Can Babies Eat Salmon? How to Introduce It Safely

• Start with a skinless fillet, or cook it skin-on and remove the skin after.
• Run a clean fingertip along the flesh to feel for pin bones, then pull any out with tweezers or clean fingers.
• Cook it to 158°F (70°C) on a food thermometer in the thickest part;⁴ it should flake easily with a fork.²
• Bake, steam, poach, or pan-cook in a little oil. Skip added salt.
• Flake it finely and check one more time for bones before it hits the tray.
• Let it cool to warm, not hot, and serve.

Fresh and frozen salmon are both great. Cook them to 158°F (70°C) either way,⁴ and frozen is often cheaper and just as nutritious. Canned salmon works too: rinse or drain it, choose lower-sodium when possible, and watch for the little bones. The one to skip is smoked salmon from the fridge case (lox, nova, or kippered). It is high in salt, and the FDA lists refrigerated smoked seafood among the foods children should avoid unless it is cooked into a hot dish.²

Good news: salmon is one of the low-mercury fish, which makes it a smart regular choice. FDA and EPA guidance supports a couple of servings of low-mercury fish a week for young children as part of a varied diet. Ask your pediatrician about exact amounts for your baby. What matters most here is the other list: avoid the high-mercury fish, meaning shark, swordfish, king mackerel, tilefish from the Gulf of Mexico, marlin, orange roughy, and bigeye tuna.

Around 6 months, when your baby is showing signs of readiness, offer salmon flaked very finely and mixed into a puree, or as a soft, palm-sized piece for baby-led weaning. Once fish and wheat have both been introduced, flaked salmon spread on a strip of toast works well too. As they get more coordinated through the older months, you can serve slightly larger flakes and let them practice picking pieces up. However you serve it, the bone check and full cooking stay the same at every age.

Fish is one of the top-9 allergens, so introduce salmon on its own, not buried in a mixed new meal, so you can tell what did what. Offer it earlier in the day, then watch for about two hours. Possible signs include hives, redness, swelling, or vomiting. Call 911 (or your local emergency number) right away if any of these show up soon after a food, on their own or together: swelling of the lips, face, eyes, or tongue; swelling or tightness in the throat, or trouble swallowing; vomiting; hives that spread beyond the mouth and face; trouble breathing, noisy breathing, or wheezing; a cough that keeps going; a hoarse voice; skin or lips that turn pale or blue; or a baby who goes floppy or limp, or is suddenly sleepy or hard to wake. If the only sign is a new rash or a few hives around the mouth or face, stop the food, watch your baby closely, and call your pediatrician. If anything else about your baby worries you, call 911. Introducing common allergens early, around 6 months, is in line with current US guidance.

Around 6 months. Fish is one of the big-9 allergens, and current guidance favors introducing it early rather than delaying.

Yes, fish is one of the big-9 allergens. Introduce salmon on its own, earlier in the day, and watch for a couple of hours.

Salmon is low in mercury, which makes it a good choice. Avoid high-mercury fish such as shark, swordfish, and king mackerel for babies.

Cook it to 158°F (70°C) on a food thermometer,⁴ flake it finely, and check very carefully for bones. Mash or mix into a purée for younger babies, or offer a soft piece for baby-led weaning.

Yes. Canned salmon is a convenient, low-mercury option that mashes easily. Pick a lower-sodium can when you can, drain it, and run your fingers through it carefully, since canned salmon often has small soft bones mixed in.

It is best to remove the skin for babies. It can be chewy and hard to manage, and it is where some contaminants concentrate. Cook the fillet skin-on if you like for moisture, then peel it off before serving.