From the YummyYucky team, founded by Nancy Nash

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Can Babies Eat Sashimi? Safety and Risks

Sashimi is thin-sliced raw fish, and raw fish is not safe for babies. It can carry parasites and bacteria a baby cannot fight off, and some is high in mercury. There is no cooked sashimi: to give your baby fish, cook it through instead.

⛔ Raw fish is never safe for babies; there is no cooked sashimi, so serve cooked fish instead.

Sashimi is raw fish, and raw fish is not safe for babies.² A baby's immune system cannot fight off the parasites (such as anisakis) and bacteria (such as Listeria and Salmonella) that raw fish can carry, and raw fish can also carry hepatitis A. Freezing kills parasites but not bacteria, so 'sushi-grade' sashimi is not safe either.² Some sashimi fish, like tuna, are also high in mercury. Never give a baby or toddler sashimi. To give your baby fish, cook it fully: choose a low-mercury fish like salmon or cod, cook it to 158°F (70°C) on a food thermometer,⁷ check for bones, and serve it flaked small.

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When to introduce: Not for babies; cooked fish from ~6 months instead
Common allergen?: Yes - fish
Texture: Never raw; serve fully cooked fish, flaked small
Key nutrients: Protein, omega-3s, B12, vitamin D (from cooked fish)

Sashimi is thin slices of raw fish, served on its own without rice. Unlike a sushi roll, there is no cooked version of sashimi: the whole idea is that the fish is raw, and raw fish is not safe for babies. A baby's immune system is not ready to handle the bacteria and parasites raw fish can carry, and some sashimi fish are high in mercury. The safe way to give your baby fish is to cook it fully, which of course means it is no longer sashimi. This is a food to understand and wait on, not to serve in its raw form.

Prep School: sashimi by age, and what to offer instead

🍴 Baby-led weaning

Under 12 monthsSkip sashimi and all raw fish. To give your baby fish, offer fully cooked, deboned, low-mercury fish like salmon or cod from around 6 months, cooked to 158°F (70°C) on a food thermometer⁷ and flaked to a safe size.

12 months+Still no raw fish. Keep offering fully cooked, low-mercury fish, cut or flaked to a safe size.

Around age 5+We suggest waiting until about age 5, and until your child has had the hepatitis A vaccine, before trying raw fish. Even then, choose low-mercury fish that has been properly frozen, from a source you trust.

🥄 Purées

Under 12 monthsSkip sashimi and all raw fish. To give your baby fish, serve fully cooked, deboned, low-mercury fish like salmon or cod from around 6 months, cooked to 158°F (70°C) on a food thermometer⁷ and flaked fine and mashed into a puree.

12 months+Still no raw fish. Keep offering fully cooked, low-mercury fish, flaked and mixed into soft foods.

Is sashimi safe? Choking & prep

The one rule that matters: no raw fish for babies. Raw fish, including all sashimi, can carry parasites (such as anisakis worms) and bacteria like Listeria and Salmonella, and it can also carry viruses such as hepatitis A. Young children's immune systems are still developing, so they cannot fight off infections as well as adults.⁶ Freezing raw fish kills parasites but not bacteria, so even 'sushi-grade' sashimi is not safe for a baby, and the FDA advises that young children eat fish only when it is fully cooked.² On top of the infection risk, some popular sashimi fish, especially bluefin, bigeye, and albacore tuna, are high in mercury, which is a further reason to avoid them.¹ The FDA lists children among the groups who should avoid raw or undercooked fish such as sashimi.² The AAP notes that in Japan parents often wait until about 2 and a half to 3 years, and some wait until 5 or later, and it says to make sure your child has had the hepatitis A vaccine first.¹ We suggest waiting until around age 5. Until then, if you want to give your baby fish, cook it fully, to 158°F (70°C) on a food thermometer.⁷ Fish is a common allergen, so introduce cooked fish the way you would any new allergen.

Nutrition

Fish is a genuinely good food for babies: it provides protein, omega-3 fats that support brain and eye development, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. The catch is that a baby gets all of those benefits from fully cooked fish, without the infection risk that comes with eating it raw. So the nutrition is not a reason to serve sashimi. Choose a low-mercury fish like salmon or cod, cook it to 158°F (70°C) on a food thermometer,⁷ and your baby gets the same nutrients safely.

Goes well with

Cooked salmon · Steamed rice · Avocado · Cucumber · Edamame (mashed)

Storage & freezing

Raw fish is highly perishable and is an adult food, not a baby food, so keep it refrigerated and tightly sealed and do not save it for your baby. For fish you cook for your baby, refrigerate leftovers promptly and use cooked fish within a day, or freeze in small portions. When in doubt about freshness, throw it out.

More proteins to explore

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Sea breamAround 6 months

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SkateAround 6 months+

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SmeltAround 6 months

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Smoked salmon (lox)Skip; serve cooked salmon instead

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SausageBest limited; toddlers with care

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ScallopsAround 6 months, fully cooked and minced or blended; small soft pieces from about 9 months

Introducing this allergen

Common questions

Can babies eat sashimi?

No. Sashimi is raw fish, and raw fish is not safe for babies. It can carry parasites and bacteria a baby's immune system cannot handle, and some is high in mercury. Give your baby fully cooked fish instead.

When can a child eat sashimi or raw fish?

We suggest waiting until around age 5. The AAP notes that in Japan parents often wait until about 2 and a half to 3 years, and some wait until 5 or later, and it says to make sure your child has had the hepatitis A vaccine first.¹ The FDA lists children among the groups who should avoid raw fish.² It is never something for babies or toddlers.

Is 'sushi-grade' or frozen sashimi safe for a baby?

No. Freezing kills parasites but not bacteria, so 'sushi-grade' raw fish is still not safe for a baby. Cooking is the only way to make fish safe for a young child.

What about mercury in sashimi?

Some sashimi fish, especially tuna, are high in mercury, which is a reason to avoid them for young children. When you serve fish, choose low-mercury types like salmon or cod, fully cooked.

How do I give my baby fish safely?

Choose a low-mercury fish like salmon or cod, cook it to 158°F (70°C) on a food thermometer,⁷ check carefully for bones, and flake it small. You can start from around 6 months, introducing it like any new allergen.

Sources

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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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