Anchovy
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- medium
- Common allergen
- yes
- Iron
- medium
Fish allergen · low mercury
Contains allergens
Each new allergen is offered on its own and watched for two hours. Our allergen introduction guide is available in Turkish for now.
When can babies eat anchovy?
Cooked anchovies can be offered around 6 months, once baby is ready for solids. Compared with many other fish, their mercury content is usually low. Anchovies are small fish that feed people and sea life alike. More than 140 species live in the Atlantic, the Pacific, the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. Fresh anchovies are a favorite dish in many cuisines.
They supply protein, iron, zinc, choline and vitamins B6, B12 and E. They are a very good source of omega-3 fats, DHA above all, which supports a baby's vision and brain development. These nutrients help growth, red blood cells, immunity, the nervous system and metabolism.
How do you prepare anchovy for babies?
Fresh anchovies
Cook fresh anchovies thoroughly and remove the head and bones before serving. Bones in cooked fish may get stuck in baby's mouth, throat or food pipe. Press the flesh with your fingers to check. Choose baking or steaming over frying.
You can stir the fish into porridge or mashed potato, or serve it in patties and cornbread.
Salted and canned anchovies
The bones and skin of salted or canned anchovies soften during processing. These products are still very salty, so do not make them a habit for babies. Setting aside a small portion of a salted family dish now and then is fine, but watch the salt.
Preparation by age
The same food is served differently at each age. What matters is how your baby sits, grasps and chews, more than the calendar.
Prep time: 20 min
6 months
6 months · How to prepare as a puréemash
Cut: Fork mashed
Clean fresh anchovies, remove the head and backbone, and bake them without flour or steam them. Press the flesh between your fingers to check for tiny bones, then stir it into cornmeal porridge or mashed potato. Salted and canned anchovies are not given at this age. Fish is a new allergen, so offer a small amount for the first time and do it in the morning.
9 months
9 months · How to cut and servecube
Cut: Bite sized piece
Serve boned, cooked anchovy flesh in small pieces, or inside anchovy cornbread and anchovy patties. Bake instead of frying, and add no salt.
12 months
12 months · How to cut and servecube
Cut: Bite sized piece
Keep serving anchovy in small boneless pieces. Set aside a lightly salted portion from steamed anchovy or anchovy pilaf, and check for tiny bones in every bite.
Is anchovy a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: medium
Small bones can get stuck. Remove the head and spine, press the cooked flesh with your fingers to check for bones, and skip salted anchovies.
Cooked anchovy carries a low risk when prepared well. The real hazard is the bones. Fine bones in fresh fish can stick in the throat, so remove them and check by pressing the flesh with your fingers. The bones in canned anchovies are soft. Stay close while your baby eats.
Check for bones
Check for tiny bones in every bite. Do not serve fish that still has bones.
Is anchovy a common allergen?
Anchovy is a common allergen. The World Health Organization lists finned fish as a common allergen. About 0.2% of people worldwide have a finned fish allergy. Rates in children vary and are lower than in adults. Around 40% of people with the allergy have their first reaction in adulthood, and most do not outgrow it.
Some people also react to proteins that float in the air while fish cooks. If this happens with your baby, consider not cooking fish at home.
About half of the people allergic to one fish react to others too, because most fish share a major allergen called beta-parvalbumin. If your baby is allergic to anchovy, ask an allergist before offering any other fish.
Fish can also trigger a delayed allergy called FPIES. It begins a few hours after a meal with repeated vomiting and diarrhea, and it can lead to dehydration if untreated. There is also scombroid poisoning. Fish kept too warm builds up histamine, which causes allergy-like symptoms. Keeping fish properly cold lowers that risk.
First trial
If you suspect your baby is allergic to fish, see an allergist before offering it. Give a small amount the first time and watch closely. If nothing happens, raise the portion slowly. After introduction, keep offering it about twice a week if possible. You do not need to offer every fish species weekly, because finned fish share the same main proteins.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about anchovy
Is anchovy safe in terms of mercury?
Anchovies usually have less mercury than many other fish. Still, rotating between different fish is a good habit.
Can babies eat salted anchovies?
Salted anchovies are high in sodium, so do not make them a habit for babies. A small portion from a family dish now and then is fine, but watch the salt.
Does fish allergy go away on its own?
Most people with a finned fish allergy do not outgrow it. If you have any doubt, ask an allergist before giving fish to your baby.
Sources for this page
- Dünya Sağlık Örgütü. (2023). Guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6-23 months of age.
- NHS. (n.d.). Preparing food safely for babies.
- CDC, Infant and Toddler Nutrition. (n.d.). Choking Hazards.
- Halken S, Muraro A, de Silva D, Khaleva E, Angier E, Arasi S, et al. (2021). EAACI guideline: Preventing the development of food allergy in infants and young children (2020 update). European Academy of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. doi:10.1111/pai.13496
- Türkiye Ulusal Alerji ve Klinik İmmünoloji Derneği. (n.d.). Besin Alerjisi, öncelikli 10 besin.
- Tsabouri S, Triga M, Makris M, Kalogeromitros D, Church MK, Priftis KN. (2012). Fish and shellfish allergy in children: Review of a persistent food allergy. Pediatric Allergy and Immunology. doi:10.1111/j.1399-3038.2012.01275.x
- Moonesinghe H, Mackenzie H, Venter C, Kilburn S, Turner P, Weir K, et al. (2016). Prevalence of fish and shellfish allergy. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. doi:10.1016/j.anai.2016.07.015
Guides on iron, allergen introduction, gagging and drinks. Read the starting solids guides
Medical note
This page is for information only and is not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Talk to your pediatrician before any feeding decision, especially about allergen introduction and reactions.
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Astro Tasarım Simay Yenice · Türkiye · merhaba@lokmini.com