Flounder
- First taste
- 6 months
- Choking risk
- medium
- Common allergen
- yes
- Iron
- low
Fish allergen · low mercury · watch bones
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 flounder?
Fully cooked flounder can be offered once your baby is about 6 months old and ready for solids. Mercury is low compared with many other fish, so you can serve it twice a week.
It provides protein and omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamin B12, vitamin D, choline and selenium come with it. They help the heart, immune system, bones and nerves, and they help cells grow.
Flounder is a shared name for flatfish that live on the sea floor. In sushi it appears as hirame or karei. When cooked, the flesh is mild and flaky and white.
How do you prepare flounder for babies?
Cook the fish until the inside reaches 145 F (63 C). Flake the cooked fish and check it for bones, one piece at a time. Keep sauces low in salt. Light options such as lemon butter or salsa verde work well.
Smoked, salted and some dried products can hold more sodium than a baby needs, so save those for older children. With frozen fish, pick products without added sodium.
No raw fish
Do not serve raw or undercooked flounder, such as sushi, to a baby. Bacterial infections like salmonella and vibrio can be more severe in infants.
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.
6 months
6 months · How to cut and serve for baby-led weaningstrip
Cut: Finger strip
Offer fully cooked, boneless fish in strips about as thick as two adult fingers. Your baby may squash the strip in their fist, which is fine. If it falls apart, let them pick up the pieces. Another option is to fold the fish into mashed vegetables or into another soft dish you can spoon. Make fish cakes soft rather than fried. With dried-fish broths, check the label for salt.
9 months
9 months · How to cut and servecube
Cut: Bite sized piece
Break cooked, boneless fish into small bites. This helps your baby practice the pincer grasp. You can keep offering fish cakes or strips too. Check for bones before every serving.
12 months
12 months · How to cut and servecube
Serve cooked fish flaked or in small pieces. Your child can eat by hand or practice with a fork. Cakes and strips remain good options. If a broth made with dried fish powder is salty, dilute it with water.
Is flounder a choking hazard for babies?
Choking risk: medium
Bones are the choking risk. Run your fingers through the cooked fish and pull out every bone.
Flounder is soft by nature, but its bones can cause choking. Before serving, go over the cooked fish carefully with your fingers and remove every bone.
Stay near your baby and within arm's reach during the meal.
Is flounder a common allergen?
Like all finned fish, flounder is on the World Health Organization's list of priority allergens. About 0.2 percent of people worldwide are allergic to finned fish, and children are affected even less than adults. Most people with the allergy do not grow out of it.
About half of the people allergic to one fish also react to others. The cause is beta-parvalbumin, a protein found in most fish. If your baby has a fish allergy, ask an allergist before offering any other fish.
Proteins released into the air while fish cooks can trigger some people. FPIES, a delayed type of allergy, can also be set off by fish and brings heavy vomiting and diarrhea.
If you suspect a fish allergy, see a specialist before the first serving. Otherwise start with a small amount, and raise it slowly if all goes well.
Spoiled fish is not an allergy
Histamine that builds up in badly stored fish can cause allergy-like symptoms. This is called scombroid poisoning. Keeping fish cold lowers the risk.
Key nutrients
Frequently asked questions about flounder
How often can flounder be served?
Its mercury level is low, so it can be served a few times a week. Rotating between fish types is fine.
Can a baby have sushi?
No. Raw or undercooked fish raises the risk of foodborne illness a great deal in babies. Cook fish until the inside reaches 145 F (63 C).
Does fish help with constipation?
Fish is not known as a food that relieves constipation. It may aid digestion within a varied diet. If constipation is a worry, talk to your pediatrician.
Sources for this page
- Dünya Sağlık Örgütü. (2023). Guideline for complementary feeding of infants and young children 6-23 months of age.
- Rice KM, Walker EM, Wu M, Gillette C, Blough ER. (2014). Environmental Mercury and Its Toxic Effects. Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health. doi:10.3961/jpmph.2014.47.2.74
- 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
- CDC, Infant and Toddler Nutrition. (n.d.). Choking Hazards.
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