omega-3 fatty acids, including DHA, which is important for a baby's developing brain, nerves, and eyes. It also delivers complete protein, vitamin D for bone growth, and vitamin B12, which is hard to find in plant foods. Because it is an oily fish rather than a lean white fish, it packs more of these healthy fats per bite, which is part of why it is such a valued early food.

Goes well with

Mashed potato · Steamed carrot · Mashed avocado · Cooked peas · Plain rice

Storage & freezing

Store fresh herring in the coldest part of the fridge and cook it within a day or two, or freeze it. Refrigerate leftover cooked herring in a sealed container and use it within 1 to 2 days. Reheat it once until steaming hot all the way through, then stir and cool it to warm before serving. Do not save and reheat a portion your baby has already been eating from.

More proteins to explore

🐟
Herring roeFrom about 9 months
🐟
HilsaAround 9 months
🐟
MackerelAround 9 months
🐟
Mahi-mahiAround 6 months
🥜
Hickory nut6 months+ (as smooth butter or ground)
🫘
Horse gram6 months+

Introducing this allergen

Related reading

Common questions

When can babies eat herring?

Around 6 months, once your baby is showing signs of readiness for solids. Use fresh or unsalted herring, cook it through, remove all small bones, and start with a smooth, thinned puree.

Is herring safe for babies given mercury concerns?

Herring is one of the lower-mercury fish and is on the FDA's "Best Choices" list, so it is a good regular fish to offer. The bigger thing to watch with herring is the salt in pickled and smoked versions, not mercury.

Can babies eat pickled or smoked herring?

It is best to skip both for babies. Pickled and smoked herring are very salty, and a baby's kidneys cannot handle much sodium. Choose fresh or unsalted herring and cook it yourself so you control the salt.

Is herring a common allergen?

Yes. Fish is one of the top-9 food allergens. Introduce herring on its own on a calm day, offer a small amount first, and watch how your baby does before serving more.

How do I get the bones out of herring?

Cook the fish first, then flake it apart with your fingers and press gently through each piece to feel for small pin bones. Herring has fine bones, so go slowly and check the whole portion before serving.

How should I cook herring for my baby?

Poach, bake, or steam it until it is opaque and flakes easily, with no translucent or raw parts. Skip added salt, and do not use pickled or smoked herring.

How much herring can my baby have?

Oily fish like herring is nutritious but does carry some pollutants, so many guidelines suggest limiting oily fish to a small serving a couple of times a week. Offer it as one of several fish rather than every day, and ask your pediatrician if you are unsure.

Can I give my baby herring roe or herring in sauce?

Be cautious. Herring sold in cream, wine, or mustard sauces is usually salty and may contain other allergens like milk or mustard, and roe can be salty too. Plain fresh or unsalted cooked herring is the safest starting point.

Sources

  1. FDA: Advice About Eating Fish

Further reading

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Last 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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