How to serve by age
6+ months
Cook cod through, remove every bone, and mash it with a fork until soft and moist, or mix it into vegetable puree.
Cook cod through, remove every bone, and break it into large soft pieces that fall apart easily when you press them.
9+ months
Cook cod through, remove every bone, break it into small soft pieces, and mix it with vegetables, cereal, or another soft food.
Offer small soft pieces of well-cooked boneless cod for self-feeding.
12+ months
Use small soft pieces of well-cooked boneless cod in family meals.
Use small soft pieces of boneless cod in family meals.
Choking risk
Pieces of fish and bones can be a choking hazard.
To lower the risk:
- remove every bone;
- flake the fish into small soft pieces;
- serve it in a texture that suits your child’s age.
Keep your child sitting upright and stay with them throughout the meal.
Allergies
Cod is a fish, and fish is a common food allergen.
When you introduce fish, watch for any reaction.
White fish
The NHS groups cod, haddock, and pollock as white fish. It’s lean: according to USDA data, 100 g of cooked cod has less than 1 g of fat and 0.15 g of DHA, while Atlantic salmon has 1.46 g of DHA. So white fish doesn’t replace oily fish as a source of omega-3s, but it complements it. The NHS recommends at least 2 portions of fish a week, one of them oily. The FDA lists cod among the fish lowest in mercury.
Iodine, selenium, and B12
100 g of cooked cod has 37.6 mcg of selenium, almost twice the daily amount for babies 7 to 12 months old.
That’s USDA data; the 20 mcg target comes from the NIH. The same portion has 1 mcg of vitamin B12, twice the daily amount (0.5 mcg). The NIH also names cod among fish especially rich in iodine.
100 g of cod also has 84 mg of choline, more than half the daily amount for babies 7 to 12 months old (150 mg), and 1.2 mcg of vitamin D. Babies under 1 need 10 mcg of vitamin D a day, according to the NIH, so cod covers only a small part.
Cod liver oil and vitamin drops
The NHS warns against giving your child cod liver oil and vitamin drops at the same time. Cod liver oil also contains vitamins A and D, and too much of some vitamins can be harmful. One supplement is enough, as long as it has the recommended dose of vitamin D.
Salt cod
Dried salted cod (bacalao) is a different food altogether. According to USDA data, 100 g has 7 g of sodium, compared with 78 mg in cooked fresh cod. The NHS advises against salty food for babies, so buy fresh or frozen cod with no salt or marinade.
Sources · 19
This page is based on guidance from health organizations:
- WHO — Complementary feeding of infants and young children
- NHS — Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- AAP — Starting Solid Foods
- NHS — Preparing food safely for babies
- CDC — Choking Hazards
- AAP — Choking Prevention
- NHS — Food allergies in babies and young children
- AAP — Allergies and Children
- NHS — Fish and shellfish
- USDA FoodData Central — Fish, cod, Atlantic, cooked, dry heat
- USDA FoodData Central — Salmon, Atlantic, farmed, cooked
- USDA FoodData Central — Fish, cod, Atlantic, dried and salted
- FDA — Advice about Eating Fish
- NIH ODS — Selenium
- NIH ODS — Vitamin B12
- NIH ODS — Iodine
- NHS — Vitamins for children
- NIH ODS — Choline
- NIH ODS — Vitamin D
For informational purposes only. Not medical advice. Decide on introducing foods, especially allergens, together with your pediatrician.
