One fish, two fish, red fish — whose fish? Your toddler’s, that’s who! Fish can be just as entertaining on the plate as they are in the pages of a Dr. Seuss book (and no, you don’t always have to resort to fish sticks).
If you’re constantly casting about for something to serve your toddler that will expand her food preferences beyond mac-and-cheese, spaghetti and grilled cheese, try doing a little fishing at your supermarket fish counter.
There’s good reason to add healthy fish to your toddler’s plate. Fish is low in saturated fat and high in protein, vitamin D and many of the B vitamins.
What’s more, fatty fish (like salmon and mackerel) is chockfull of omega-3 essential fatty acids, which are important for your child’s brain, nervous system and vision. Plus, adding fish to her diet at an early age might help protect against asthma and eczema.
But even with the amazing benefits of fish, it’s important to fish wisely. Contaminants, like mercury and PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls), which can affect the brain and may cause learning and behavior problems, lurk in many fish and shellfish. Some species contain very high levels; others have only trace amounts.
What are the best types of fish for toddlers and kids?
According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the “best” types of fish include:
- Anchovy
- Atlantic croaker
- Atlantic mackerel
- Black sea bass
- Butterfish
- Catfish
- Clam
- Cod
- Crab
- Crawfish
- Flounder
- Haddock
- Hake
- Herring
- Lobster, American and spiny
- Mullet
- Oyster
- Pacific chub mackerel
- Perch, freshwater and ocean
- Pickerel
- Plaice
- Pollock
- Salmon
- Sardine
- Scallop
- Shad
- Shrimp
- Skate
- Smelt
- Sole
- Squid
- Tilapia
- Trout, freshwater
- Tuna, canned light (includes skipjack)
- White fish
- Whiting
Adults and kids should eat one to three servings per week.
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The FDA and EPA also designate certain fish as being “good” choices. Your toddler or child can eat one serving per week (but no other fish that week) of the following options:
- Bluefish
- Buffalofish
- Carp
- Chilean sea bass/Patagonian toothfish
- Grouper
- Halibut
- Mahi mahi/dolphinfish
- Monkfish
- Rockfish
- Sablefish
- Sheepshead
- Snapper
- Spanish mackerel
- Striped bass (ocean)
- Tuna, albacore/white tuna, canned and fresh/frozen
- Tuna, yellowfin
- Weakfish/seatrout
- White croaker/Pacific croaker
What types of fish aren’t considered safe for toddlers and kids?
High-mercury fish are off the menu for children (as well as nursing moms, pregnant women or women who might become pregnant). These include:
- King mackerel
- Marlin
- Orange roughy
- Shark
- Swordfish
- Tilefish
- Bigeye (ahi) tuna
Why do some species of fish fall in two different categories? That’s because bigger types of tuna — or those that tend to live longer — tend to have higher mercury levels than smaller types.
Fish that are found in certain parts of the world can also contain more mercury. For example, tilefish that are caught in the Gulf of Mexico are higher in mercury than tilefish caught in the Atlantic Ocean.
How much fish should children eat?
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends serving a variety of fish to children once or twice a week.
Seafood sizes for children are smaller than those for adults, however, and increase with age. In general, a serving size is:
- 1 ounce (oz) for children ages 2 to 3
- 2 oz for children ages 4 to 7
- 3 oz for children age 8 to 10
- 4 oz for children age 11 and older
Keep in mind, however, that seafood is a common food allergy, so if you’re giving fish or shellfish for your child for the first time, be on the lookout for signs of an allergic reaction.
Your toddler might have a food allergy if, soon after eating (within minutes to a few hours), she experiences:
- Hives
- Itching
- Skin, lip or tongue swelling
- Sneezing
- Wheezing
- Throat tightness or trouble swallowing
- Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain or diarrhea
- Trouble breathing
Keep in mind that some children have delayed reactions and may not show these signs for up to three days. For this reason, it's best to only introduce one high allergen food at a time so you can easily identify what the allergen might be, if there is a reaction.
Always call your doctor right away if your child experiences symptoms of an allergic reaction. An allergic reaction may be more severe or possibly life-threatening (called anaphylaxis) if multiple areas of the body are affected. In the rare event that your child shows signs of a life-threatening allergic reaction like trouble breathing or swallowing, call 911 right away.
If you have questions, or a family history of food allergies, talk to your doctor before offering your child fish.
Tips for serving fish to toddlers
If your child hasn’t taken to fish like, say, a fish to water, don’t give up. (Remember — there are plenty of adults who turn up their nose at fish, too.) Children may need to be exposed to a new food an average of 10 to 15 times before they finally accept it.
In the meantime, keep introducing (and re-introducing) your child to fish. Take her to the seafood counter at the supermarket, put the prepared fish on a serving dish and add a few small portions to her plate. Most importantly: Let her see you eating it.
The more times she sees the food, the more familiar she’ll become with it — and the more likely she’ll be to accept it.
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