Bitelings
🐟 Can babies eat mackerel?
Yes, from 6 months, when your baby is ready for solids. Oily fish full of omega-3s. Choose Atlantic mackerel; avoid king mackerel, which is high in mercury.
- From
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- Low
- Common allergen
- Fish
- Iron-rich
- No
How to serve mackerel by age
6 months
Mash cooked or canned (low-sodium) Atlantic mackerel onto toast strips, bones removed.
- Use Atlantic, not king mackerel
- Remove the bones
- Mash onto toast strips
Amount: 1–2 tsp
9 months
Flaked mackerel mixed into rice or potato.
- Remove all bones
- Flake into rice or potato
Amount: 1–2 tbsp
12 months (1 year)+
Flaked or in pieces.
- Remove all bones
- Serve flaked or in pieces
Amount: 2–3 tbsp
Is mackerel a choking hazard?
Low risk Low risk once bones are removed.
Mackerel and allergies
Allergen: fish Introduce mackerel on its own, early in the day, and watch for a reaction. Ask your pediatrician first if your baby has eczema or a known food allergy.
Nutrition
Omega-3 (DHA), vitamin D, B12, selenium.