First foods database
🦑 Squid for babies: when and how to serve it
Can babies eat squid? Yes, from about 6 months, as long as it is fully cooked and cut small. Squid is a mollusc, which is one of the 14 allergens, and it can be chewy, so preparation is key.
Good source of: Protein, Vitamin B12, Copper, Selenium
How to serve squid by age
6 to 9 months
Cook squid either very quickly (1 to 2 minutes) or slowly for a long time until tender; anything in between turns rubbery. Chop very finely and mix into rice or tomato sauce. Avoid rings.
9 to 12 months
Finely chopped tender squid in paella, pasta or stews.
12 months and up
Small pieces of tender cooked squid. Battered calamari is salty and fried, so keep occasional.
Choking safety
Rubbery squid is hard to chew, and rings are a choking shape. Always cook until tender and chop finely. Never serve raw squid.
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 an allergen: introduce on their own.
- Never serve raw or undercooked shellfish.
Introducing it as an allergen
It contains molluscs, one of the 14 major allergens. How to introduce molluscs
Easy ideas
- Squid in tomato and rice
- Slow-cooked squid stew
- Finely chopped squid in fried rice
Goes well with
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Questions parents ask
Can babies eat squid?
Can babies eat squid? Yes, from about 6 months, as long as it is fully cooked and cut small. Squid is a mollusc, which is one of the 14 allergens, and it can be chewy, so preparation is key.
Can babies eat calamari?
Fried battered calamari is salty and chewy. Homemade tender squid chopped finely is better.
Is squid shellfish?
Squid is a mollusc. In UK labelling, molluscs are listed separately from crustaceans.
Sources
- NHS: Fish and shellfish
- NHS: Foods to avoid giving babies and young children
- BSACI: Early feeding guidance
- NHS: How to stop a child from choking
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).