Protein Food Library
When can babies have herring?
Can babies have herring?
Babies can have herring from about 6 months if it is fully cooked, flaked and checked for bones. Herring is a low-mercury, oily fish rich in omega-3 fats, vitamin D and iron. Pickled, smoked and salted herring are very high in sodium, so save those for older toddlers in small amounts.
How to serve herring by age
Shapes and textures change as your baby’s grasp and chewing grow.
6 months
Bake, poach or pan-cook fresh herring until it flakes easily, remove the skin and every bone, then blend or mash it smooth with potato, avocado or rice. Canned herring in water with soft bones can be mashed completely smooth.
7–8 months
Fork-mash cooked, deboned herring into potato, avocado or rice so it has soft lumps, or offer soft flakes your baby can pick up by the handful. Keep checking every bite for small bones.
9–12 months
Offer small flakes of cooked herring for pincer practice, or mix flaked herring into fish cakes or patties about the size of an adult finger. Keep checking every bite for small bones.
12 months +
Toddlers can have cooked herring flaked onto toast, in pasta or rice, or as part of fish cakes. Offer pickled or smoked herring only rarely, in tiny portions rinsed in water, and serve it with plenty of unsalted foods.
Why it’s good
Herring is one of the best sources of DHA and EPA omega-3 fats, which support brain and eye development. It also provides vitamin D, vitamin B12, protein, selenium and iron. Herring is low in mercury, so it is a smart choice for the 1 to 2 child-size fish servings a week recommended for young children.
Safety notes
- Never serve raw or lightly cured herring to babies or toddlers. Cook fresh herring to 145°F (63°C), until it flakes easily with a fork.
- Herring has many fine bones. Flake the fish with your fingers to find and remove bones, or mash canned herring until any soft bones are fully crushed.
- Pickled, smoked, kippered and salted herring are very high in sodium. Avoid them before 12 months and keep them occasional for toddlers.
- Refrigerated smoked fish can carry Listeria. If you offer smoked herring to a toddler, heat it until steaming or use shelf-stable canned products.
- Pickled herring in cream or wine sauce may contain dairy, added sugar or alcohol. Read the label and skip versions made with alcohol.
Introduce herring on its own, then keep it in
Herring is a fish, and fish is one of the Top 9 food allergens. Offer a small amount first and watch for hives, vomiting, swelling, coughing or wheezing, and once your baby tolerates herring, keep fish in the diet regularly.
Herring for babies: questions parents ask
Quick answers about herring for babies and toddlers.
When can babies have herring?
Babies can have herring from about 6 months, when they start solids. Serve fully cooked, flaked herring with all bones removed, and save salty pickled or smoked herring for later.
Can babies have herring?
Yes, babies can eat herring when it is cooked and deboned. Herring is a low-mercury fish packed with omega-3 fats, vitamin D and iron.
Is herring a choking hazard for babies?
Herring flesh is soft and a low choking risk when flaked, but the small bones can be a hazard. Carefully remove bones from fresh herring, or mash canned herring so the soft bones are fully crushed.
Is herring a common allergen?
Yes, herring is a fish, and fish is one of the Top 9 common allergens. Start with a small amount, watch for signs of an allergic reaction, and keep serving fish regularly if your baby tolerates it.
How do I serve herring to a 6 month old?
To serve herring to a 6 month old, cook a fresh fillet until it flakes, remove the skin and bones, and blend or mash it smooth into a soft food like potato, avocado or rice. Offer it on a spoon. Canned herring in water can be mashed smooth, bones and all.
Can babies have pickled herring?
Pickled herring is not recommended for babies under 12 months because it is very high in salt and is usually not cooked. After 12 months, a small rinsed taste now and then is fine, but cooked fresh or canned herring is a better everyday choice.
Is herring high in mercury?
No, herring is low in mercury and is on the FDA's list of best choices for children. Herring is one of the safest fish to serve babies regularly.
Can babies have canned herring or kippers?
Babies can eat canned herring packed in water with no added salt. Kippers and herring canned in sauce or brine are high in sodium, so save those for toddlers in small amounts.
How often can babies eat herring?
Babies and toddlers can eat herring as part of two to three servings of low-mercury fish a week. Rotate herring with other safe fish like salmon, sardines and cod for variety.
The takeaway
- Babies can have herring from about 6 months if it is fully cooked, flaked and checked for bones.
- Bake, poach or pan-cook fresh herring until it flakes easily, remove the skin and every bone, then blend or mash it smooth with potato, avocado or rice.
- 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
- Foods and Drinks to Avoid or Limit Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Advice about Eating Fish U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- Preventing Listeria Infection Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Iron Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025 U.S. Department of Agriculture and HHS
- 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.