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Can Babies Eat Sardines? A Great First Fish

Sardines are one of the best early fish for babies: low in mercury, packed with omega-3, iron, and calcium, with soft canned bones you can mash right in. Choose no-added-salt cans and mash well.

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When to introduce
Around 6 months
Common allergen?
Yes (fish, a top-9 allergen)
Texture
Mashed soft, bones and all, drained of oil
Key nutrients
Omega-3, iron, calcium, protein, vitamin D, B12

Can babies eat sardines? Yes, from around 6 months, when your baby starts solids, and they are honestly one of the best fish you can offer. Sardines are small, oily fish usually sold canned in water or olive oil, and they tick almost every box for a baby: they are low in mercury, rich in the omega-3 fats that support brain and eye development, and a good source of iron. Even better, the tiny bones in canned sardines are soft enough to mash, so they add calcium and need very little de-boning. The two things to keep an eye on are salt (choose a no-added-salt or low-salt can) and the fact that fish is a common allergen, so you introduce it on a calm day and watch for a reaction.

⚠️ Sardines are a genuinely great early fish from around 6 months, but fish is a top-9 allergen2, so offer them on their own the first time and choose a low-salt or no-added-salt can.

Why it matters: Mercury builds up as bigger, longer-living predator fish eat smaller ones, so a tiny, short-lived fish like the sardine sits near the bottom of that chain and stays very low in mercury, which is exactly why small oily fish are the safest way to give a baby fish's omega-3 and iron.

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

🍴 Baby-led weaning

6 monthsChoose no-added-salt sardines canned in water or olive oil, and drain them well. Fresh sardines need cooking first, to 158°F (70°C) on a food thermometer.8 This early it is easiest to mash bones and all very smooth, so there are no firm pieces, and offer it on a preloaded spoon mixed into a familiar food like mashed sweet potato or avocado to soften the strong flavor.
9 monthsMash sardines a little lumpier, mashing in the soft bones and picking out any piece that stays firm, and stir them into soft rice or mashed vegetables your baby can scoop up. Keep choosing low-salt cans and drain them well.
12 months+Offer soft, well-mashed flakes of sardine that your baby can pick up, picking out any piece that stays firm. Keep choosing low-salt cans and drain them well.
18 months+Fork-mash sardines onto toast fingers, or blend into fish cakes your toddler can hold. The soft bones still mash easily. Keep salt low by sticking with no-added-salt cans.

🥄 Purées

6 monthsChoose no-added-salt sardines canned in water or olive oil. Fresh sardines need cooking first, to 158°F (70°C) on a food thermometer.8 Drain, then mash a small amount very smooth, bones and all, so there are no firm pieces. Mix with a familiar food like mashed sweet potato or avocado to soften the strong flavor.
9 monthsMash sardines a little lumpier, mashing in the soft bones and picking out any piece that stays firm, and stir them into mashed vegetables or soft rice. Keep choosing low-salt cans and drain them well.
12 months+Well-mash the sardine flakes, picking out any piece that stays firm, and stir into mashed vegetables, soft rice, or scrambled egg. Keep choosing low-salt cans and drain them well.
18 months+Fork-mash sardines and stir into pasta or tomato sauce, or blend into fish cakes. The soft bones still mash easily. Keep salt low by sticking with no-added-salt cans.

Are sardines safe? Choking & prep

Sardines are a reassuring fish to start with, and it helps to know why. Because they are small and short-lived, they sit low on the food chain and stay very low in mercury, so unlike shark, swordfish, or big tuna, they are not a fish you have to limit for mercury; this is the main reason pediatric guidance points parents toward small oily fish1. Fish can start with the rest of solids: the Dietary Guidelines for Americans list seafood among the foods to introduce from about 6 months, and the AAP names fish among the allergenic foods to introduce once a few first foods have gone well34. The soft canned bones are edible and add calcium5, so you can mash them into the flesh until smooth; pick out any piece that stays firm, since the CDC lists bones in fish among choking hazards6. Two things do deserve attention. First, salt: many cans come in brine or with added salt, and babies need very little sodium, so reach for a no-added-salt or low-salt can packed in water or olive oil, and drain it well. Second, fish is one of the top-9 allergens, so the first time you serve sardines, offer them on their own on a day you can watch your baby, start with a small amount, and look for any reaction before making them a regular food. Mash sardines well so the texture is smooth and there are no firm chunks. Canned sardines are already cooked; if you buy fresh ones, cook them to 158°F (70°C) on a food thermometer before you mash them.8

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Nutrition

Sardines are a small fish with an outsized nutrition profile. They are one of the richest everyday sources of the omega-3 fats DHA and EPA, which support a baby's developing brain, eyes, and nervous system, and they are a good source of iron, the nutrient babies most need more of from around 6 months. Because the soft bones stay in, canned sardines also deliver a real dose of calcium, along with vitamin D that helps the body use it. On top of that you get high-quality protein, vitamin B12, and selenium. Very few single foods pack this combination of omega-3, iron, and calcium, which is what makes sardines such a useful food to have in the rotation.

