Salmon
ProteinsGreat first food- AGE
- 6 months +
- COMMON ALLERGEN
- Fish
- CHOKING RISK
- Low · prep still matters
- IRON
- Iron-rich
- GOOD FOR
- Protein · Omega-3 · Vitamin D
When can babies have salmon?
From 6 months (corrected age) — and it’s one of our curated great first foods.
- Rich in DHA, the omega-3 fat concentrated in the developing brain and eyes
- Provides iron, vitamin D, and high-quality protein
- A low-mercury fish, appropriate for regular servings from 6 months
How do I serve it at each age?
Safe form at 6–8 months
A skinless piece of salmon fillet the size of two adult fingers, cooked until it flakes at the touch of a fork, pin-bone-checked, and served whole or lightly mashed into a familiar puree.
Pass/fail test: Press a fork flat on the fish — it should separate into moist flakes with no resistance, and fingertips raked through every flake should find zero pin bones.
Why this form: Cooked salmon is naturally soft enough for bare gums, so a two-finger piece suits the palmar grasp while mashed flakes in puree deliver the allergen and DHA by spoon.
How to prepare
- Run your fingers over the raw fillet against the grain and pull out every pin bone with tweezers, then bake or poach until opaque and flaking throughout.
- Rake the cooked fish apart with a fork and fingertips, double-checking for missed bones, then remoisten with a little cooking liquid, breast milk, or formula.
- Mix into or serve alongside familiar foods, never another new food.
- First time: serve early in the day, a small amount, and watch for 2 hours.
Common mistakes
- Skipping the pin-bone check — a fine bone is the real hazard in an otherwise soft food.
- Overcooking until dry and chalky; dry fish crumbles instead of mashing.
- Introducing salmon at dinner, where a delayed reaction lands overnight when you can't observe.
How much?
A teaspoon or two of mashed flakes in a familiar puree, or one soft two-finger piece — first serves stay small, then grow with tolerance.
1–2 times a week once tolerated — salmon is a low-mercury choice.
Amounts are starting points, not targets — watch the baby, not the numbers.
How do I get the texture right?
- Poaching in a shallow pan of barely simmering water for about 10 minutes gives the moistest, easiest-to-mash result for early eaters.
- The pin-bone check happens twice: fingers over the raw fillet, then again through the cooked flakes — bones hide until the flesh separates.
- Salmon is a low-mercury choice; keeping it (and other low-mercury fish) to a couple of servings a week fits federal fish advice for young children.
- Canned salmon works in a pinch: choose no-salt-added, and mash thoroughly so the soft round bones crush completely.
- Freeze cooked, de-boned flakes flat in a zip bag and snap off a portion at a time to keep weekly fish servings effortless.
Is salmon a choking hazard?
Low risk in the forms above — shape and texture do the safety work. Any food can be a hazard served the wrong way, so match the form to your baby’s age.
Is salmon a common allergen?
Common allergen: Fish
Yes — introduce it early in the day, alongside familiar foods, and watch for 2 hours. See the Fish introduction program →
Anything to watch for?
Smoked salmon and breaded fish products carry far more salt than plain cooked fillet — keep them occasional.