Scallops

Q: When can babies eat scallops?

From around 6 months, once your baby is ready for solids, served in a safe shape and texture for their age.

Sweet and mild, and best minced or chopped small. Always cooked through.

Checked against official guidance on October 18, 2026 · How we review

Quick answer

Babies can eat scallops from around 6 months, once they show signs of being ready for solids. Prepare it as shown below.

From 6 monthsMedium choking risk as servedAllergen: Shellfish

How to serve scallops by age

6 months+

Minced scallops or scallop cakes

Cook scallops until firm, pearly and opaque, then mince them very finely and stir into mashed potato, rice or a soft vegetable mash, or shape the mixture into finger-sized cakes.

Size: Finely minced into soft food, or scallop cakes shaped like a finger, about 6–8 cm long and 2 cm wide (2½–3 × ¾ in).
Check before serving: Cut the thickest scallop in half before mincing: it should be opaque all the way through, with no glassy, see-through center. Scallop cakes should flatten when you squash them gently.

US and UK advice differ here. The AAP suggests mashed food or soft pieces no larger than ½ inch; the NHS suggests soft finger-sized pieces your baby can hold in their fist. Both agree the food must squash easily.

Always have your child sit upright in a high chair or at the table, and stay with them the whole time they eat. Keep to the size and texture for their stage. Every baby develops on their own timeline.

How to prepare scallops

1
Thaw frozen scallops in the fridge overnight. Rinse them and pat dry.
2
Pan-cook, steam or poach until the flesh is firm, pearly and opaque (145°F / 63°C). Don't add salt.
3
Let them cool, then mince finely (6 months) or chop small (9 months+), and mix into a soft food or shape into cakes.
4
First time? Pick a day your baby is well, at home, when you can watch them for a couple of hours afterward.

How much to offer

For the very first taste, offer a small amount: a teaspoon of minced scallop mixed into a food your baby already eats. If there's no reaction, offer more next time. For ages 1 to 3, the FDA suggests a fish or shellfish serving of about 1 oz (28 g), twice a week. Scallops are naturally high in sodium (FoodData Central lists about 670 mg per 100 g steamed, or about 1.7 g of salt), so add no salt and keep portions small. Your baby decides how much to eat.

Common mistakes

Serving scallops whole

Whole scallops are firm and springy, and the AAP says to modify chunks of meat and cut food for young children into pieces no larger than ½ inch. Mince or chop scallops into small pieces.

Serving them seared rare or raw

Cook scallops until the flesh is firm, pearly and opaque all the way through. Never offer raw or lightly cooked scallops, such as crudo, ceviche, sushi or scallops seared with a see-through center.

Buying imitation scallops

Imitation scallops are usually surimi, a processed fish product. The FDA describes surimi products as minced fish blended with salt, starch or egg white, seafood flavoring and sometimes the seafood being imitated, and FoodData Central lists about 795 mg of sodium per 100 g (about 2 g of salt). They can contain fish, wheat, egg and shellfish, so they aren't a good first taste of scallops.

Not counting the salt

FoodData Central lists about 670 mg of sodium per 100 g of steamed scallops (about 1.7 g of salt). The NHS says babies under 1 should have less than 1 g of salt a day. Add no salt, and keep scallops to a small part of the meal.

Questions parents ask

Can scallops be a choking hazard for babies?

Whole scallops are firm, springy and round, and a choking risk for young children. Mince them for babies and cut them into small pieces for toddlers, including small bay scallops. Never offer raw or undercooked shellfish. Stay with your child during meals.

Can babies be allergic to scallops?

Shellfish is a common allergen. Scallops are mollusks, not crustaceans like shrimp, crab and lobster. The ACAAI says crustaceans cause the most shellfish reactions and many people with a shellfish allergy can eat mollusks, but the NHS notes that people allergic to one type of shellfish, such as prawns or scallops, often react to others. Shellfish can be introduced from around 6 months, like other foods: start with a small amount on its own and watch for signs of a reaction. A shellfish allergy is different from a fish allergy: one doesn't mean the other. In the US, food labels must name crustacean shellfish but not mollusks, so check with the maker if you're unsure. Scallops can also carry toxins from algae blooms that cooking doesn't destroy (NHS, CDC). If your child has breathing trouble, swelling of the face, lips or tongue, seems confused, or becomes floppy after eating scallops, call your emergency number. For vomiting, diarrhea, numbness or tingling, or if they seem unwell within a few hours of eating scallops, get medical care right away.

Are scallops healthy for babies?

A low-fat source of protein, with selenium, zinc and vitamin B12: FoodData Central lists about 20 g of protein per 100 g of steamed scallops. Scallops are not a major source of iron.

When can babies eat scallops?

From around 6 months, cooked until firm, pearly and opaque and minced finely. The CDC lists shellfish among the allergenic foods to introduce when you introduce other foods. The NHS says not to give babies raw or lightly cooked shellfish.

Can babies eat frozen scallops?

Yes. Thaw them in the fridge overnight, then cook them until firm, pearly and opaque, 145°F (63°C), before chopping.

Are scallops high in mercury?

No. Scallops are on the FDA's 'Best choices' list and among the seafood it names as even lower in mercury.

If your baby refuses scallops

Many babies need 10 or more tries before they accept a new food. Keep offering it alongside foods they already like.
Mix minced scallops into foods your baby already likes, such as rice, pasta or mashed potato.
Try scallop cakes: they're easier to hold than loose pieces.
If your baby keeps refusing scallops and you're relying on them as an early allergen, mention it to your pediatrician.

Never force or pressure your baby to eat. Some days they'll eat more, some days less, and that's normal.

Buying and storing scallops

Keep raw scallops in the fridge and cook them within 2 days, or freeze them.
Cooked scallops keep for 3 to 4 days in a covered container in the fridge. Rice dishes are the exception: cool them within 1 hour, keep them in the fridge for no more than 1 day, and reheat them only once.
Scallop cakes can be frozen for 3 to 4 months. Reheat only once, to 165°F (74°C), until steaming hot, then let them cool before serving.
Throw away any food left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours (1 hour if it's hotter than 90°F / 32°C).

When to talk to your doctor

Contact your pediatrician, GP or health visitor if:

Your baby has had any reaction to scallops, even a mild one. Stop offering them, and talk to your pediatrician before trying other shellfish such as shrimp, clams or mussels.
Your baby vomits a few hours after eating scallops. This can be FPIES, a delayed type of food allergy that shellfish can trigger. If they vomited once or twice and seem alert and like themselves, call your pediatrician or GP. If they vomit again and again, or are pale, floppy, very sleepy or hard to wake, call your emergency number.
You notice mild signs of an allergic reaction after eating, such as a few hives or a little vomiting. See signs of a reaction.
You're worried about how much your baby eats, their growth, or they refuse most solid food for weeks.

Call 911999your local emergency number (such as 112 in Europe or 000 in Australia) now if your baby has trouble breathing, wheezing, can't cough or cry, has lips, mouth, tongue or throat that suddenly swell, or becomes pale, bluish, floppy or unresponsive. Also call if hives come with repeated vomiting.

Offered scallops?

Add it to your first 100 foods.

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