Mackerel

Choking risk

Mackerel is a moderate choking risk for babies - manage the pin bones and dry, overcooked pieces.

Flake it finely, check every flake for bones, remove the skin, and loosen dry pieces with yogurt or olive oil. See how to serve for prep at each age.

Allergens

Mackerel is one of the nine major allergens - fish - and there's no reason to delay it: waiting doesn't prevent allergies, and allergens can start alongside other solids from around 6 months.^[1]

Fish and shellfish are separate allergens, so doing fine with one doesn't tell you anything about the other. If your baby has severe eczema or an existing food allergy, check with your pediatrician before starting allergens.

Start with about ¼ teaspoon of well-cooked, finely flaked mackerel mixed into a familiar food, earlier in the day, not near bedtime. Wait 10 minutes, and if all looks well, carry on with the meal.

Watch for a reaction over the next couple of hours. Build up gradually from there, and keep fish in the diet a few times a week.^[2]

If baby refuses

Mackerel's strong smell and oily flavor can put some babies off. Mix flakes into mashed potato, pasta, or a mild sauce, or bind into soft fish cakes. Use it fresh, and keep offering.

Food safety

Cook mackerel until opaque and flaking easily all the way through - 145°F - and never serve it raw or undercooked. Babies are more vulnerable to food poisoning than adults. Skip smoked and brined mackerel too: both are heavily salted, and cold-smoked fish is cured rather than cooked.

The species matters with mackerel. Atlantic and Pacific mackerel are low in mercury - both on the FDA and EPA's "Best Choices" list for young children - so they can be a regular food.

King mackerel is the opposite: it's one of the few fish the FDA and EPA say young children shouldn't eat at all, so skip it entirely.

Spanish mackerel sits in between - an occasional fish, not a weekly one.^[5]