Protein Food Library
When can babies have eel?
Can babies have eel?
Babies can have fully cooked eel from about 6 months, with all bones and skin removed. Eel is a fish and counts as a common allergen. Skip the sweet, salty glaze used on unagi and never serve raw eel.
How to serve eel by age
Shapes and textures change as your baby’s grasp and chewing grow.
6 months
Bake, steam or poach plain eel until fully cooked, remove the skin and every bone, and blend or mash the soft flesh smoothly with potato, rice or avocado and a little breast milk or formula. Offer it on a spoon.
7–8 months
Flake plain cooked eel finely, feeling each flake for tiny bones, and mix it into lumpier mashed potato, rice or avocado. You can also press the flakes into very soft patties your baby can hold that fall apart when pressed.
9–12 months
Offer small flakes of plain cooked eel about the size of a pea for pincer practice, or mix them into rice, scrambled egg or soft vegetables. Feel each flake for tiny bones.
12 months +
Toddlers can have flaked cooked eel in rice bowls or fried rice. If you offer glazed unagi, scrape off most of the sauce and keep portions small.
Why it’s good
Eel gives babies high-quality protein, omega-3 fats for brain and eye development, and vitamins A, D, E and B12. Eel is rich in vitamin A and fat, which supports growth and vision. It is a fattier fish, so a small portion goes a long way.
Safety notes
- Never serve raw or undercooked eel. Raw eel blood contains a toxin that is destroyed by cooking, and raw fish can carry parasites and bacteria.
- Eel has many small, fine bones. Debone carefully and flake the flesh with your fingers to feel for any you missed.
- Remove the chewy, slippery skin, which can be hard for babies to break down.
- Store-bought grilled eel (unagi or kabayaki) is coated in a sweet soy glaze that is high in sugar and sodium. Choose plain eel for babies under 12 months.
- Buy eel from reputable sources and offer it as an occasional fish alongside low-mercury choices like salmon, sardines and trout.
Introduce eel on its own, then keep it in
Eel is a finned fish, and fish is one of the Top 9 food allergens. Introduce a small amount first, watch for hives, vomiting, swelling or breathing changes, and keep fish in the diet regularly once tolerated.
Eel for babies: questions parents ask
Quick answers about eel for babies and toddlers.
When can babies have eel?
Babies can have eel from about 6 months, as long as the eel is fully cooked, plain, and has all skin and bones removed. Flaked eel mixed into soft foods is an easy way to start.
Can babies have eel?
Yes, babies can eat cooked, deboned eel. Eel provides protein, omega-3 fats and vitamin A, but glazed unagi is too sweet and salty for babies under 12 months.
Is eel a choking hazard for babies?
Eel can be a choking hazard for babies mainly because of its many small bones and chewy skin. Remove the skin, debone the eel carefully, flake the flesh, and always stay with your baby while they eat.
Is eel a common allergen?
Yes, eel is a common allergen because it is a fish, and fish is one of the Top 9 food allergens. Start with a small amount of cooked eel and watch for signs of an allergic reaction.
How do I serve eel to a 6 month old?
To serve eel to a 6 month old, cook plain eel until fully done, remove the skin and bones, and blend or mash the flesh smoothly into a soft food like rice, potato or avocado, offered on a spoon. Soft eel patties to hold can follow at 7–8 months.
Can babies have unagi?
Babies under 12 months should skip unagi because the glaze is high in sugar and sodium. Toddlers can have a little unagi now and then with most of the sauce scraped off.
Can babies have raw eel or eel sushi?
No, babies and toddlers should never eat raw eel. Raw eel blood contains a toxin, and raw fish can carry parasites, so eel must always be fully cooked before serving.
Is eel high in mercury?
Eel is not on the FDA list of high-mercury fish to avoid, such as shark, swordfish and king mackerel. Eel can be offered occasionally, but mix in other well-studied low-mercury fish like salmon, sardines and trout.
How much eel can a baby eat?
A baby only needs a small portion of eel, such as one or two tablespoons of flakes at a meal. Offering a variety of fish across the week is better than relying on eel alone.
The takeaway
- Babies can have fully cooked eel from about 6 months, with all bones and skin removed.
- Bake, steam or poach plain eel until fully cooked, remove the skin and every bone, and blend or mash the soft flesh smoothly with potato, rice or avocado and a little breast milk or formula.
- Choking risk is medium. Fish is one of the Top 9 allergens: offer a small amount first, watch for a reaction, then keep it in the diet regularly.
Read next
Sources
This guide follows current advice from these organizations.
- Starting Solid Foods American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- When, What, and How to Introduce Solid Foods Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Choking Hazards Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Choking Prevention American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org)
- Advice about Eating Fish U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- The Effects of Early Nutritional Interventions on the Development of Atopic Disease in Infants and Children Greer FR, Sicherer SH, Burks AW; American Academy of Pediatrics. Pediatrics. 2019;143(4):e20190281
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Updated November 2026. Reviewed by our dietitians. Based on AAP, CDC and NIAID guidance. Written for healthy, full-term babies; not a substitute for your pediatrician. If your baby was born early, has a medical condition, feeding difficulties or a known allergy, check with them first (medical disclaimer). Always stay with your baby while they eat.