First foods database
🐚 Scallops for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat scallops? Yes, from about 6 months, as long as they are cooked all the way through. Scallops are sweet, tender shellfish that give protein, zinc and vitamin B12. Shellfish should never be served raw or lightly seared to babies.
Good source of: Protein, Vitamin B12, Zinc, Selenium
How to serve scallops by age
6 to 9 months
Cook scallops until fully white and opaque in the centre, then finely chop or blend into a creamy sauce, risotto or potato mash. Their sweetness often goes down well.
9 to 12 months
Offer finely chopped or very thinly sliced cooked scallop mixed into pasta, rice or soft vegetables. Keeping them in a sauce stops them feeling rubbery.
12 months and up
Serve small pieces or thin rounds of cooked scallop in seafood pasta, risotto or with mashed potato and peas.
Choking safety
Cooked scallops are springy and can be hard for babies to bite through. Never serve them whole. Slice thinly across the grain or chop finely, and do not overcook, as they become tougher.
Gagging is common and noisy while babies learn to eat. Choking is usually silent. Always stay with your baby while they eat, sitting upright. How to help a choking baby (NHS).
Good to know
- Molluscs are one of the 14 allergens: offer a small amount on its own first.
- Never serve raw or undercooked shellfish to babies.
- Buy from a reputable fishmonger and cook on the day.
Introducing it as an allergen
It contains molluscs, one of the 14 major allergens. How to introduce molluscs
Easy ideas
- Scallop and pea risotto
- Finely chopped scallops in a creamy pasta sauce
- Scallop and potato mash with chives
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat scallops?
Can babies eat scallops? Yes, from about 6 months, as long as they are cooked all the way through. Scallops are sweet, tender shellfish that give protein, zinc and vitamin B12. Shellfish should never be served raw or lightly seared to babies.
Can babies eat seared scallops?
Only if they are cooked right through. Restaurant-style scallops with a translucent centre are not suitable for babies or young children.
Are scallops a common allergen?
Molluscs (such as scallops, mussels and squid) are one of the 14 allergens. If anyone in the family has a shellfish allergy, speak to your GP before introducing them.
Sources
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- NHS: Fish and shellfish
- NHS: Food allergies in babies and young children
OBubba gives general information based on UK guidance. It is not medical advice and does not diagnose anything. Every baby is different. If your baby has a known allergy, severe eczema or a medical condition, speak to your doctor or health visitor before starting solids. Learn baby first aid, and in an emergency call your local emergency number (999 in the UK).