Meat & fish

Cod for babies

Cod is the gentlest introduction to fish: almost no flavour to object to, a soft flake, and it sits firmly on the low-mercury list.

Age suggestion 6 months+ Choking risk Moderate Iron-rich No Common allergen Yes

When can babies have cod?

From around 6 months. Cod is one of the FDA and EPA best-choice fish, meaning it is low enough in mercury for one to two servings a week for a young child.

How do you serve cod to a baby?

The shape is what makes a food safe, and it changes as your baby’s grip and chewing change. Find your baby’s age band.

6–8 months

Poach or bake until it flakes, check thoroughly for bones, and serve in soft chunks or flaked into mashed potato or a white sauce, which holds it together.
9–11 months

Flaked, bones checked, or in soft fish cakes with mashed potato.
12–18 months

Flaked, in fish pie, fish cakes, or as a small portion of fillet.
18–24 months

Family portions. Home-made breaded fish rather than shop-bought fish fingers, which are salty.

Prep tip

Poach cod in milk or unsalted stock rather than baking it dry. Dry fish is the version babies push away.

Storage

Cook within a day of buying, or buy frozen fillets and cook from frozen. Cooked fish keeps two days.

Is cod a choking hazard for babies?

Choking risk Moderate

Cod flakes softly and poses little risk once bones are out — and bones are the whole risk. Check every flake with your fingers, including fillets sold as boneless. Skin should be removed.

Whatever you serve, stay within arm’s reach, keep your baby upright in a supportive seat, and never let them eat in a moving car, buggy or carrier. Gagging is loud and normal. Choking is silent.

Is cod a common allergen?

Common allergen Yes

Fish is one of the nine common allergens, and fish allergy usually persists into adulthood. Different fish species carry different proteins, though many people who react to one react to several. Introduce on its own with two hours of watching.

Is cod healthy for babies?

Cod is a lean, high-quality protein with exceptional iodine and B12. It carries far less omega-3 than salmon, so if DHA is the goal, oily fish does more — but for a first fish, cod's mildness is worth a lot.

What cod brings
Protein	Very high
Vitamin B12	Very high
Iodine	Very high
Selenium	High
Phosphorus	Good source
Iron per serving	~0.2 mg

Common questions about cod

Are fish fingers okay for babies?

Shop-bought ones are usually high in salt and the coating is the bulk of them. From around 12 months as an occasional food, or make your own from a cod fillet with breadcrumb and no salt.

Which fish are unsafe for babies?

Avoid shark, swordfish, marlin, king mackerel, tilefish, orange roughy and bigeye tuna entirely — they carry high mercury. Cod, salmon, sardines, trout, tilapia, pollock and haddock are all on the best-choices list.

Reference material

Guidance on this page follows the sources listed below.

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