Goes well with

Mashed sweet potato · Cooked white rice or soft pasta · Avocado · Scrambled egg · Cooked peas · Tomato mashed into the fish

Storage & freezing

Store unopened cans in a cool cupboard until the best-by date. Once opened, move any leftover sardines into a sealed container in the fridge, not the open can, and use within 2 days. You can mash and portion sardines into an ice-cube tray and freeze, then thaw a cube as needed; use frozen portions within a month. Reheat to 165°F (74°C) if serving warm7, and throw out anything left on your baby's plate rather than saving it.

More proteins to explore

🐟
SashimiNot for babies; cooked fish from ~6 months instead
🐟
Sea breamAround 6 months
🐟
SkateAround 6 months+
🐟
SmeltAround 6 months
🍖
SausageBest limited; toddlers with care
🦪
ScallopsAround 6 months, fully cooked and minced or blended; small soft pieces from about 9 months

Introducing this allergen

Related reading

Common questions

Can babies eat sardines, and from what age?

Yes, from around 6 months, once your baby has started solids34. Sardines are low in mercury and rich in omega-3, iron, and calcium, which makes them one of the best early fish. Choose a no-added-salt can and mash the fish very smooth, bones and all.

Do I need to remove the bones from canned sardines?

Usually not. Canning softens the tiny bones enough to eat, and they add calcium5. Press each piece with a fork as you mash: if a bit of backbone stays firm and will not crush, pick it out, since the CDC lists bones in fish among choking hazards6. Sardines you cook fresh at home have firm bones, so take every bone out of those.

Are sardines high in mercury?

No, sardines are very low in mercury. They are small, short-lived fish that sit low on the food chain, so unlike shark, swordfish, or big tuna, they are not a fish you have to limit for mercury.

Are sardines an allergen?

Yes. Fish is one of the top-9 allergens, so offer sardines on their own the first time, on a day you can watch your baby, and start with a small amount. Signs of a reaction can include hives, swelling, vomiting, or trouble breathing. 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. Once sardines go well, keep fish in the rotation.

Which canned sardines should I buy for my baby?

Choose sardines canned in water or olive oil with no added salt or the lowest salt you can find. Drain them well before serving. Skip cans in brine or heavily salted sauces, since babies need very little sodium.

Should I use sardines in water or in oil?

Either works. Sardines in water or in olive oil are both fine; just drain them well and pick a no-added-salt option. The oil-packed ones are a little richer, which some babies take to more easily.

Are sardines a choking risk?

Sardines are soft and, when mashed smooth, are low risk. Mash the flesh smooth, and pick out any bit of bone that stays firm6. For younger babies, mash well and mix with a soft food; for older babies, offer soft flakes.

How often can babies eat sardines?

Often. The FDA and EPA suggest about 2 servings of fish a week for young children, and a serving at ages 1 to 3 is only about 1 ounce1. Sardines are on the extra-low-mercury list for children who eat more fish than that1. The thing to watch is salt, so keep choosing no-added-salt cans.

How do I make sardines taste less strong for my baby?

Mash sardines into a familiar, mild food like sweet potato, avocado, or tomato, which mellows the flavor. Serving them mixed rather than plain the first few times often helps babies accept the taste.

Sources

  1. FDA: Advice About Eating Fish
  2. FDA: Food Allergies (the nine major food allergens)
  3. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025-2030 (solid foods at about 6 months; seafood among the foods to introduce)
  4. AAP HealthyChildren: When to Introduce Common Food Allergens (fish among the allergenic foods to introduce after a few first foods)
  5. NHS: Fish and shellfish nutrition (canned sardines have bones you can eat)
  6. CDC: Choking Hazards (Infant and Toddler Nutrition)
  7. FDA: Safe Food Handling (reheat leftovers to 165°F)
  8. Health Canada: Safe cooking temperatures (fish 70°C (158°F); shellfish and crustaceans 74°C (165°F))

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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