Protein Food Library
When can babies have whiting?
Can babies have whiting?
Babies can have whiting from about 6 months when it is fully cooked, flaked and free of bones. Whiting (also sold as silver hake) is a soft, mild white fish that is low in mercury. Fish is a common allergen, so start small and watch for a reaction.
How to serve whiting by age
Shapes and textures change as your baby’s grasp and chewing grow.
6 months
Steam, poach or bake whiting until it is opaque and flakes apart, remove every bone, then mash or blend it smooth with a little breast milk, formula or cooking water. Mix it into smooth potato, rice or vegetable puree and offer it on a spoon.
7–8 months
Mash boneless cooked whiting more roughly with a fork into potato, rice or vegetables for a lumpier texture. You can also form soft fish patties about the size of two adult fingers that fall apart easily when pressed.
9–12 months
Offer small, boneless flakes of cooked whiting for your baby to pick up, or mix it into pasta, risotto or soft fish cakes.
12 months +
Toddlers can have whiting in fish pies, soups, tacos and homemade baked fish fingers. Keep checking for bones, since whiting has fine pin bones.
Why it’s good
Whiting gives babies lean protein, vitamin B12, selenium, phosphorus, iodine and a little omega-3 fat for brain and eye growth. It is a low-mercury fish, so it can be part of regular family meals. Pair whiting with beans, greens or fortified grains for iron.
Safety notes
- Whiting has fine pin bones. Flake the fish completely and feel each piece with your fingers before serving.
- Cook whiting to 145 F (63 C), until it is opaque and flakes easily. Never serve raw or undercooked fish.
- Choose plain fillets over breaded, battered or fried whiting, which can be salty and greasy.
- Buy fish that smells fresh and mild, keep it cold, and cook it within a day or two, or freeze it.
- Fish is a Top 9 allergen, so offer the first tastes at home when you can watch your baby.
Introduce whiting on its own, then keep it in
Whiting is a fish, and fish is one of the Top 9 allergens. Offer a small amount first and watch for hives, vomiting, swelling, coughing or wheezing, and keep fish in the diet regularly once it is tolerated.
Whiting for babies: questions parents ask
Quick answers about whiting for babies and toddlers.
When can babies have whiting?
Babies can have whiting from about 6 months, when they begin solid foods. Whiting should be fully cooked, flaked and checked carefully for bones.
Can babies have whiting?
Yes, babies can eat whiting, and its soft, flaky texture is easy for new eaters. Whiting is low in mercury and a good everyday fish for families.
Is whiting a choking hazard for babies?
Whiting is a low choking risk when it is cooked and flaked, but its thin pin bones can be a hazard. Always check whiting for bones before serving it to your baby.
Is whiting a common allergen?
Yes, whiting is a common allergen because fish is one of the Top 9 allergens. Start with a small amount of whiting and watch for any signs of a reaction.
How do I serve whiting to a 6 month old?
To serve whiting to a 6 month old, steam or bake it until it flakes easily, remove every bone, and mash or blend it smooth into potato, rice or vegetable puree. Offer it on a spoon. Lumpier mashes and soft fish patties can follow at 7–8 months.
Is whiting the same as hake?
In North America, the fish sold as whiting is often silver hake, a close relative of hake. Other fish around the world are also called whiting, and all are mild white fish that can be served the same way.
Is whiting high in mercury?
No, whiting is a low-mercury fish and is among the best choices for babies and young children. Babies can have low-mercury fish like whiting about twice a week.
Can babies have fried whiting?
Fried whiting is best kept as an occasional food because it is often salty and greasy, and crispy coatings can be hard to chew. Baked or steamed whiting is the better choice for babies.
The takeaway
- Babies can have whiting from about 6 months when it is fully cooked, flaked and free of bones.
- Steam, poach or bake whiting until it is opaque and flakes apart, remove every bone, then mash or blend it smooth with a little breast milk, formula or cooking water.
- Choking risk is low. 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
- 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.